Wolfowitz: Ethics Panel Knew of Pay Deal

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Associated Press

Wolfowitz: Ethics Panel Knew of Pay Deal

Sunday April 29, 4:38 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz plans to argue that the institution's ethics committee knew of his involvement in securing a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend.

Wolfowitz, an architect of the Iraq war in his preceding Pentagon job, will cite a February 28, 2006, letter that his attorney characterizes as showing that bank's ethics committee had looked at the arrangement.

The panel's chairman, Ad Melkert, said in the "Dear Paul" letter that an allegation relating to "a matter which had been previously considered by the committee did not contain new information warranting any further review."

The letter didn't specifically mention Wolfowitz or his girlfriend, Shaha Riza, by name. However, Wolfowitz's attorney, Robert Bennett, said the letter is proof that Melkert was aware of Wolfowitz' role in securing the compensation package. "There is no question that he knew," Bennett said Sunday.

Read more: http://money.excite.com/jsp/nw/nwdt_rt_top.jsp?news_id=ap-d8oqg4v02&

[rpannier]

1. Then Melkert needs to be pushed out the door with wolfie

If wolfie's account of the events is true.

[Kagemusha]

3. I doubt it is true.

I've been following the claims since they began; the board categorically denies it approved of the pay raise, specifically. They certainly knew of the reassignment; the tens of thousands of dollars in increased pay with a scale for raises that'd make the woman very wealthy indeed, instead of simply quite comfortable, this, they have always denied knowing about.

But somehow Bennett seems to think that making it look like they knew the whole story and not just the half Wolfowitz was satisfied with them being told, will get his guy "off".

Frankly, doesn't matter either way. I keep hearing that it takes 85% support for any board proposal to pass and the US' voting % is 16%. If Bush doesn't want Wolfowitz gone, doesn't matter what a majority recommends - Wolfowitz stays in perpetuity. In that sense this is just a matter of PR.

[Journeyman]

2. More people to be got rid of, that's all. . .

There's nothing in human nature that instills ethics -- or intelligence -- in someone just because they've been appointed to an Ethics Panel.

[cassiepriam]

4. Am I the only one who doesn't think that woman is his girlfriend?

There is something fishy about the whole deal here.
I don't mean the money end of it, the whole relationship
is not what it seems to be...

[cliss]

5. Omg....let the finger pointing begin!

I'm enjoying this so much. Can't wait till tomorrow, when Wolfman is scheduled to appear before the board.....

with reinforcements. (aka his girl friend + his attorney). He's going to fight for his career. I hope he doesn't give up, but goes down in a Blaze of Glory.
Maybe he'll show up at work, after they get someone else to replace him.

[IndianaGreen]

6. This is great! Nothing like seeing Wolfowitz and the evil World Bank go at each other's throats

Get the popcorn out and enjoy the show.

:popcorn:

[54anickel]

7. How come there's no more coverage of the shady security clearance and

think tank business and Lynn Cheney as her boss and all the other stuff I've read about but can't remember right now?