Kerik Withdraws His Name for DHS Chief

[WestHoustonDem]

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=320442

WASHINGTON Dec 10, 2004 — Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik, President Bush's choice to be homeland security secretary, has withdrawn his name from consideration, the White House announced late Friday.

Presidential press secretary Scott McClellan, in a conference call to news organizations, revealed that Kerik had withdrawn "for personal reasons."

"The president respects his decision and wishes the commissioner and his wife, Hala, well," McClellan said in a statement.

"Commissioner Kerik is withdrawing his name from director of homeland security," the spokesman said. "He informed the White House this evening that he was withdrawing for personal reasons from consideration to be secretary of homeland security."
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McClellan said that Kerik telephoned the president at about 8:30 p.m. EST. Kerik also sent a letter to the White House in which he announced his wishes.

McClellan said the White House "will move as quickly as we can to name someone else to fill this nomination."

Bush's nomination of Kerik quickly proved controversial. News reports in recent days focused on revelations that Kerik had made millions of dollars a stun gun company that sold weapons to the Homeland Security Department and which wants more business. The White House had said that Kerik would avoid any conflicts of interest.

Records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission show Kerik made $6.2 million by exercising stock options he received from Taser International. He has been a consultant for the company and still serves on its board of directors, although the company and the White House said he planned to sever the relationship.

Kerik, 49, had been selected by Bush to succeed Tom Ridge in the Cabinet-level position, heading a huge federal agency that was founded in reaction to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks against New York and Washington.

Kerik was anticipating hearings on his confirmation, and earlier Friday had held a private breakfast meeting in New Jersey, where Sen. Jon Corzine told him that New Jersey should receive more money from the federal agency, according to a spokesman for Corzine.

Corzine told Kerik the state's entire congressional delegation and acting Gov. Richard J. Codey were united in getting the agency to change the way it doles out funds, said Corzine spokesman Brad Woodhouse.

Woodhouse said the senator told Kerik during the meeting at an undisclosed site in New Jersey that he believes the funding formula should be based on the risk of a terror attack.

Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

[edbermac]

1. It's all the left-wing media's fault!

You can bet the mortgage that's what they'll be screaming over at Faux News any minute now...

[aquart]

12. No, no. His NOBILITY made him withdraw.

Lest the insignificant illegal immigrant problem reflect badly on this sterling administration. Proving what a great guy Kerik is.

[nosmokes]

26. hahahahaha!

you made me spew my soda all over my monitor. nobility. hee! good'un.

[Cha]

2. So what's the real reason?

Whatever..it makes bush look sillier than ever if that's possible.

[lebkuchen]

27. Whatever the reason, it's got to be worse than "nannygate."

The US RW controlled media would never bother with a nannygate story.

[DemBones DemBones]

3. How much was it he spent -- of government money --

on busts of himself?

[henslee]

4. DUers did this !!! Well not really but why not SCREAM IT anway. nt

[eleny]

5. Smells like a Friday night dump to me

[Mist]

7. Yep, that was my first thought

It's Friday! They don't want questions for a few days. I don't think it was the step-kid who worked for Flynt, so it's probably that cozy business deal Kerik had (tasers, or something?)

[Mist]

15. Oops!

got mixed up- it was Gonzales' kid who worked for Hustler. Can't keep the scandals straight! From looking at other threads, it seems Kerik had even more crap in his past. I'm not buying the nanny story....

[serryjw]

8. I'm sure it was a dump...(very smelly!)

BUT it will be all over Sunday morning news shows.

[UTUSN]

6. Well, Let's Kick KERIK Forever!!!!!

***********QUOTE***********
KERIK as thug: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

http://newyorkmetro.com/nymetro/news/media/columns/medi... /

.... Then Judith and Rupert found each other -- and ReganBooks was born. Not only did their commercial instincts mesh, but Judy's what's-the-world-ever-done-for-me politics were highly compatible with the Murdoch view.

And then the sex part. It's a one-woman show.

I have never heard anyone talk about sex the way Judy does. I have never heard anyone talk about their sexual partners the way Judy does. I have never heard anyone analyze individual motivations, the workings of the marketplace, and politics, too, in such precisely sexual terms. The other day, on her show, she kept interrupting her tempered guests on the subject of why women like Bill Clinton, and, voice rising, saying: "They want to have sex with him -- that's why they like him!"

Early in her career at Simon & Schuster, she published a book called The Rogue Warrior and fought tooth and nail for a full-face cover photo of the author. "Don't they understand?" she stormed to me. "Women will buy this because they want to fuck him!" She got the full face and a best-seller.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipea/A0880010.html

Born: 1953
Birthplace: Massachusetts?

