House Committee on Government Reform Tom Davis (Virginia politician)

1 house committee on government reform

1.1 icg government
1.2 major league baseball team in washington
1.3 transportation development positions
1.4 jennifer , david safavian

house committee on government reform

in 2003, davis became chairman of house government reform committee. served chairman until 2007, when democrats became majority party in house of representatives. henry waxman of california replaced davis @ gavel. davis had renamed committee, removing oversight title; 1 of waxman s first acts chair reinstitute name house committee on oversight , government reform. committee chief investigative , oversight committee of house, , granted broad jurisdiction. committee active during clinton administration. issued 1,052 subpoenas probe alleged misconduct administration , democratic party between 1997 , 2002. contrast, end of 2005 session, davis , majority had permitted 3 subpoenas issued george w. bush administration, including 1 united states department of defense on documents related hurricane katrina.

icg government

davis s second wife, jeannemarie devolites-davis, 1 of first hires (as part-time consultant) icg government, firm assists businesses in obtaining government contracts. financial relationship, along financial ties benefit family members of 64 of 435 voting members of congress, highlighted in june 2007 ethics report, family affair crew.

at time of hire @ icg, davis mentor , campaign manager. after being hired, devolites married davis. on july 28, 2006, washington post reported defense information systems agency had reviewed satellite contract artel, inc., , agency had preliminarily determined contract ineffective , expensive. artel hired icg lobbying services. icg drafted letter davis signed agency threatening investigation committee if contract not awarded. after post articles appeared, davis sought opinion house ethics committee. advised him careful avoid appearance of conflict in matter. post published extensive article on issue, company had register lobbyist, , icg removed picture front page of website of davis speaking icg clients.

his wife continued work icg, paid $78,000 in 2005 working 10 20 hours week, @ home on cell phone. making $18,000 year virginia legislator. bio 1 on icg site name spouse. same post writers continued investigation of oversight of contractual influence committee , chair in november , december 2006.

major league baseball team in washington

davis accused of threatening major league baseball investigation when consortium included george soros offered buy washington nationals. think major league baseball understands stakes , davis told roll call magazine. don t think want involved in political fights. davis, convened congressional hearings steroid use, added, don t think s nats hurt. think s major league baseball gets hurt. enjoy sorts of exemptions antitrust laws.

transportation development positions

davis appeared @ local zoning meeting oppose smart growth plan near vienna metro station. approval of project, build called mini-city within walking distance of metro, considered routine. of longest commutes work in nation begin in virginia—second new york city—and in prince william county in particular. project key resolution congestion in congressional district. davis s pledge approve legislation led several county supervisors accuse him of meddling in local land-use issue.

one politician spoke davis said congressman told him opposed pulte homes metrowest project because produce democrats .

in july 2006, davis wrote letter virginia s then-governor tim kaine discouraging state constructing underground metrorail through tysons corner. according july 17, 2006, story in washington post, davis said switching tunnel in tysons require reviews delay rail line as 2 years. on february 26, 2007, post reported davis had switched positions.

jennifer , david safavian

one of 12 counsels oversight , investigations on house government reform committee jennifer safavian, wife of david safavian, first person convicted in jack abramoff lobbying scandal. staff director house ways , means committee. former legislative director davis submitted request receive no jail time, judge ruled david safavian s conduct merited incarceration. judge s decision reversed on june 17, 2008, court of appeals district of columbia.

david safavian had replaced angela styles, forced general services administration after davis wrote letters bosses @ office of management , budget. had written mitchell e. daniels jr. , joshua bolten, styles s superiors @ office of management , budget.

prior gsa job, safavian had no government contracts experience. did have connections davis, lobbyist grover norquist, head of americans tax reform (atr), worked closely nrcc when davis chair, , presented davis atr award. atr has been found have operated tax-exempt despite not qualifying tax-exempt status.