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Sources: Kerik Indictment Expected by Friday
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ShareNovember 07, 2007 8:57 AM
A federal indictment against former police commissioner Bernard Kerik is expected as early as this Friday. Government sources say that if the indictment is unsealed on Friday, Kerik is expected to surrender at the Westchester Federal Courthouse in White Plains, N.Y.
The sources say Kerik has told his close friends and members of his legal team that he expects the potential indictment to come before the statute of limitations expires on Nov. 15 on charges that could include tax evasion and bribery.
If the indictment is leveled against Kerik, it will be the latest twist in the tale that began when the child of a prostitute rose to police commissioner of New York City, achieved heroic proportions in the shadow of the collapsing World Trade Center, was gifted a diamond-encrusted chief's badge, awarded millions of dollars in stun gun stock options by business clients and given the proffer of a presidential appointment by President George Bush to head the Department of Homeland Security.
The early chapters were well-documented by Kerik in his autobiographical account "The Lost Son." The final chapters have yet to be written.
Click Here for Full Blotter Coverage.
They will very likely include a struggle to pay legal bills that could result in the sale of his multi-million-dollar New Jersey mansion, a long stretch in federal prison and severe damage to his consulting practice, which includes lucrative contracts with U.S. ally Jordan, according to multiple sources involved in the investigation.
Last spring Kerik turned down a plea bargain in which the government offered a short prison sentence. Now friends of Kerik are attempting to raise money from his well-heeled associates for a legal defense fund, the sources said. It has been difficult, given that many of those associates may also have relationships with presidential candidate Rudolph Giuliani who is routinely questioned about his relationship with Kerik.
As recently as Monday, Giuliani said that whatever Kerik's failings, he had been an effective corrections commissioner and an effective police commissioner for the city of New York.
"There were mistakes made with Bernie Kerik," Giuliani said in an interview with the Associated Press while in New Hampshire. "But what's the ultimate result for the people of New York City? The ultimate result for the people of New York City was a 74 percent reduction in shootings, a 60 percent reduction in crime, a correction program that went from being one of the worst in the country to one that was on '60 Minutes' as one of the best in the country, 90 percent reduction of violence in the jails."
Giuliani was a staunch supporter of Kerik's nomination by President Bush to head the Homeland Security Department. That nomination fell apart amid allegations that Kerik, while corrections commissioner, paid less than $18,000 to a contractor for nearly $200,000 worth of renovations to his apartment. In 2006, Kerik pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges related to the renovation.
"It was a mistake not checking him out as thoroughly as I should have," Giuliani told the AP about the failed nomination.
Lawyers for Kerik declined to comment for this story.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said it does not comment on ongoing investigations.
This post has been updated.
Do you have a tip for Brian Ross and the Investigative Team?
November 7, 2007 | Permalink | User Comments (22)
Why does the reporter not challenge Guiliani's distortions about crime statistics which he has grossly inflated and wrongly attributed to Kerik?
Posted by: Kevin | Nov 7, 2007 9:24:35 AM
Rudolph: "The ultimate result for the people of New York City was a 74 percent reduction in shootings, a 60 percent reduction in crime, a correction program that went from being one of the worst in the country to one that was on '60 Minutes' as one of the best in the country, 90 percent reduction of violence in the jails." First of all, whenever you hear Rudolph start spouting stats, you can rest assured that he is lying. Bernie Kerik will go down as one of the most corrupt public officials in NYC history, and that is saying something. Barring an unforseen technicality or a series of "unfortunate accidents" to grand jury members, Kerik is going down, further besmudging Mayor Rudolph's halo.
Posted by: nffcnnr | Nov 7, 2007 10:09:11 AM
why did you not address the false stats that Rudy is using?
Posted by: sandy | Nov 7, 2007 10:16:44 AM
what is worse:
ruddy lying about these stats or abc not calling him on it?
Posted by: mike | Nov 7, 2007 11:58:41 AM
I can't wait to cast my vote for incompetence, adultery, and more dead firefighters.
Posted by: tekel | Nov 7, 2007 12:12:03 PM
I find it amusing that Mukasey's son
is in the process of defending/shielding/trying to buffer these charges against Kerik from affecting Guliani's
shot at the White House. Good Luck.
This scandal says ALOT about Rudy's
judgment, or lack thereof to be more specific.
Posted by: Leprkin | Nov 7, 2007 12:38:38 PM
Gee, I wonder how he'll do in Prison? Another lesson on what goes around comes around.Much kudos to the laws of the universe!
