The New York Times > Washington > Kerik's Position Was Untenable, Bush Aide Says

The New York Times > Washington > Kerik's Position Was Untenable, Bush Aide Says: "By ELISABETH BUMILLER and ERIC LIPTON | Published: December 12, 2004

President Bush readily accepted Bernard B. Kerik's decision to withdraw his nomination as homeland security secretary after the White House quickly concluded on Friday evening that it would be impossible for him to win confirmation for a post that supervises enforcement of the nation's immigration laws if he had had immigration problems in his own household, White House officials said on Saturday.
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... A series of critical news reports about questionable actions had begun to surface about Mr. Kerik, threatening to turn his Senate confirmation into a lengthy embarrassment for the administration. The reports looked at Mr. Kerik's use of city personnel while in office, potential conflicts between his business life and the role of the Homeland Security Department, and events growing out of his personal financial difficulties several years ago.
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In the three years since Mr. Kerik left city government, he has made millions of dollars in the private sector, much of it working for companies that do business with the Department of Homeland Security and that are seeking to expand their sales. His single biggest source of income was Taser International, an Arizona-based manufacturer of stun guns that added Mr. Kerik to its board and gave him stock options that Mr. Kerik has since sold, earning $6.2 million in pretax profits.