Washington, D.C.
The White House was aware of the damaging allegations against Bernard Kerik when he was nominated in 2004 as secretary of Homeland Security, The Washington Post reported this week. An initial background check turned up evidence of Kerik’s questionable financial dealings and possible ties to organized crime, the Post said. But the White House cut short the inquiry, and then–White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales was put in charge of the vetting process. President Bush went ahead and named Kerik to the post, only to hastily withdraw the nomination after the damaging allegations surfaced. The White House was eager to nominate the former New York police commissioner as a reward to his political patron Rudolph Giuliani, now a top contender for the GOP presidential nomination.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Mickey 17: 'charming space oddity' that's a 'sparky one-off'The Week Recommends 'Remarkable' Robert Pattinson stars in Bong Joon-ho's sci-fi comedy
-
EastEnders at 40: are soaps still relevant?Talking Point Albert Square's residents are celebrating, but falling viewer figures have fans worried the soap bubble has burst
-
What will the thaw in Russia-US relations cost Europe?Today's Big Question US determination to strike a deal with Russia over Ukraine means Europe faces 'betrayal by a long-term ally'
