Commisioner Kerik - ARE WE THAT

[saif]

What values and principles does one look for in the next Secretary of Homeland Security? Recently President Bush has nominated Bernard Kerik, New York City Police Commissioner and former Senior Policy Advisor to the Iraq Interior Minister. Commissioner Kerik had spent three years in the United States Army as a military police officer within Korea as well as within the 18 Airborne Corps where he trained with Special Forces personnel at the J.F.K. Un-conventional Warfare Center. Commissioner Kerik served with the New York Police Department in both uniformed and plain clothes Capacities. Later in his career he was assigned to the most substantial narcotic investigations in the history of the department, resulting in the conviction of more than sixty members of the Cali Cartel. For many this is an impressive resume, Kerik must face Senate confirmation hearings for the position that includes oversight of 22 federal agencies and a $37.7 billion budget. Motives, ethics, and his capacity to sufficiently protect America’s homeland will find a slightly less sparkling record.

Kerik's relationship to a stun gun manufacture presents a serious conflict of interest. Kerik has made $6.2 million dollars in profits from his relationship with Taser International, an Arizona-based manufacturer of stun guns. Kerik was appointed as a director of the company immediately after he pushed the NYPD to purchase its guns as police chief. Since 2002, Kerik has hawked Taser's products to police departments around the country. Recently the company has made strong efforts to get government business, most notably from the Department of Homeland Security.

Kerik abandoned a critical post in Iraq to go on vacation. Appointed by President Bush to train a new Iraqi police force in 2003, "Kerik came under criticism for inadequate screening of recruits as U.S. authorities rushed to deploy the force. It has been plagued by desertions and by allegations that insurgents have infiltrated the ranks," according to the Washington Post. Worse, Kerik "quit four months into his six-month tenure in Iraq, telling New York reporters later that he needed a vacation."

Kerik used his New York Police Department credentials to shill for pharmaceutical interests. In April, the Washington Post reported that Kerik opened a high-priced consulting firm to sell his New York City police credentials to wealthy corporate bidders. The firm was promptly hired by the pharmaceutical industry's chief lobbying group to build opposition to letting American seniors purchase lower-priced, FDA-approved medicines from Canada.

[PatrickHenry]

saif, you need to source that post unless you wrote it yourself.

I don't like Kerik either, and DHS has the potential to be the modern equivalent of the SS, in my opinion.

[saif]

You can my sources at..

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/ne...-top-headlines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Kerik

[saif]

wow, 2:40 pm and the great news service fox just boasted my article...

[saif]

And by 10:05 pm he withdraws..., Thank you Mr. Kerik

[PatrickHenry]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/...aws/index.html
Yeah, it won't be Kerik...

[Lou Minotti]

Another one bites the dust. I bet him and Armitage would have a lot in common. Their bald heads should join forces.

[gr8fuldaniel]

Since Pinochet has been cured of dementia,
Maybe hes looking for work?:

From Wiki: In May 2004 the supreme court stripped him of his dementia status,............

Pity the Bush Admin. They are having trouble finding a respectable "Teflon Don"

NY Daily News Rudy and Bernie go down in flames They - Rudy Giuliani and Bernard Kerik - should have known better. Promoting Kerik to serve in President Bush's cabinet as America's top anti-terror official was, in the end, an act of monumental hubris. For Kerik's tough-cop image concealed a tendency, politely speaking, to cut corners. Kerik and his patron Giuliani are now selling the notion that Bernie didn't get the details right when he hired an illegal alien as a nanny and paid her off the books. These things happen when you have bigger things on your mind - like showing the Iraqis how to start a police force - they'd like you to believe as they try to close the books on an unfortunate episode. It is not going to be that easy. While the nannygate facts are still emerging, Kerik's reputation has been unraveling since he reached to become homeland security secretary. A Daily News probe published today finds, most damningly, that as correction commissioner, Kerik leaned on friends for thousands of dollars in gifts that he never reported, as required by law. Kerik's pals, including a businessman who later pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge, told reporter Russ Buettner of subsidizing Kerik's lavish 1998 wedding, buying top-of-the-line furniture for Kerik's baby daughter's room and providing Kerik with a bejeweled, ceremonial badge from Tiffany's. When a correction officer or cop grabs like that, they call it being on the pad. It's a short trip off the force, or behind bars. More, much more........

[gr8fuldaniel]

American Red Cross WASHINGTON, April 17, 2003— The American Red Cross announced today that Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has been appointed to the American Red Cross Board of Governors by President George W. Bush. <Clip> “It is an honor to be selected to serve on the Board of Governors,” said Secretary Tom Ridge. “The Red Cross provides exceptionally valuable services to our country and our communities.” All powers of governance, direction, and oversight of the American Red Cross are lodged in the 50-member Board of Governors. Eight of the Governors are appointed by the President of the United States, 30 are elected by delegates at the Red Cross’ annual convention, and 12 are elected by the Board itself as members-at-large......

So does Ridge step down from this post too? Cant have any surprise inspections at Gitmo, doncha know.

[kharmajunkie]

Homeland Security is a redundant agency that should've never been created; and yes, I'm being redundant for posting that for the dozenth time.
This is what the administration gets though for nominating a guy just because he was NYC topcop
during 9/11. It's still all about politicizing a national tragedy to this administration.

[saif]

im not so sure that the office is not needed or not, but some reform is needed for the intelligence community,,, quite obviously i might add, but i agree with oyu about the politicizing a national tragedy

[Zeebadee]

Kerik was just more stink coming from the cesspool that the Bush administration has become. Michael Moore gets a lot of flack for making political hay out of 9/11, but assholes like Kerik are elevated to instant hero just by being associated with it. It was no secret that Kerik was as dirty as can be when Bush appointed him, now Bush claims he knew nothing about any confirmation problems. With an AG (nominee) that advocates violating the Geneva Convention, and then this clown, I cant wait to see who is gonna get the nod to replace Rehnquist.

[kharmajunkie]

That's pretty much what I'm saying too Saif, instead of creating a whole new agency, we need to fix/reform the problems in the many agencies already in place to secure our homeland. Say what you
want about the Bush administration but they do come up with catchy names for agencies and programs. (homeland security, no child left behind, phantom fury)

[gr8fuldaniel]

Kerik was supposed to be Rudy's payoff for campaigning in 04 and advertisment/accessory to 911.
Bush Family fortunes are magnified with defense interests and Rudy is on the outside looking in without a plant in cabinet position Rudy is a scumball for wherehousing millions of $ of working radios while 1st responders were given crap that didnt work in towers. Fuck Rudy and his gangstas.

[bishop]

gotta love how that guy talked about his mother - or the fact that he was a HIGHSCHOOL DROPOUT... he sure knows how to pick them.. got a guy who gave saddam weapons (and was the head of the company that gave n. korea its best nuke reactor). got another guy who was a big supporter of apartheid.. had a guy who lost an election to a dead man...

no individual is going to be able to successfully manage such an immense bureaucracy... gotta give praise to the idiots who hastily created the department in the first place.

[rmnunez]

Zeeb, Bush's first choice to replace Rehnquist is Thomas, this will be fun; Democrats relabeled racists, is there some dirt on Thomas, maybe they can rehash his confirmation hearings.

I liked Kerik's background, thought the s.o.b. was just the right image for Security Minister, he looked like a no-nonsense sort of guy, had the credentials to prove it, self-styled "Rambo". I know this is all odious to the left, probably they'd like a woman with an MSW who is sensitive to cross-cultural interaction, preferably with a background in sustainable development.

Not according terrorist suspects Geneva Convention rights is not advocating the Convention's violation, unless it is held terrorists are also covered by the Geneva Conventions (take my word for it, they aren't).

[Zeebadee]

Quote by: rmnunez Zeeb, Bush's first choice to replace Rehnquist is Thomas, this will be fun; Democrats relabeled racists, is there some dirt on Thomas, maybe they can rehash his confirmation hearings. I liked Kerik's background, thought the s.o.b. was just the right image for Security Minister, he looked like a no-nonsense sort of guy, had the credentials to prove it, self-styled "Rambo". I know this is all odious to the left, probably they'd like a woman with an MSW who is sensitive to cross-cultural interaction, preferably with a background in sustainable development. Not according terrorist suspects Geneva Convention rights is not advocating the Convention's violation, unless it is held terrorists are also covered by the Geneva Conventions (take my word for it, they aren't).

I guess the jury is still out on Thomas, I've seen articles both pro and con about him. Personally, I think he's doing ok, but IMO he lacks the attributes to be Chief Justice. My point was that Bush has a Supreme Court appointment coming up, probably pretty soon.

Kerik's credentials? Self-styled Rambo?? More self style than Rambo, he's nothing more than a cheap crook using his position to enrich himself. He was trying to hide his record when it became apparent that he was too dirty even for the Bush cabinet. (http://www.newsday.com/news/nationwo...mepage-big-pix)

This guy isn't just odious to the left, he should be odious to all of us. How typical of you to point out, though, that anyone that disagrees must be "to the left".

And, it makes it easier to deny Geneva Convention protections when it's us that defines who the terrorists are. People fighting an invading army inside their own country maybe shouldn't be labelled as such.

[PatrickHenry]

Quote by: rmnunez Zeeb, Bush's first choice to replace Rehnquist is Thomas, this will be fun; Democrats relabeled racists, is there some dirt on Thomas, maybe they can rehash his confirmation hearings.

Rehash? They were never hashed out properly to start with. Anita Hill is a heroine to me. Anyone who wants to discover a little insight into the system should read her book, Speaking Truth to Power.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846
She never wanted the spotlight, didn't want to testify, but her personal complaints to her friends were remembered as Thomas was nominated. She was dragooned into testifying where she told the truth and was vilified. Clarence Thomas is unqualified as a Supreme, much less to be considered for Chief. He stonewalled instead of repenting. Professor Hill is the most credible witness, and her book was one which propelled me to my present antigovernment activism. Sheesh, an EEOC chairman who was a sexual harrasser. WTF?

[Scribbler1]

Quote by: rmnunez Zeeb, Bush's first choice to replace Rehnquist is Thomas, this will be fun; Democrats relabeled racists, is there some dirt on Thomas, maybe they can rehash his confirmation hearings.

Why don't you for once wait until something actually happens before you start blaming the "left" for something.
Anyway, are you saying that if the Democrats challenge Thomas once again they will automatically be racists REGARDLESS of the substance of the challenge, which you don't have a clue as to what it would be to begin with?

Not according terrorist suspects Geneva Convention rights is not advocating the Convention's violation, unless it is held terrorists are also covered by the Geneva Conventions (take my word for it, they aren't).

Define "terrorist".

[bishop]

i've never met a black who followed politics and was a fan of good ol' clarence.