Kerik: "Toxic Combination Of Self-minded Focus, Arrogance"

At left, Kerik's 2006 mugshot; at right, his 2009 mugshot

Former NYC police commissioner Bernard Kerik spent the night in jail, after a judge in his federal corruption trial revoked his bail. Federal District Judge Stephen C. Robinson was unsparing in his criticism of Kerik's behavior, calling him a "toxic combination of self-minded focus and arrogance... And I fear that combination leads him to believe his ends justify his means. He sees the court’s rulings as an inconvenience, something to be ignored, and an obstacle to be circumvented."

Robinson was pissed off because Kerik allegedly leaked sealed information from his trial to another lawyer, Anthony Modafferi. While Modafferi is giving him legal advice, he's not officially part of Kerik's legal team and, therefore, isn't privy to sealed information. Modafferi apparently sent some of the sealed information to the Washington Times, which ultimately didn't publish it.

Prosecutors even complained that Kerik was using his Twitter account to "refer supporters" to a site associated with his defense fund. The Daily News has a timeline of Kerik's rise to power and fall from grace. Kerik's lawyers plan to appeal.

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By Jen Chung in News on October 21, 2009 4:00 PM

Comments [rss]

jaycjay

"But no jail was EVER NEEDED NOR DESERVED."

He hasn't even been tried yet on the charges that could have him locked up for years. He's just being held until trial without bail because of continued disregard for the judge's orders. Interesting that a former cop and commissioner has such disrespect for the legal system, isn't it?

"was a superb police commissioner."

What exactly did he accomplish? Kerik was Commissioner for all of 16 months. Crime rates had already been declining before he took over; giving him credit for not completely screwing things up the one year he was in charge is about all you can give him. His only actual "accomplishment" other than getting a job he was technically not even qualified for was the self-aggrandizing five arrests he made personally while in office. PR and spin, the Kerik stock in trade.

mtauser

Completely shameful. Am I going to be in jail next?

Kerik is a great man and was a superb police commissioner. 9/11 was not his fault, it happened because of a loophole in the system.

This case just sickens me to death. Kerik like all humans was imperfect. Even President Clinton was imperfect. To me its akin to putting President Clinton behind bars during the impeachment hearings. Kerik gets jail which does nothing for society as a whole, in fact it is detrimental, when he is incarcerated because of his work which has done immeasurable good for society.

And to think his website and twiter feed were shut down? I never even read what he wrote unfortunately, but this man never deserved jail.

I know Guiliani is with Powell and Bush in Texas and hopefully Kerik gets discussed. He is an honorable man who at a maximum shouldn't have gotten the DHS nomination and should have been fined. But no jail was EVER NEEDED NOR DESERVED. I just read about this case through the media and it just got me really upset because Kerik is a good man however imperfect he was.

ides_of_march

That description easily applies to about 98% of politicians in this country.

redhookreject

ok wait. Kerik is in jail and Pirro is on a judge show and a 'legal' on air advisor for NBC...

we have the collective memory of a rabbit.

JacqueMehoff

this guy was worse than ben ward as police commissioner.

ThisCharmingMan

hmm, interesting behavior. I would never expect a cop to act like this! Two sets of rules? Crazy!

Mr Mel

What we have here is a former Police Commissioner who is likely a sociopath.

felixthecat2

I guess ass-kissing can't get you out of jail but it sure help his career. I guess now his friends' Rudy, Bush and Bloomberg can visit him in jail