The Godfather

Russ Buettner, Michael Powell and William K. Rashbaumof the NYT lay out Rudy Giuliani's strange relationship with Bernie Kerik, the guy he plucked from obscurity, raised to police commissioner, and promoted for head of Homeland Security, despite evidence that Kerik was on the take from mob connected characters.

In Mr. Kerik’s case, by the time Mr. Giuliani recommended him for the federal job, his administration knew that Mr. Kerik had acted on behalf of Interstate Industrial. It also knew that he had drawn criticism for a range of other incidents, from sending detectives to search for his lover’s cellphone to using officers to research his autobiography.

Mr. Kerik, who declined to speak about his troubles, now faces possible indictment on a range of federal felony charges, including perhaps tax evasion and bribery, stemming in part from his acceptance of $165,000 in renovations to his Bronx apartment paid for by Interstate.

Another cute bit is the part from Kerik's autobiography where he describes induction into Rudy's inner circle:

Mr. Kerik followed Mr. Giuliani downstairs to a dimly lighted room. There waited Mr. Giuliani’s boyhood chum Peter J. Powers, who was first deputy mayor, and other aides. One by one, they pulled Mr. Kerik close and kissed his cheek.

“I wonder if he noticed how much becoming part of his team resembled becoming part of a mafia family,” Mr. Kerik wrote. “I was being made.”

Rudy is Godfather to two of Kerik's kids.

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