The Giuliani, Mukasey connection; plus PDF of Kerik indictment

[ProSense]

November 9, 2007, 11:05 am

Rudy ‘08: A Tale Of Two Friends

Posted by Peter Lattman



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The Mukasey-Giuliani friendship dates back to the early 1970s, when they worked as federal prosecutors in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s public corruption unit. Giuliani not only picked Judge Mukasey to swear him in at both his mayoral inaugurations, he also had him officiate at his wedding to his now ex-wife Donna Hanover. And Mukasey’s son Marc is Rudy’s partner at Bracewell & Giuliani. He must be proud that his old friend has become the nation’s lawyer-in-chief. Indeed, if Giuliani gets elected, Mukasey could have an extended tenure as AG.

Kerik began his relationship with Giuliani later, first in 1989 as a driver, bodyguard and campaign organizer for his first mayoral campaign. He made Kerik the city’s corrections commissioner in 1998 and NYPD chief in 2000. Giuliani, who is the godfather of Kerik’s daughter, then recommended Kerik as homeland security secretary, but his nomination was scuttled amid ethics charges.

It was those charges that led to Kerik’s surrendering this morning to federal authorities on corruption charges. Click here for a copy of the indictment. His lawyer, Ken Breen at Paul Hastings, has said he’ll fight the charges.

So the parlor game right now is handicapping how this indictment will complicate matters for Giuliani’s presidential run. Here are stories on that from the NYT and WSJ. Yesterday at a campaign stop in Iowa (where he appeared with Winston & Strawn big wig Dan Webb), Giuliani sidestepped the question. Said Rudy: ”A lot of public comment about it is inconsistent with its getting resolved in the right way in the courts.” But he did say: “I made a mistake in not clearing him effectively enough. I take the responsibility for that.”

[ProSense]

1. Kick! n/t

[gratuitous]

2. How will Kerik's indictment affect Giuliani's run?

Short answer: It won't.

See, Al Gore can flub the name of the FEMA official he accompanied on his third visit to a disaster area, and be tagged as a liar or a serial exaggerator. John Kerry can have his war record questioned by one guy who wasn't there, and his three Purple Hearts don't count for nothing, because he's a coward. Max Cleland can leave three limbs on the battlefield, and still not have the war credentials of a Republican chickenhawk.

But a Republican candidate who's buddy-buddy with a corrupt mobster? We don't have time to figure out anything about that. Besides, Rudy hisself said he didn't know nothin' 'bout no mob connections, an assertion that would be laughable except for the Very Serious Discussion going on now about how much Clinton claps at her rallies or what Edwards' haircut four months ago cost.

If it doesn't make any sense to you, welcome to most of America and the world. If it makes perfect sense to you, I hope you enjoy your high-paying job dicking over our country.