Hearing of former US envoy to Pakistan postponed

WASHINGTON: The hearing of a misdemeanor case against former US ambassador Richard G. Olson, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed, according to court sources.

The Washington Post reported this week that Olson’s sentencing was set for Tuesday, with the potential for a sentence of up to six months in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. Olson’s legal team, however, argued that his extensive and honorable career should exempt him from imprisonment.

The US federal court, which had initially scheduled Olson’s sentencing for Tuesday, has not yet announced a new date.

Former US ambassador to Pakistan in hot waters

In 2019, Olson pleaded guilty to two misdemeanors: failing to disclose an $18,000 first-class ticket he received for a job interview and illegally lobbying on behalf of Qatar after his retirement. Although he was not charged for accepting a diamond gift for the mother of his former wife, Deborah Jones, and for arranging tuition fees for his current spouse, journalist Muna Habib, the US Justice Department argued that these episodes demonstrated a pattern of unethical behavior.

Olson, who retired from the State Department in 2016, had an illustrious 34-year career, including postings as the US ambassador to Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, as well as assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan.