Update: Kerik, facing indictment today, will be arraigned on charges Friday, sources say David Edwards and Muriel Kane

Published: Wednesday November 7, 2007



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Print This Email This Update: Kerik to face arraignment Friday Rudy Giuliani's relationship to former New York City Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik has always been recognized as a potential problem for his presidential campaign. Now the problem may become acute: ABC News reported late Wednesday that Bush's onetime choice for Homeland Security Secretary will be indicted Thursday for tax evasion. "Federal prosecutors are expected to ask a federal grand jury tomorrow to indict former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik for failing to pay taxes on free apartment renovations and rent," two 'federal sources' told ABC News' Richard Esposito Wednesday night. "Kerik, according to sources involved in preparing his defense, has expected the indictment, and his associates have been attempting to raise money for a legal defense fund. Assuming the grand jury sitting in suburban Westchester County federal courthouse votes to indict, Kerik is expected to surrender to the United States Marshals Friday morning." According to ABC News, "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." Giuliani recommended Kerik for Homeland Security Secretary in 2004, but his name was withdrawn following charges of corruption. Giuliani has recently attempted to minimize his knowledge of Kerik's background, telling the Associated Press, "It was a mistake not checking him out as thoroughly as I should have." According to the New York Times, Giuliani was warned about Kerik's relationship with a company alleged to have mob connections even before he chose him as police commissioner in 2000 over the objections of a majority of his cabinet. However, Giuliani has denied any recollection of the warnings, and Kerik said in a recent interview, "All I can tell you is that we, him and I, never discussed it. What he knew or didn't know, I don't know." Giuliani has also attempted to argue that Kerik's role during his mayoralty should be judged on the basis of crime-fighting rather than corruption, telling the Associated Press, "The ultimate result for the people of New York City was a 74 percent reduction in shootings, a 60 percent reduction in crime. ... If I have the same degree of success and failure as president of the United States, this country will be in great shape." However, Eugene O'Donnell, a professor of police studies who was formerly a police officer and prosecutor, told CNN that "there is no conclusive evidence" that anything Giuliani did was responsible for the drop in crime while he was mayor. Political analyst Larry Sabato further suggested to CNN that Giuliani is attempting to change the focus from corruption to crime-fighting because that is an area where he feels he can control the message. On a lighter note, one of the striking writers from The Colbert Report was heard complaining that "I hate not working on a day Rudy Giuliani is saying Bernard Kerik's positives outweigh his negatives." UPDATE: Reports WNBC.com, Bernard Kerik is to be arraigned on charges in front of a Federal judge at noon on Friday, November 9, 2007. No comment has yet to be received by Kerik's attorney or the U.S. Attorney's office. The following video is from CNN's Situation Room, broadcast on November 6, 2007.





