Former NYPD Chief Admits He Lied to the White House

As the New York Daily News reports Kerik, a close associate of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, saw his nomination for the post at Homeland Security withdrawn after it emerged that he had failed to pay Social Security to a nanny. But to a large extent that transgression pales in to insignificance when compared to the charges to which Kerik pleaded guilty on Thursday. The former New York City Police Commissioner, and former head of the city's jails, actually pleaded guilty to eight charges in total, out of 15 that had been laid against him, in a plea agreement that is likely to see him serve between 27 months and 33 months in jail. However, according to CBS, Kerik, who was due to face three federal criminal trials, the first starting on Monday, was warned by U.S. District Judge Stephen Robinson that the plea agreement does not oblige him to hand down the reduced sentence suggested by the prosecution and that the maximum sentence for the charges to which Kerik pleaded guilty was 61 years. Kerik confirmed that he was surrendering his right to appeal, his sentencing will be on February 18, and would be paying restitution of some $188,000, presumably in respect of the incomplete tax returns he admitted to having filed. He will now be filing amended tax returns, to include the income he had previously hidden, from 1999 through 2003 and 2005. Judge Robinson said that he recognized Kerik had lived a full life during which he had done much good and his positive contribution to society would be considered when sentence was being passed. The most dramatic confession from Kerik, now back in Westchester County Jail whilst his lawyers work to have him released, CNN notes that his bail was rescinded two weeks ago after he leaked details of his case to a lawyer who posted them online, nevertheless relates to the lies he told to officials within the administration of George W. Bush. Having accepted renovations to his Bronx apartment worth $255,000 from the contractor Interstate Materials of New Jersey, details of which he kept secret, Kerik then assisted the contractor by reassuring officials of its integrity as they investigated its suitability to bid for contracts with the city of New York. Officials suspected Interstate Materials of links to the Gambino crime family and those links did indeed lead to the contractor being barred from bidding for city contracts. Kerik's dealings with Interstate Materials were just prior to his appointment as police commissioner in 2000. During his time as police commissioner Kerik had to deal with the 9/11 attacks in 2001, whilst in 2003 he went to Iraq to help train the country's police force. Then came his nomination in 2004 for the post of Homeland Security Secretary. And before details of his failure to pay Social Security to a nanny surfaced, when asked by a White House official about his relationship with the contractor who had renovated his apartment and any possible financial dealings with those wanting to bid for contracts with the city of New York, Kerik stressed that there was no such relationship and no such dealings. In 2006, says CNN, Kerik admitted accepting gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars during his time in charge of the jails in New York City. On that occasion Kerik paid fines totaling $221,000 under a plea agreement which ensured that he did not go to jail.