StormWarning’s Counterterrorism

More times than most, I have made it clear that Rudy Giuliani is a bad choice for President because of his poor judgement of the people he keeps as close advisors and friends (read that as Bernard Kerik) and Rudy’s hairtrigger temper.  Well, “bad Bernie is about to boomerang on his boss” and could become an albatross around Rudy’s neck.

Giuliani’s police chief could be problem - Case of ex-NYC police commissioner could crash into final push for votes

As New York prosecutors wrap up their investigation of former New York City Policer Commissioner Bernard Kerik on multiple federal felony charges, Presidential hopeful former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani could end up being called to testify, perhaps, during the general election campaign. Louis Lanzano / ASSOCIATED PRESS

The criminal investigation of New York’s former police commissioner is on track to crash headlong into the GOP presidential race - and Rudy Giuliani’s final push for the nomination.

Since former Mayor Giuliani began campaigning, he has sought to distance himself from Bernard Kerik and to blunt the political fallout from his relationship with his ex-police commissioner, business partner and close friend.

Giuliani has accepted responsibility for his role in Kerik’s embarrassing 2004 withdrawal as President Bush’s Homeland Security nominee amid tax problems. Ethics questions and corruption allegations also have swirled around Kerik.

“I made a mistake in recommending Bernie Kerik to the president,” Giuliani says often, adding that he should have more thoroughly vetted his associate of nearly two decades.

The mere fact that he admits to not fully vetting someone for the position of Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security shows incredibly poor judgment on Giuliani’s part, aside from the fact that it raises serious questions in my mind about who Rudy would choose other members of his Administration should he be lucky enough to win the Republican nomination and then win the Presidency.  In my opinion, there are much better candidates, even among those currently in the field, albeit perhaps less charismatic.

…Could be a Problem

Such acknowledgments may not be enough for Giuliani to emerge politically unscathed as prosecutors wrap up their investigation of Kerik on multiple federal felony charges. Kerik is expected to confront the results of the investigation as early as next month — and it’s widely believed he will either be indicted or reach a plea agreement with prosecutors. Should prosecutors charge Kerik and the case reach trial, Giuliani could end up being called to testify during the general election campaign. Should Kerik agree to a plea deal, he could be admitting guilt on some level for activities that may have taken place while the city employed him — and on Giuliani’s watch.

Rudy is no angel, and frankly I still don’t understand the apprently teflon suit that he wears.  But in fact, the Giuliani campaign is taking great pains to try to distance the Boss from any of “Boomerang Bernie’s” problems. 

Rudy Giuliani’s law partner has been tasked with making sure the troubles of the former New York City mayor’s ex-police commissioner and friend, Bernard Kerik, don’t come back to bite the Republican presidential frontrunner.

Marc Mukasey, the son of attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey, is on the job of creating distance between the two men who once were inseparable, The New York Post reports in Monday’s edition…“…Once there was this sense [in the Giuliani camp] of ‘Bernie’s a great guy,’ even after he became embroiled in scandal,” a source said. “Now, Mukasey’s taking a different approach with him.”

For another interesting look into the “teflon” Mayor, read Rudy Hires Legal Bulldog Keep Off Kerik Grime.

I think that the question will remain how gullible will the Republican party and the “core” be…will people be fooled by the “new” Rudy who is “pro-life” behind closed doors, but “pro-choice” in public…

But speaking of Rudy Giuliani’s “teflon” suit, yesterday’s NY Post revealed that 21 years ago, the Mafia (doesn’t really exist) narrowly voted against killing Rudy…

“On Sept. 17, 1987, sources advised that recent information disclosed that approximately a year ago all five NY LCN [La Cosa Nostra] families discussed the idea of killing USA [United States Attorney] Rudy Giuliani and John Gotti and Carmine Persico were in favor of the hit,” the Scarpa memo reads……“The bosses of the Luchese, Bonanno and Genovese families rejected the idea, despite strong efforts to convince them otherwise by Gotti and Persico.”

John Gotti was known as the “Teflon Don.”  Rudy was a really fine prosecutor…he was a good Mayor of NY City, and to most people, he was a justifiable hero during and after the attacks of September 11.  IMO, he would make a poor choice for President of the United States.

Read a pro-Rudy post at Hill Chronicles here.

Bernard Kerik, Carmine Persico, John Gotti, Teflon Don