Posted on 12/10/2004 8:09:32 PM PST by Jeff Head
In a surprise move, former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik abruptly withdrew his nomination as President Bush (news - web sites)'s choice to be homeland security secretary Friday night, saying questions have arisen about the immigration status of a housekeeper and nanny he employed.
The decision caught the White House off guard and sent Bush in search of a new candidate to run the sprawling bureaucracy of more than 180,000 employees melded together from 22 disparate federal agencies in 2003.
Kerik informed Bush of his decision to withdraw in a telephone call at 8:30 p.m. EST. "I am convinced that, for personal reasons, moving forward would not be in the best interests of your administration, the Department of Homeland Security or the American people," Kerik said in a letter to the president.
The White House said Bush accepted Kerik's decision.
One administration official helping prepare Kerik for Senate confirmation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kerik's unexpected decision shocked senior leaders at the Homeland Security Department. This official said Kerik still had not filled out all his ethics filings — which would detail his sources of income and financial liabilities — and said the FBI (news - web sites) background investigation of Kerik was still incomplete.
But the only moderately troubling information uncovered about Kerik so far was news that Kerik had earned $6.2 million by exercising stock options he received from Taser International, which did lucrative business with the Department of Homeland Security, this official said.
Kerik said the problematic issue arose as he was completing documents required for Senate confirmation. "I uncovered information that now leads me to question the immigration status of a person who had been in my employ as a housekeeper and nanny. It has also been brought to my attention that for a period of time during such employment required tax payments and related filings had not been made."
Kerik said he feared that the disclosure of the issue would generate intense scrutiny that would "only serve as a significant and unnecessary distraction to the vital efforts of the Department of Homeland Security."
I just heard it on Foxnews.
I read on Drudge it was a 'Nanny Gate' tax affair.
The illegal worker and not filing tax info is certainly a killer...I wonder if there is more?
darn. dont these people have a clue about their housekeepers? he should have declined the position when it was 1st offered. believe me i know everything i did wrong in the past and would think twice about taking anything that would force me to say "but i didn't inhale"
The left didn't like this man from the get go, I guess he was to much an embodiment of someone with some real balls(metaphorically speaking). Further showing how the left is the fifth column in our country.
Hmm. Well at least he dropped out let the White House know instead of having embarrasing stuff come out in a confirmation hearing.
Kerik said the problematic issue arose as he was completing documents required for Senate confirmation. "I uncovered information that now leads me to question the immigration status of a person who had been in my employ as a housekeeper and nanny. It has also been brought to my attention that for a period of time during such employment required tax payments and related filings had not been made."
He is a very honest man. I am sad that he is withdrawing from being head of Homeland security department.
DAMN!
"..and that's all I have to say about that"
There must be more to it than that...but that would be enough in today's environment.
HEH...take this job and shove it. What a thing to say to the Prez.
Who's next on the list to be called?
Agreed. There is porbably more to it than this.
the crazy Dems probably made it clear to him that they would make his personal life hell by trying to destroy his character. he had a rough background (didn't graduate highschool, his mother was some kind of street walker)- i'm sure he didn't want to have to defend himself everyday for the next 4 years.
thats unfortune, it would've been a great example of the american dream realized.
Yep...but if he had any question about his own housekeeper/nanny, then he should have not gone down the road to begin with...and if he didn't know, then that raises more concerns IMHO.
He might be a good man, but he is kind of a dumbass for doing this.
nyc cop? of course there is more.
Well, at least he got this on the table before it became even more embarassing. Spared the administration that specter.
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