Hang Bernie Kerik Around Giuliani's Neck

The Washington Post has an article about how the Bush Administration, acting on the advice of Rudy Giuliani, rushed the appointment of Bernie Kerik as Secretary of Homeland Security. Kerik had been Police Commissioner on September 11, 2001 and had partners with Giuliani in a consulting business. Although red flags were raised about the nomination, the vetting process was taken over by Alberto Gonzales when he was White House counsel. After Gonzales cleared him, Bush went forward with the nomination, only to have it collapse about a week later.

Kerik is just another example of the incompetence of the Bush Administration, but its value to Democrats isn't what it says about Bush, its what it says about Giuliani. According to the article there was evidence that Kerik was "mobbed up" with a New Jersey organized crime family. It is hard to believe that Giuliani didn't have some clues about Kerik's associates. He was, after all, Mayor of New York which, the last time we looked, is right across the river from New Jersey.

America doesn't need another administration where people who are incompetent, unethical, or worse, are put in charge of Federal agencies and departments. We saw what happens when such people are in charge of the government during the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina: People needlessly die. Democrats need to make sure that the American people hear about "mobbed up" Bernie and the Mayor.