Posted by: erick morton | Nov 7, 2007 12:53:58 PM
why do you, and everyone else who reports it, never mention that Giuliani and Kerik were never the cause of improved crime statistics in NYC, and imply and repeat over and over that their's is the credit? The credit belongs to Bratton,who instituted community policing and other policies, and whom Giuliani (typically)fired as soon as that fact came to public notice.
Posted by: martin washburn | Nov 7, 2007 12:59:21 PM
Why do you parrot Giuliani's words without telling your readers that he is lying? All politicians lie, "investigative" reporters should know better. The facts are easily attainable. Please do your job.
Posted by: sandrad | Nov 7, 2007 2:18:03 PM
Everyone keeps saying how Rudolph displayed leadership during 9/11.
If the world trade center was not levelled, no one would have seen him because he would have been at the Emergency command center .When the planes levelled the buildings, Giullani had no place to go than to roam the streets of New York seeking company.
Posted by: peter | Nov 7, 2007 3:31:04 PM
Rudy used to say "You're doin' a HECKUVA job, Bernie." He's about as lousy a judge of character and competence as Bush Jr is.
Posted by: wilder5121 | Nov 7, 2007 5:04:25 PM
911..back off folks...911...don't ask questions...911...SMILES BROADLY...what a brilliant pick for HOMELAND SECURITY...as for the MAINSCREAMS folks...here is the reason they fail to do a job or any job anymore...years ago the MAINSCREAMS decided that being the innocent bystander and just fomenting arguments was the role for them to play...made it easy to embed the buggers...
Posted by: daddy | Nov 7, 2007 5:05:07 PM
The Republicans are not giving me a chance to vote for them. People like Rudolph Giuliani and others are making it too easy for me to vote for the Democrats.
Posted by: Concerned_Desi_of_America | Nov 7, 2007 5:25:43 PM
i guess the american people will have to settle for a presidential candidate with the least amount of dirt on their tails. it seems hard to find a candidate that is squeeky clean. news like this keeps cropping up every day. no one seems safe.
Posted by: linda yancey | Nov 7, 2007 6:03:03 PM
Surprise!
More phony stats and claims by Giuliani that remain UNCHECKED and UNVERIFIED by
ABC and the rest of the Corporate Media.
The collusion and slant by the strongly right-leaning Corporate Media is glaringly obvious at this point, and many Americans I talk to are not only aware of it, but are getting damn sick of it as well.
It is not subtle anymore--It sticks out like a sore thumb to more & more observant people every single day.
This ain't the 90s any more.
Only the wingnuts are fooled
these days (I know, an easy conquest,
in their case).
The Corporate Media is digging its hole deeper every day, and when the time of reckoning comes, Judgement (by The People) will not be kind, or lenient.
Posted by: nikto | Nov 7, 2007 6:32:53 PM
Giuliani's recommendation of Kerik to run the Homeland Security Department is his true colors on national security - patronage and corruption.
Posted by: OH | Nov 7, 2007 7:52:47 PM
There was nothing heroic about Kerik and 9/11. Kerik was an incompetent buffoon given the job b/c he was the only guy in NYC who knew less than Rudy about law enforcement.
Kerik decided to use an apt meant for 9/11 rescue workers as an F Pad for his affair with Judith Regan. Pure scum, pure exploitation and new yorkers hate him.
Posted by: Dave from queens | Nov 7, 2007 8:09:57 PM
From 1993 to 2001 crime went down nationally 53%. In NYC, already one of the safest cities in America, crime fell 46.8% notwithstanding Giuliani's statistical fudging which even inflates this 46.8% figure.
It would be nice if the media would report these facts.
Posted by: Dave from queens | Nov 7, 2007 8:22:39 PM
The MSM would'nt know a fact even if they were able to find one.As for Guliani,If NYers hate this guy i don't want him anywhere near the WH.
Posted by: matthew lambert | Nov 7, 2007 9:03:24 PM
I read many responses about the stats Rudi quotes on NY crime are untrue........Do any of these clowns know the truth? Please point me to some facts
Posted by: Ralph Jones | Nov 8, 2007 7:10:36 PM
Ralph Jones,
Do your own work and find your own facts. Google is your friend.
Posted by: Kevin SImms | Nov 9, 2007 1:45:10 PM
I would like to see Hannity and Colmes have Mr. Karick on their show. Lets get the real truth out on Giuliani. Also can you even imaging a first lady that goes on TV and says" I just want to take care of Rudy" Well, I think if she has not been unable to take care of her last 3 or 4 husbands, how can she even imagine she can take care of another husband.
Posted by: niliadis | Nov 9, 2007 11:57:47 PM
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