Former NYC housing official under Giuliani admits using public funds

[DoYouEverWonder]

Former NYC housing official under Giuliani admits using public funds for self, friends

March 15, 2005 8:05 PM EST

NEW YORK -- A housing official under former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani pleaded guilty Tuesday to using city funds to finance vacations and a bachelor party and having child pornography.

In an unusual court proceeding, Russell Harding appeared in U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan's courtroom on a television monitor and entered the plea from a prison facility in Butler, N.C.

Harding, 40, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to embezzle, mail and wire fraud and possession of child pornography after he was accused of spending at least $400,000 in public funds on himself and friends _ for a car, vacations to Hong Kong and Canada, magazine subscriptions and other items.

<snip>

Shargel said his client was not in court because it was decided it might jeopardize his mental health if he were moved from a facility where he has been treated for bipolar disorder and a nonverbal mental disability.

http://www.nynewsday.com/news/local/manhattan/ny-bc-ny--ex-giulianiaide0315mar15,0,3685193.story?coll=nyc-moreny-headlines


Guiliani sure knows how to pick 'em. Wonder where Bernie Kerik is hiding these days?

[Wilms]

1. Bernie Kerik is probably hiding near a paper shredder.

NY Daily News Exclusive

Opening Kerik's E-mail
Then-jails boss kept pal abreast of probe

Originally published on December 20, 2004

-snip-

"Bad news, or it could be good," Kerik wrote, according to Ray. "Rudy's nephew in the Tradewaste has been appointed from Inspector General to Deputy Commissioner of Investigations. That's how he's aware of everything going on. He's overseeing all of the investigations. It's not only the internal oversight stuff, but it's every investigation. That could be bad for me for the moment, but I think overall, good for us if Harding does his job and gets aggressive."

The "Harding" appears to be a reference to Russell Harding, son of then-Liberal Party boss Ray Harding, who served in a general fixer role at City Hall.

-snip/more

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/263827p-225881c.html

[DoYouEverWonder]

3. This is sure a tight knit bunch

Nothing like a little nepotism to help keep things under control?




Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani (c.), pictured with former Fire Commissioner Thomas Von Essen (l.) and Bernard Kerik at Giuliani Partners in September 2002, now says that Kerik plays only a limited role in their consulting business.

[blogbear]

2. kiddy porn too?

Oh me oh my!

[Wilms]

4. It's depressing. n/t