Quotes of the Morning: Another Fine Mess

“Sometimes they just write themselves.. Here’s a little something about Bush’s appointee to head the Department of Homeland Security. I apologize for the length..”
-Skippy

“Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik conducted two extramarital affairs simultaneously, using a secret Battery Park City apartment for the passionate liaisons, the New York Daily News has learned.
The first relationship, spanning nearly a decade, was with city Correction Officer Jeannette Pinero; the second was with famed publishing titan Judith Regan.”
-New York Daily News, December 13, 2004

“Well, I think that the social fabric of this country has become completely unraveled. I think the sexual revolution had a lot to do with that. I think that we are in terrible shape. I think we have a country where half the kids are being raised by single mothers. A lot of that has to do with male behavior. We look at the men in this country who do not want to be accountable to their wives, do not want to be accountable to their children and we have as a president a man who could be a symbol of everything that is good; he could be a wonderful husband, he could be a wonderful father. He is in a position of great authority to show this country and to lead this country in a way that is much more important than economically.”
-Judith Regan, during the Lewinski scandal

“Many close to Kerik in the mid-1990s assumed that someday he would marry Pinero, a career correction officer described as spirited and attractive by friends, a close friend and a former high-ranking Correction Department source said.
The relationship continued after Kerik married Hala Matli, a hygienist in his dentist's office whom he met in mid-1996 and wed in November 1998, according to multiple sources close to Pinero and Kerik.
Kerik's affair with Pinero is at the center of two lawsuits against the city, both brought by correction employees who claimed Kerik retaliated after they crossed her.
The city settled one last year for $250,000, The News reported at the time.”
-New York Daily News, December 13, 2004

“Ok.. So he was a philanderer. Nothing new there, and honestly shouldn’t disqualify him for a job (well, except for the abuse of power aspect). But, as they say in advertisements, wait, there’s more!”
-Skippy

“Former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik accepted thousands of dollars in cash and gifts without making proper public disclosures, a Daily News investigation has revealed.
... for many years, one of Kerik's main benefactors was Lawrence Ray, the best man at Kerik's 1998 wedding, according to Ray, other sources and checks shown by Ray to The News. Ray and another Kerik pal, restaurant owner Carmen Cabell, helped bankroll Kerik's 1998 wedding reception, contributing nearly $10,000.
Ray also gave Kerik nearly $2,000 to buy a bejeweled Tiffany badge that Kerik coveted when he was Correction commissioner.
And Ray said he gave Kerik $4,300 more to buy high-end Bellini furniture when Kerik allegedly griped that he couldn't afford to furnish a bedroom for a soon-to-be born daughter....”
-New York Daily News, December 12, 2004

“Hey, just a friend. Nothing wrong with a really, really generous friend.”
-Skippy

“A week after Kerik's daughter was born, Ray and 18 other men were indicted in a $40 million, mob-run, pump-and-dump stock swindle. Kerik repeatedly spoke to Ray's criminal defense attorney before the indictment, but he dropped his longtime benefactor when the case became public.”
-New York Daily News, December 12, 2004

“The Federal investigation of the DiTommaso brothers concerned their purchase of a Staten Island waste station controlled by Edward Garafola. who is married to the sister of former Gambino Family Underboss Sammy ‘The Bull’ Gravano. Garafola was indicted in March 2000 along with Lawrence Ray, an executive of the DiTommaso brothers’ Interstate Industrial Corporation, and Daniel Persico, nephew of Colombo Family Godfather Carmine ‘The Snake’ Persico..”
-New York Daily News, December 12, 2004

“You know you’re in trouble when people who have animals as middle names become involved. Oh, there’s more, but for the sake of brevity (too late), I’ll just add a few quick items. First, he says he’s turning down the offer of heading Homeland Security because of.. wait for it.. personal reasons (mainly involving a few little mistakes in not filing his illegal immigrant maid’s taxes). Second, and my personal favorite, is that you would have expected a nominee for a cabinet post to be fully vetted to keep.. well, this, from happening. And he was..”
-Skippy

“In the vetting process, which was conducted by the office of White House counsel Alberto R. Gonzales, Kerik also never mentioned that a New Jersey judge had issued a warrant for his arrest in 1998 over a civil dispute over unpaid bills, the sources said.”
-MSNBC, December 12, 2004

“Oops, forgot to mention that Kerik was wanted in New Jersey. See, too much to cover.. Isn’t it beautiful though that the person who couldn’t apparently do the most rudimentary investigation of Kerik is the nominee for the highest law enforcement job in the country? My irony meter just exploded from overuse.”
-Skippy