Giuliani's Key Supporters Ensnared in Sex, Drugs

New York Newsday ^ | July 11, 2007 | Tom Brune

[hardback]

Manchester, N.H. -- Another key supporter of Republican presidential contender Rudy Giuliani suffered an embarrassment when he admitted the "serious sin" of at one time calling an escort service accused of being a prostitution ring.

Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), who is Giuliani's most prominent Southern conservative supporter, was implicated when the so-called "D.C. Madam" disclosed that his phone number was found among the telephone records of the escort service, Pamela Martin and Associates, in a period before he was elected to the Senate in 2004.

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Vitter said in a statement Monday night. "Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession ..and marriage counseling."

Vitter's implication in a prostitution ring comes just three days after Giuliani's former state campaign chairman for the crucial primary state of South Carolina was formally arraigned in a federal criminal cocaine-possession indictment.

After a town-hall meeting in New Hampshire yesterday, Giuliani called Vitter's admission a "personal matter" for Vitter. Giuliani also defended his own record of appointing qualified people as mayor of New York, though he conceded some were disappointments.

That two of Giuliani's key Southern supporters have become ensnared in prostitution and drug cases could revive concerns about some of his past New York associates, notably Bernard Kerik. He has pleaded guilty to two state corruption charges for accepting free renovation of his apartment.

This story was supplemented with Associated Press reports.

[bukkdems]

Why is only one commodity OK to give away but illegal to sell?

[ellery]

If this were just one bad apple, I would agree with you. However, it's relevant to Giuliani because Giuliani has a long history of appointing corrupt/lawbreaking cronies to important positions. Either this "security" candidate is dangerously lax when he vets people, or this former prosecutor is blind to lawbreaking happening around him, or this supposed "tough on crime" candidate practices a double standard when the crime is perpetrated by his own cronies. Whatever the case, it is a huge issue for someone who wants to be president.

Lest you think I'm exaggerating, here's a partial list of Giuliani appointees/hires/cronies (in addition to Vitter and Ravenel) who resigned or were removed from office because of lies, corruption and/or law-breaking.

He appointed high school dropout and former driver Bernard Kerik to NYC Police Commissioner and pushed him for Homeland Security Chief. Kerik turned out to be corrupt and reportedly mob-connected. Giuliani later testified that he had been briefed on Kerik's lawbreaking -- yet he pushed him for the top anti-terrorism post in the country, and then went into business with him.

For NYC Chancellor of Education, Giuliani pushed Leon Goldstein, who later was forced to withdraw his candidacy in disgrace because of allegations that he lied about his qualifications.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE0DB1539F93BA1575AC0A963958260

In 1995, Giuliani pushed Leonard Piccoli to an executive director job in NYC's public hospitals organization, despite the fact that Piccoli had been forced to resign from the same job in 1985 due to alleged substantial contracts and ethics violations.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6DC1739F93AA25756C0A963958260

One of Giuliani's closest political allies in NYC, Guy Velella, pled guilty to and served time for taking bribes in return for awarding government contracts.

''I endorsed him, I support him, I've worked with him, I know what a good job he's done for New York City and for the Bronx,'' Mr. Giuliani said. The mayor said he thought the disclosures about the criminal investigation would not seriously damage the senator.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B02E3DF1639F930A35752C1A9669C8B63&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fV%2fVelella%2c%20Guy%20J%2e http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0420,robbins,53585,5.html

Giuliani's Probation Commissioner Raul Russi, and Deputy Probation Commissioner Louis Gelormino, later were dismissed from their jobs under Bloomberg because of their involvement in Velella's early release from jail.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10914FA355F0C708DDDA90994DC404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fV%2fVelella%2c%20Guy%20J%2e

After Ray Harding, head of NYC's Liberal Party, endorsed Giuliani, Giuliani appointed his son Russell Harding to head NYC's Housing Development Corporation -- even though Russell Harding was a college dropout with no experience in housing or finance (Giuliani chose a second son, Robert, as NYC's budget director, and later promoted him to deputy mayor). Russell Harding later pled guilty to embezzling hundreds of thousands in public funds, and to possessing child pornography.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0512,robbins2,62314,5.html

The Russell case brought down another of Giuliani's top appointees. Giuliani appointed Richard Roberts (son-in-law of Vernon Jordan) as NYC Housing Commissioner, and Chairman of the Health and Hospitals Corporation; Roberts was later convicted of perjury related to a $38,000 SUV Russell Harding bought him with city funds.

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0436,robbins2,56554,5.html

Giuliani appointed his lifelong friend, Louis Carbonetti, Commissioner of NYC's Community Assistance Unit. Carbonetti had to resign when news came out that he had allegedly failed to disclose more than $100,000 in business debts and back taxes and held two driver's licenses with slightly different names at the same time. He pleaded guilty in 2004 to perjury. Carbonetti's son, Anthony Carbonetti, was Giuliani's chief of staff and is now his senior political adviser.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/longisland/politics/ny-lijani255229113may25,0,729089.story?coll=ny-lipolitics-headlines

Giuliani's friend Alan Placa was hired on at Giuliani Partners after Placa, a Long Island Priest, was barred from the ministry because of allegations of sexual abuse and using his role as a spiritual adviser to gain information from victims to strengthen the diocese's legal position.

