Former NY Police Commissioner Sentenced for Tax Evasion
How the mighty have fallen. Former New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik went from head of a major government agency to being sentenced for tax evasion.
Kerik came onto the seen of the national consciousness under trying circumstances. He was the police commission in New York at the time of the 9/11 attacks. Close to Rudy Giuliani, he was an apparent pillar of strength. His performance under pressure was thought so highly of that he was actually chosen to lead the Homeland Security Agency by President Bush.
That is when things started falling apart.
The review process involved a number of deep background checks. One is not put in such a powerful position without a full vetting. Oh, you can be elected President without it, but that is another subject! Regardless, the background checks started coming back with alarming results and Kerik withdrew from the position.
The problems did not go away. Instead, they followed Kerik until he eventually pleaded guilty to tax evasion and lying to the White House this past November. At sentencing, he faced the potential of a minimum of three years in jail up to a maximum of 61 years in the involuntary motel. The judge sentenced him to a total of four years.
The fall of Kerik has always been an interesting story and one that many felt really hurt Giuliani when he tried to run for President. He and Kerik were very tight and the fact that one could be committing crimes without the knowledge of the other was always a point of some interest in the media. It certainly wasn’t something that helped.