Rudy Giuliani: America’s
mayor?
Rudy Giuliani was anointed with the monikers of “America’s Mayor” and “Mr. 911” in the days right after the attacks that would become the catalyst for his run to become America’s president. Giuliani could be seen walking around the wreckage, shaking the hands of those clearing the rubble that was once the World Trade Center, while surrounded by the press.
Giuliani’s face was front page news for several days; he could be seen touring the devastation with President Bush and consulting with the brass from both the New York police department and the New York fire department.
But could a man with as much garbage and skeletons in his closet become president? God, I hope not, because as much baggage as Bush had before he was elected, Giuliani has ten times more.
Given the amount of space that I am allotted for this column, I will hit some of the high notes, or in Giuliani’s case — the low notes.
Giuliani’s first wife was his second cousin, to whom he was married for 14 years. The marriage eventually was annulled. He has been married three times, and he had an affair while married to his first two wives. In fact, Giuliani’s second wife learned of her divorce while watching her husband in a press conference on TV.
Giuliani hired Monsignor Alan Placa to work in his consulting firm, Giuliani Partners. Placa is a friend of Giuliani’s who was defrocked by the Catholic Church amid accusations of sexually molesting two former students and an altar boy.
Monsignor Placa, who officiated at Giuliani’s second wedding, to Donna Hanover, continues to work at Giuliani Partners in New York, to the outrage of victims’ groups and some of his accusers, who have begun to protest at Giuliani campaign events.
One of the founding partners at Giuliani Partners is Bernie Kerik. Kerik, a former police officer, first worked for Giuliani as his campaign driver, then was promoted to detective and finally to police commissioner.
Giuliani recommended Kerik to President Bush in 2004 to head the Homeland Security Department. Kerik had to decline the offer because of his guilty pleas to two corruption misdemeanors, including allowing a mob-connected firm to renovate his apartment at no cost. Kerik paid a fine of $221,000.
More recently, federal prosecutors have indicted the former police commissioner on charges of bribery, tax fraud and obstruction of justice.
Giuliani Partners has announced that it is moving its headquarters to Dubai. If you recall, Halliburton made the same announcement a few months back. I am guessing the move is to avoid paying taxes on the taxpayer money that both firms have been given.
Giuliani mentions Sept. 11 in every speech, in every debate and in almost every conversation with reporters. He has wrapped himself around 911 and has used it to advance his political aspirations. So it’s only fair to point to a few things that are also his doings.
While mayor of New York in 1994, just months after the first attack on the World Trade Center, Giuliani was tasked with where to place the emergency command center for New York; while the experts recommended the command center be placed in an old subway tunnel in Brooklyn, Giuliani insisted that the center be placed in one of the World Trade Center buildings.
Well, we all know how well that decision has worked out. The new emergency command center has now been placed in an old subway tunnel in Brooklyn.
I am out of space and I have barely scratched the surface,
but I am sure that if Giuliani wins the primary, I will have the chance to tell
you all the rest of the story.