Growing up on Long Island, Regan earned a BA in English from Vassar College. In the late 1970s, she studied voice and worked as a secretary before becoming a reporter for the National Enquirer. In 1987 Regan proposed a book on American families and their role models to Simon & Schuster. The editors were impressed, and she joined Simon & Schuster, developing a string of best-selling celebrity “tell-all” books, including those by talk show host Rush Limbaugh and radio personality Howard Stern. Her aggressive, sales-oriented approach was highly successful, but critics charged she was undermining publishing by manufacturing personality-driven books. In 1994 Rupert Murdoch gave Regan her own imprint at HarperCollins, ReganBooks, and a TV show on Fox News. A Manhattan resident, Regan is divorced and has two children.

http://www.amiannoying.com/2002/view.aspx?ID=4537

Published Howard Stern's 'Private Parts' and 'Miss America,' 'Monica Lewinsky's Untold Story: An Amorality Tale,' 'Quivers a Life' and Rush Limbaugh's 'See I Told You So' and 'The Way it Ought to Be'
Hosts Fox News interview show

Why she might be annoying:
Her son was born out of wedlock and she never married the father.
She divorced Robert Kleinschmidt, the father of her daughter, in a very angry divorce. The divorce battle went for over five years and went through dozens of lawyers and many judges, costing more than a million dollars.
When she published rival Rush Limbaugh's book, Howard Stern called her 'Judas Limbaugh.'
She wrote for the National Enquirer for three years.

Why she might not be annoying:
She looks like Isabella Rossellini.
She graduated Vassar College on a scholarship.
She has edited books from the left and right political viewpoint with out censoring ideas.
She ranked #94 in Entertainment Week Power List of 1993.

http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical/newlow.htm

Regan looked straight into the camera and for almost 10 minutes, delivered a pseudo stream-of-consciousness poetry riff mocking Clinton. Referring to his sad boyhood, she mocked his loneliness, then proclaimed that he built himself up and called himself KING, because "I am rich and I can do what I want!" She likened him to the cast out Socks, and envisioned him an old man meeting up with Socks at 125th street, both holding tin cups. ....

It was incredibly vicious. What was especially appalling was how she took the most painful aspects of Bill's background--his truly grievous childhood--and twisted them, using them to mock him. If this wasn't the "politics of personal destruction" I don't know how else you could describe this horrific display. ....

***********UNQUOTE*********

[Kimber Scott]

13. ?

:shrug:

[johnfunk]

9. BWAHAHAHAHAHAAAA! Payroll tax "savings" by using an immigrant nanny...

... a few thousand dollars.

Embarrassing the incompetent, illegitimate "Popular Wartime Preznit" -- priceless!

LET THE SNARK FLOW LIKE WATER!

[Erika]

10. This guy is a real creep.

The police department had to pay off a $325,000 lawsuit for his bullying tactics. He made over 6 mil for his having the department purchase Tasers, which he is on the board of directors. And he hired an illegal for nanny purposes which he never paid taxes for.

Typical Bushie. But, by God, he made sure the homeless caused no problems. He chased them away and prosecuted them at every opportunity. What a typical Bushie.

[Bouncy Ball]

11. My gut feeling on this is that

this withdrawal of his name for consideration wasn't voluntary.

I'm just sayin'.

[MADem]

23. Yep

I think someone in the administration didn't do their homework. Probably because Porgie WANTED him. Another impetuous decision, no one speaks up because they are afraid of crossing the boyking, and the media, facing a slow news cycle, decides to do a little digging for a change. What pops up is a pattern of cretinous behavior and a Zoe Baird problem, to boot.

He didn't jump, he was pushed.

[osaMABUSh]

14. housekeeper and nanny had a questionable immigration status

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/10/kerik.withdraws/index.html

[rodeodance]

19. he said the nanny problem was brought to his attention on forms for

his confirmation hearing. te he--like he did not know it before!!

[gmoney]

16. Thank Gawd!!!

This is such good news! The guy is just a thug.

Maybe McCain wants the job?

[ROakes1019]

17. Disappointed

My first thought, on hearing the news, that this is great. Then I felt a little disappointment that another scandal for Bush was down the tube. In the end, though, I realized that scandal doesn't faze this administration while Kerik could really mess up our security (as though we really have any).

[papau]

18. (CNN)Homeland security nominee withdraws(cites employee problem

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/121204Z.shtml

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/12/10/kerik.withdraws/index.html

Homeland security nominee withdraws
Former NYC police commissioner cites employee problem
Saturday, December 11, 2004 Posted: 12:30 AM EST (0530 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One week after President Bush's nominated him to be secretary of homeland security, former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik withdrew from consideration Friday night after discovering a former household employee had a questionable immigration status.

Kerik said in a news release the immigration problem with the former housekeeper and nanny was discovered while he was completing documents required for his Senate confirmation.

He said he also learned "that for a period of time during such employment, required tax payments and related filings had not been made."

