Magus wrote:I guess it's the ol' "tainted information" that got you again, eh, woo-woo?
America feels your pain!
(Now, if only your peeps could learn to avoid tainted sources...)
Your childish sarcasm duly noted.
Apparently, you have not read my prior post.
But to put my opinon in terms even YOU can understand, I'll say this....
You can't be running Immigration when you have immigration problems in your own house.
I'm wondering if any of those in this thread who are rejoicing at the Kerik news are the very same who embrace the notion of "innocent until proven guilty"? I'm not suggesting Kerik is squeaky clean (I'm not that naive), and I'm not defending him as a choice for Secretary of the D.H.S., but I suspect he's not guilty of every charged being lodged against him. Innuendo and assertion do not make one guilty. Of the listed transgressions, taking kickbacks seems the most serious, followed by paying the illegal alien under the table.
But assuming every allegation is true, what's the big deal about his making some money through a stock sale? Is that a crime?
And can those who are excoriating Kerik for having an extramarital affair say they felt the same way about Clinton?
Does fathering an "illegitimate child" make one ineligible for high office? What about taking a personal bankruptcy? These things happen every day to real people, and it does not make Kerik unqualified for the job.
It seems we only want someone who is squeaky clean for the office, and that's fine ... I'm all for that. But try to have a little perspective.
That being said, I echo McGentrix' comment that he should have declined the nomination.
Ticomaya wrote:I'm wondering if any of those in this thread who are rejoicing at the Kerik news are the very same who embrace the notion of "innocent until proven guilty"? I'm not suggesting Kerik is squeaky clean (I'm not that naive), and I'm not defending him as a choice for Secretary of the D.H.S., but I suspect he's not guilty of every charged being lodged against him. Innuendo and assertion do not make one guilty. Of the listed transgressions, taking kickbacks seems the most serious, followed by paying the illegal alien under the table.
But assuming every allegation is true, what's the big deal about his making some money through a stock sale? Is that a crime? And can those who are excoriating Kerik for having an extramarital affair say they felt the same way about Clinton?
Does fathering an "illegitimate child" make one ineligible for high office? What about taking a personal bankruptcy? These things happen every day to real people, and it does not make Kerik unqualified for the job.
It seems we only want someone who is squeaky clean for the office, and that's fine ... I'm all for that. But try to have a little perspective.
That being said, I echo McGentrix' comment that he should have declined the nomination.
I dunno...ask Marttha Stewart...
I'm just trying not to picture Judith Regan f*cking that toad.
Cinnesthesia wrote:I'm just trying not to picture Judith Regan f*cking that toad.
Can it be any worse than Monica Lewinsky with a cigar up her ass? :wink:
Kerik
Kerik's past was known to the Bush Adm. vettors except for the nanny issue. They didn't have any problems with Kerik's colorful form of corruption. Perhaps that happened because so many of their business friends are corrupt and they consider it normal.
I've been suspicious of Kerik's corruption every since I learned he started out in 1986 as a beat cop for NY City and quickly rose in the ranks to Police Commissioner even faster than his bank account. I've seen some cops become wealthy on their cop salaries. Corruption is obvious.
The Nanny issue is one Kerik and Bush couldn't get around and it also was a good face-saver for both Kerik and Bush.
---BBB
----------------------------------------
One administration official helping prepare Kerik for Senate confirmation, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kerik's unexpected decision shocked senior leaders at the Homeland Security Department. This official said Kerik still had not filled out all his ethics filings -- which would detail his sources of income and financial liabilities -- and said the FBI background investigation of Kerik was still incomplete.
But the only moderately troubling information uncovered about Kerik so far had been news that Kerik had earned $6.2 million by exercising stock options he received from Taser International, which did lucrative business with the Homeland Security Department, this official said.
The White House had defended him against questions of conflict of interest involving his relationship with Taser. "We have full confidence in his integrity and we are confident that he will take the appropriate steps necessary to make sure that there are no conflicts there," White House press secretary Scott McClellan had said at his midday briefing.
In a statement separate from his resignation letter, Kerik said the problematic issue arose as he was completing documents required for Senate confirmation. "I uncovered information that now leads me to question the immigration status of a person who had been in my employ as a housekeeper and nanny. It has also been brought to my attention that for a period of time during such employment required tax payments and related filings had not been made."
Kerik said he feared that the disclosure of the issue would generate intense scrutiny that would "only serve as a significant and unnecessary distraction to the vital efforts of the Department of Homeland Security."
Kerik's first anti-terrorism work was as a paid private security worker in Saudi Arabia. He joined the New York Police Department in 1986, first walking a beat in Times Square. He eventually was tapped to lead the city's Corrections Department and was appointed commissioner in 2000.
It was in that position that the mustachioed law enforcement chief became known to the rest of the country, supervising the NYPD's response to the 2001 terror attacks, often at the side of then-Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. In 2003, he took on a temporary assignment in Iraq to help rebuild the country's police force. Most recently, he has been a consultant for Giuliani Partners, working to rebuild Baghdad's police force.