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=46&aid=19106

When Giuliani promoted Kerik to Police Commissioner, he appointed William J. Fraser to replace him as Correction Commissioner. Fraser resigned in 2002 amid reports that he had paid Correction employees to work on his home, and had allegedly pushed them to work on Pataki's reelection campaign.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F60A13F73C5C0C748EDDA80994DA404482

Anthony Serra, a Giuliani campaign volunteer and high-ranking official in Giuliani's Dept. of Correction (in charge of all the jails on Riker's Island), resigned after being charged with stealing city property and ordering correction officers to renovate his home.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40913FB395B0C728DDDAC0894DB404482&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fOrganizations%2fR%2fRikers%20Island%20Prison%20Complex

In 1994, Giuliani appointed Anthony Schembri to Correction Commissioner. Shembri resigned a year later after disclosures that used a workday to make a paid speech in Atlantic City, had the city regularly pay overtime and tolls for department drivers on errands to Rye, N.Y., where he had been Police Commissioner, and broke the law by never establishing a residence in the City. Shcembri went on to head Florida's troubled Juvenile Justice Dept.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C02E0D71630F937A15752C1A962958260

http://www.sptimes.com/2004/05/13/Citrus/Colleagues__friends_h.shtml

Giuliani hired former Corrections Dept. Chief of Staff John Picciano at Giuliani Partners. Picciano, a close friend of Kerik's, was accused of assaulting his girlfriend and threatening her with his gun in 1998. But he was never arrested. According to Terrence Skinner, a retired corrections supervisor, "{Kerik} told me that I should basically pretend it never happened." Picciano left Giuliani Partners one day after Kerik abruptly resigned.

http://www.officer.com/article/article.jsp?id=19361&siteSection=1

Giuliani appointed Michael Carey, a son of former Gov. Hugh L. Carey, to head NYC's Economic Development Corp. According to a "scathing" audit covering the last 18 months of Giuliani's administration and the first six months of Bloomberg's, the organization was used as a "little bank account for the mayor's office" -- paying for mayoral aides' cars, lavish parties and out-of-town trips. For example, the audit states that it paid more than $11K for Carey's going-away party, and $7K for the going-away-party of Catherine Giuliani, the organization's chief of staff. It also bought at least 11 cars for the mayor's office during Giuliani's administration.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9900E2DC143FF933A25753C1A9659C8B63

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/premium/0286/0286-8873007.html

[Syncro]

Well, there are also these stories.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1864239/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1863959/posts

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/07/11/politics/main3043571.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_3043571

The first two may be duplicates.

[bray]

You mean politicians use prostetutes in New Orleans?? Say it aint so! Who cares??

Pray for W and Our Troops

[Liz]

Hillary will quietly drop Mayor Antonio as a national co-chair of her presidential campaign......... but Bill will come to his rescue.

"Psst! Antonio. Could you give me that Telemundo chick Mirthala's phone number?"

"Her cha chas belongs to me, Beeley. But if'n you tells Heelary to put me
on da teecket, I supply you wit hot Latina babes up the kazoo. No problema."

[OldPossum]

That’s an impressive piece of research you have done on Mr. Giuliani’s political picks. If, Lord forbid!, he got the nomination, the media would have a great time with that kind of information.

[B4Ranch]

>Reagan would not go for speaking evil of other Republicans no matter what.<

Mark Twain said;
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”

Since the Republican Party has abandoned the Conservative base, let me change that to;
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your Party when it deserves it.”

[ErnBatavia]

You might want to ping FReeper Hildy on this (she’s on hiatus)...what the hell, I’m doing it right now.

[Liz]

Thanks for the research, ellery.

RINO Mayor Giuliani appointed Michael Carey, a son of former Democrat Gov. Hugh L. Carey, to head NYC's Economic Development Corp.

According to a "scathing" audit covering the last 18 months of Giuliani's administration and the first six months of Bloomberg's, the organization was used as a "little bank account for the mayor's office" -- paying for mayoral aides' cars, lavish parties and out-of-town trips.

For example, the audit states that it paid more than $11K for Carey's going-away party, and $7K for the going-away-party of Catherine Giuliani, the organization's chief of staff. It also bought at least 11 cars for the mayor's office during Giuliani's administration.

[nicmarlo]

Anyone who reads and relishes this article certainly is not a Reagan Conservative. Reagan would not go for speaking evil of other Republicans no matter what.

Republican President Theodore Roosevelt would vehemently disagree.

"Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else."

-- Theodore Roosevelt, Republican President

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

-- Theodore Roosevelt

[TommyDale]

Remember several months ago, when you and I were saying that the dirt would come out later against Rudy? How accurate were we? ;-)

[nicmarlo]

tsk tsk

[stephenjohnbanker]

“Mark Twain said;
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.”

Since the Republican Party has abandoned the Conservative base, let me change that to;
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your Party when it deserves it.”

I like it!

[stephenjohnbanker]

No corruption here.....................

ROTFLMBO!!

[ellery]

Thanks — I have no doubt that the media and the donk opposition have more comprehensive lists than this one. They’re just waiting for the right time to publicize this stuff. I figure we might as well get it out now so no one has any illusions about what they’re walking into if they nominate Giuliani.

[stephenjohnbanker]

LOL!!

[ellery]

Thanks! :)

[windsorknot]

But Democrats can get away with rape.

[herMANroberts]

OK, I'm convinced. I won't vote for any of his key supporters.

With all the BS we pull in this country I'm surprised anyone ever wants to run for anything.

What's next? Nose picking pictures?

[ellery]

No problem — credit goes to calcowgirl for unearthing the very interesting factoid that Giuliani appointee/crony Richard Roberts is none other than Vernon Jordan’s son-in-law.