Posted on 12/14/2004 8:01:46 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
President Bush hoped to limit the political damage from the nomination of Bernard B. Kerik by cutting him loose as soon as he confessed he had not paid taxes for a Mexican nanny who apparently had been in the country illegally. Instead, questions about Bush's judgment have escalated because of a cascade of damaging details about Kerik's business and personal lives that White House vetters either missed or ignored...
...White House officials said they knew about many of the issues before the nomination but did not deem them disqualifying. In part, they were relying on the support of New York's two Democratic senators, Charles E. Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton, both of whom had issued statements praising Kerik after the announcement. The White House also was banking on the notion that Kerik had survived the rough-and-tumble New York political world, including its bare-knuckled tabloid press, and figured that no senator would dare question Kerik on his extramarital activities at a confirmation hearing.
One senior official said even Kerik's failure to pay employment taxes for the nanny would not have been enough to pull the nomination because he could have owned up to the error and paid the back taxes. But the official said the idea of employing an undocumented immigrant was, in the end, untenable for the Cabinet secretary in charge of immigration and borders.
In hindsight, according to people close to the White House, it appeared Bush or his aides allowed their affection for Kerik to cloud their judgment. Kerik traveled extensively on behalf of Bush's reelection campaign and became a popular figure within the president's circle. His hero status from the Sept. 11 attacks and his colorful personality, Bush advisers figured, would help inoculate Kerik from questions about his past...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Ditto.
And since you are one of the only people I've seen on all these many threads who wasn't acting like an ignorant name-caller, I'll be more than happy to respond. Commissioner Kerik is by no means a "perfect" man... show me someone who is. People have been all to quick to jump on the liberal-fueled Kerik bashing bandwagon without knowing any facts. For starters, yes, the man had an illegal alien in his employ while he was overseas. The often repeated charge that Commissioner Kerik didn't pay taxes on her is only half true... all her NJ taxes were paid. Taxes for the state of NY for some work she did in his home there were overlooked; however, were since paid in full, including the penalties according to at least one news report. I've done contract work in a neighboring state and forgotten to claim the income in that state ... our tax code sucks and that sort of oversight is very easy to make. My guess is that the commissioner's wife or staff hired the nanny and that rather than trying to pass the buck, he's accepted blame for something that was ultimately his responsibility.
As for the other allegations in the press, none of them seem to be very well substantiated, and (unlike many arrogant freepers I've seen here) I won't pretend to have enough facts to make a determination as to Commissioner Kerik's guilt, innocence, or wrongdoing in those matters. I will make a few observations, though:
Regarding alleged "mob-ties"... no one has substantiated any of this other than to say that, in effect, Commissioner Kerik did business with someone who did business with a mob-affiliated business. It's hard to throw out your trash or get your car repaired in NY without "doing business with a mob affiliated business." This sounds like total bunk to me.
As for the "apartment overlooking ground zero" ... whoop-de-do. I used to have sex in a building that was previously an orphanage for kids who's parents had died or were dying in the TB Asylum across the street. It was my apartment ... there are no claims that Commissioner Kerik had his trysts there during the 9-11 cleanup, but all the headlines want you to believe that he threw tired rescue-workers off a cot so he could bang away at his girlfriend. The affairs themselves (if indeed they happened at all) would be personally indefensible, but have no affect on his ability to do his job.
Was there an inside story to why he left Iraq early? I don't know, and neither do any of the blabbermouth freepers I've seen posting here this week. One thing we do know about his time in Iraq: his boss was happy with him and happy with his performance.
No doubt Commissioner Kerik is a "colorful" figure as I've heard it put, but he would have gotten the job done. In my opinion no police officer will ever be elevated to a high political office ... too many enemies are made over the years; people who are willing to say and do anything to make the officer look bad.
I don't know him well but I know him enough to know that he is a kind man who cares about the people on his staff. He's intelligent beyond what he projects on TV or in interviews, he loves his country, and he has a reputation as a workaholic.
I'm supremely disappointed that the freepers I have previously enjoyed the company of so much have been so eagerly led down the path of character assassination by the liberal media driven onslaught against a good man.
It should be over now, he had his name withdrawn and has been embarrassed. Can we move on yet? Or do the freepers need more blood?
Where's Golan Cipel?
No, what I said was, I don't want a girl scout in charge of homeland security.
Someone who doesn't accept bribes, doesn't hire illegals, does pay taxes on their employees, doesn't cheat on his wife and mistresses is nothing more than a girl scout in your mind? What is George Bush then? A girl scout because he seems to be an honest law-abiding type. Ronald Reagan? Another girl scout?
Wow. You have me figured out. I better not try to explain myself...
How long have you been here? You know better than to suggest that I'd want Bill Clinton for anything more than janitor at a junk yard. What kind of flamebait is that?
Reread what I wrote.
1. I scratch my head (meaning: I'm thinking about this. Why would either Bush or Kerik let this go forward as it did?).
2. I don't want a girl scout in charge of HS. (I want someone who knows how and has killed people in defense of his country)
3. I want a Hells Angel (a badass) who loves his mom (who has some values and some sort of moral base)
4. God help this country if the liberals ever come back from Canada (I want the Director of HS taking names when they do)
Tell me where in all of that you see support for wither Kerik or Clinton
I have no idea, but I'm sure it won't be long until some moron tries to imply that Commissioner Kerik is a closet homosexual.
My interest in this withdrawn nomination was triggered by the cavalier response of many to his "indiscretions",i.e.;that they don't matter. I only want folks to be aware that if it doesn't matter for geese,it doesn't matter for ganders either.
Since,I intend to protest loud and clearly when the other party appears to be "using" other people or their property I think it never hurts to remind others that "Ceasar's wife must be above reproach". Rather than continue to sound like a walking,talking animated cliche,I'll sign off. Thanks again.
I read that "not wanting a girl scout" as being in support of Kerik because he's certainly not an innocent type. It should be someone tough --- but tough doesn't mean Mafia type, or taking illegal bribes, or committing adultery --- actually Kerik sounds like a weak-willed individual so it's a good thing he's out.
As far as Bush letting it go forward --- the way I see it --- Bush is an extremely busy guy --- someone else would certainly do the preliminary checks on a nominee --- I think someone didn't do their job very well at all. Bush himself is an honest character and probably assumes most people are until they prove otherwise. As far as Kerik letting it go on, he seems like one of those vain arrogant types that doesn't think he has to play by the same rules as everyone else --- and he figured he didn't have to reveal any of his indiscretions to the President.
ROFL! Relying on the support of...ROFLMAO!
I'm with you. Take the man with all his flaws because he's tough enough to actually do the job. (He's definitely proven to be good with logistics.)
Hillary Clinton praised Kerick........oh my heavens, doesn't that explain everything. She knew all about Kerick's picadillies.........and found a way to discredit Bush!
Ditto...
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