(© 2004 The Associated Press
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:Ticomaya wrote:...
But assuming every allegation is true, what's the big deal about his making some money through a stock sale? Is that a crime?
I dunno...ask Marttha Stewart...
Is he accused of engaging in illegal insider trading, like the domestic diva?
Ticomaya wrote:Bi-Polar Bear wrote:Ticomaya wrote:...
But assuming every allegation is true, what's the big deal about his making some money through a stock sale? Is that a crime?
I dunno...ask Marttha Stewart...
Is he accused of engaging in illegal insider trading, like the domestic diva?
take a joke for a joke willya pal?
Bi-Polar Bear wrote:Ticomaya wrote:Bi-Polar Bear wrote:Ticomaya wrote:...
But assuming every allegation is true, what's the big deal about his making some money through a stock sale? Is that a crime?
I dunno...ask Marttha Stewart...
Is he accused of engaging in illegal insider trading, like the domestic diva?
take a joke for a joke willya pal?
Doh!
Sorry. Had my serious face on. You know how that goes .... eh?
Kerik's current wife is Syrian.
Now you
know you nasty Republicans would have crucified any Democrat nominated for DHS just for
that fact alone.
Quote:Mrs. Kerik mum on straying hubby
Bernard Kerik's future wife won his heart by arguing with him over his teeth
Hala Matli, an immigrant from Syria, was managing a dentist's office when she found herself repeatedly sparring with a busy patient who never seemed to be able to keep an appointment.
The patient was a city correction official - namely, Kerik.
"We despised each other," Kerik wrote in his autobiography, "The Lost Son." "It was a running battle between us, me skipping appointments, her pointing out how inconsiderate I was."
But through the frosty exchanges, Kerik saw "a beautiful fair-skinned woman who was bright and sweet." The couple wound up dating and Hala Kerik, now 35, has stuck by her man ever since.
She kept a stoic silence yesterday after the Daily News reported that her husband cheated on her with two women.
NY Daily News
PDiddie wrote:Kerik's current wife is Syrian.
Now you know you nasty Republicans would have crucified any Democrat nominated for DHS just for that fact alone.
I didn't see the little smiley face laughing icon so I'm guessing you're not joking. Correct me if I'm wrong because my humor meter ain't working well this a.m.
That being said ....
what the hell are you talking about? What does the nationality of his wife have to do with a nominee's qualifications? Anyone trying to make such a case would be an idiot, be they Democrat, Republican, or otherwise.
Why did you bring it up?
c'mon Tico.. you know Pdid is right....this is the group that brought you Freedom Fries....and I believe had a few catty remarks to make about Tersa Heinz-Kerry's nationality.....
BPB
It appears that Republicans only like American-foreigner marriage when its Arnold and Maria.
BBB
Well, if Kerik's wife was French, that would be different!
But in all seriousness, I don't think PDiddy is right -- I think he's wrong. The remarks made about Teresa were no doubt about the bizarre and kooky things she would say and do, not where she was born and raised.
Tico - this board was full of comments about Teresa's place of birth and early background during the campaign. Nasty comments.
I dunno why Kerik's wife's origin is of interest, though I find it odd that he refers to her fair skin.
It seems to only be important to those on the left, ehBeth.
While Kerik was wrong to agree to the nomination, at this point, he is a private citizen, gamefully employed who in the past has performed at an exceptional level as a public servant. Why the left and the media now want to "rape" this man is beyond me.
I wonder how come the left has not criticized Bill Clinton since the man he pardoned may now be up to his eyeballs in the Oil for Food scandle?
I hadn't realized that the NY Daily News would be considered a paper anywhere near the centre, McG, let alone left of centre.
In any case, it's a particularly American phenomenon - even being aware of a politico's spouse's history or background or having interest in their personal lives.
Kerik certainly has his own fascinating employment history to read about. He was a bit player in one of the Guiliani biographies I read earlier this year.
ehBeth wrote:Tico - this board was full of comments about Teresa's place of birth and early background during the campaign. Nasty comments.
I dunno why Kerik's wife's origin is of interest, though I find it odd that he refers to her fair skin.
Okay. Must have been before my time began here ...
woiyo wrote:While Kerik was wrong to agree to the nomination, at this point, he is a private citizen, gamefully employed who in the past has performed at an exceptional level as a public servant. Why the left and the media now want to "rape" this man is beyond me.
I wonder how come the left has not criticized Bill Clinton since the man he pardoned may now be up to his eyeballs in the Oil for Food scandle?
when one decides to become a public servant...particularly in this day and age....if they don't have expectations of being put under a microscope then that right there is enough to make them too stupid for the job IMO......as for why the left doesn't criticize Clinton..... it's for the same reason the right gives bush a pass on everything...they like him.....