In a letter to Bush, Kerik said that while serving in the Cabinet post would have been "the honor of a lifetime, 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.<snip>

[rodeodance]

25. "Scandal-Plagued Kerik Withdraws Nomination" --good headline!!

Scandal-Plagued Kerik Withdraws Nomination

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/121204Z.shtml

[cal04]

20. article on him in Newsday

Let this be a warning from someone who's followed the man's ladder-climbing career: He's a personal and professional time bomb the Bushies will learn to regret. Don't say I didn't warn you, guys!
That's certainly the message that smart law-enforcement professionals in New York were exchanging yesterday, as they shook their heads in disbelief at Kerik's latest career goal.

"He couldn't run the Rikers commissary without getting greedy and making a mess, in a jam," one correction veteran said. "Now he's gonna be in charge of the Department of Homeland Security? Let's just hope the terrorists don't decide to come back."

This former subordinate was referring to just one of many petty scandals that have hung over Kerik's career. When he ran Correction, nearly $1 million of tobacco-company rebates were diverted into an obscure foundation Kerik was president of. This was for cigarettes bought with taxpayer money and then sold at inflated prices to jail inmates. But this rebate money - would kickbacks be a better word? - got spent entirely outside the normal rules for public funds.

No one was criminally charged. But a whole rash of IRS rules were seemingly violated. One board member quit in protest when the foundation treasurer refused to provide him with financial reports. And no one has ever explained where all the money went.
It was a typical Kerik deal. He behaved from start to finish like normal rules didn't apply to him.It isn't possible in so little space to give an adequate tour of the man's rise from Jersey high-school dropout to prospective anti-terror boss.


http://www.nynewsday.com/news/opinion/columnists/ny-nyhen034063947dec03,0,6437594.column?coll=ny-opinion-columnists

[Kool Kitty]

22. The NYTimes had an article today, too.

Seems there was some questions about the timing of stock transactions, etc. And about his "training" of Iraq security forces. Buh-bye, Bernie.

[Zero Gravitas]

21. HAHAHAHAHAH

I love it when the right wig gets hoist on its own petard. With this slimy fascist creep, the given reasons are likely just scratching the surface of why this guy should not be in any cabinet, even George Shithead' Bush's.

[rodeodance]

24. k. gave the 'reason' as a nanny to make it seem like it was a silly

reason for him to resign----I say silly because I think the media will eat it up and Right will be on the bandwagon for this 'silly' reason!!
Just a thought

[sleipnir]

28. One down, more to go.

Let's hope our men and women in the Senate can shut down more of these horrible appointments. Instead they leave it up to the vulture press to lead with sensational stories about the nominees just to sell papers. Sick how we got rap it like a mummy, and no one has the love for the streets.

[moondust]

29. Checkered past, Bernie? That didn't stop George.

Ya just gotta Praise the Lord Bernie, Praise the Lord! I say Praise the Lord!

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

30. Hmmmm, could be he lied about his bankruptcy to the FBI

do you really want someone who can't handle $700 bucks a month rent in MANHATTAN running a trillion dollar department?

I don't

[rainbow4321]

31. The Fox news lady and Kerik story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A49827-2004Dec8.html

On the night of Nov. 28, 2001, crack homicide detectives fanned out all over New York City, one of them even going as far as New Jersey. In all, five detectives from the Manhattan South Homicide Task Force went to the homes of various suspects, fingerprinted some of them, interrogated all of them and told a few that they would have to take lie detector tests. The horrific crime? The police commissioner's friend was missing some items.

The commish at the time was Bernard B. Kerik, who just the other day was nominated by George W. Bush to be the next head of the vast Department of Homeland Security. The crime victim was Judith Regan, a publisher at HarperCollins, whose imprint, Regan Books, was publishing Kerik's autobiography, "The Lost Son."

<snip>

The Manhattan South homicide cops were working for Kerik.

Regan's items apparently went AWOL from a studio at Fox News Channel, where she also worked. They included a cell phone, a necklace and a credit card. All the items were later accounted for. The necklace was found at the bottom of her handbag. The credit card had been left behind at a drugstore. As for the phone, it was later found in a trash basket -- and it is my guess that it was the real reason for such measured panic. You never know what numbers might be in a cell phone.

Right up front I should state that Kerik has always maintained that he had nothing to do with making homicide cops lost-and-found monitors. It's possible.
<snip>

[daleo]

32. Well, this surprises me

Maybe the Fundies decided they just couldn't go along with the child abandonment angle. It seems hard to credit though - perhaps some more mundane BFEE like reason will eventually come to light.

[argyl]

33. Kerik's getting a raw deal. Are his Taser dealings any more

unseemly than Cheney's Halliburton ties? This guy would fit right in. <sarcasm off>

[Moderator]

34. Duplicate

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1062429