Breaking: Gonzalez personally vetted Bernard Kerik, short-circuiting normal investigation process.

[ddeclue]

This is probably the story that pushes Gonzales out the door folks:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/07/AR2007040701398.html?referrer=email

Sunday, April 8, 2007; Page A01

When former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani urged President Bush to make Bernard B. Kerik the next secretary of homeland security, White House aides knew Kerik as the take-charge top cop from Sept. 11, 2001. But it did not take them long to compile an extensive dossier of damaging information about the would-be Cabinet officer.

They learned about questionable financial deals, an ethics violation, allegations of mismanagement and a top deputy prosecuted for corruption. Most disturbing, according to people close to the process, was Kerik's friendship with a businessman who was linked to organized crime. The businessman had told federal authorities that Kerik received gifts, including $165,000 in apartment renovations, from a New Jersey family with alleged Mafia ties.

Alarmed about the raft of allegations, several White House aides tried to raise red flags. But the normal investigation process was short-circuited, the sources said. Bush's top lawyer, Alberto R. Gonzales, took charge of the vetting, repeatedly grilling Kerik about the issues that had been raised. In the end, despite the concerns, the White House moved forward with his nomination -- only to have it collapse a week later.

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[babylonsister]

1. The thought of Gonzales 'grilling' anyone is pretty comical imo. Ya

wanna see a grilling? Stay tuned when he's grilled by Leahy, Schumer, et al! :)

[ddeclue]

3. Hey unless they are an "enemy combatant" then it's Marquis de Sade rules according to Gonzales

Hey what's a kidney or two? At least that's what Grand Inquisitor Gonzales says..

Doug D.
Orlando,FL

[Demeter]

2. Gonzo Figured Kerik Would Fit Right In

The only way to clean house is to start at the top: Impeach Bush and Cheney.

Then all their flunkies, enablers and "brains" lose the puppets, and the power.

Then we can try to rebuild our society, nation and international standing.

[sellitman]

4. Birds of a feather...

Voted #1 and Kicked.

[Kagemusha]

5. I have to ask, is this news?

I thought I heard at the time that Gonzales was in charge of this process, and that the process was shortened. Maybe I'm wrong? Or do we all have Scooter Libby memory and are learning this for the first time as if it is new?

[ddeclue]

6. I don't remember hearing it...call me Scooter :)

This is the first I've heard about it in WaPo, but hey I may have missed it...

Do you have a link from back then?

Doug D.

[Kagemusha]

7. Heh, no way do I have links from that far back

I'll just assume we'd heard part of the story but not in this level of detail. Or to put it another way, the fine details only look like part of a full body of incompetence all these years later.

[ddeclue]

8. The Gonzales is in the details.... n/t

[w4rma]

10. This detail doesn't show incompetence, it shows corruption. (nt)

[bleever]

9. Farewell, Abu.

Time to write that book that gets remaindered at Barnes and Noble.

[juno jones]

12. More like Dollar General...n/t

[Tom Joad]

11. Maybe that's the ending for Tony Soprano... call HBO, I got a story line!

As many of you know, the Soprano's is ending this next season. I don't know if they have filmed their last show or not... but here is a suggestion for a story line.

It won't end, as many suspect, with tony getting smoked. It ends with Tony soprano getting nominated by Bush to a Cabinet position... like Homeland Security.

oh yeah, we can even set up a cameo role for Orrin Hatch. Night before the vote in the senate, tony and his buddies treat him to a night at Bada Bing.

[ddeclue]

13. Fahgeddhabout it!!! :)

:rofl:

Doug D.
Orlando, FL

[NormanYorkstein]

15. hah lol - pure genius!

That would be funny.

Well when I think about Whitey Bulger it's not really that funny anymore :(

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. Bribones.