Rudy: Hey, it's not his fault if people like him!

If it wasn’t bad enough for presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani that he just got endorsed by Pat “the gays caused 9-11” Robertson, one of his closest buddies could be facing serious jail time. Federal prosecutors are expected to ask a grand jury to hand down an indictment today against former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik on charges of tax fraud, corruption and conspiracy.

If the name sounds familiar, Kerik wasn’t just some guy Giuliani employed, but a close consigliere whose career, under the tutelage and defense of the former mayor, was a classic example of failing upwards. He was his bodyguard and driver, and then beat out more favored and better qualified candidates to be appointed by the then-mayor to senior positions at the NYC Gambling Control Commission and its Department of Correction, and finally police commissioner. Seemingly this all made the former beat cop ideal to be appointed Interim Minister of Interior of Iraq and then Giuliani’s favored (but failed) choice for head of Homeland Security.

But it’s not just about patronage: they were partners.In addition to being senior vice-president at much-investigated “management consulting and security consulting business” Giuliani Partners LLC, he also founded Giuliani-Kerik LLC with the man. All of which could make the next GOP presidential debate even more entertaining than usual.

This article appears in November 2 • 2007.

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The Chronicle's first Culture Desk editor, Richard has reported on Austin's growing film production and appreciation scene for over a decade. A graduate of the universities of York, Stirling, and UT-Austin, a Rotten Tomatoes certified critic, and eight-time Best of Austin winner, he's currently at work on two books and a play.