Former NYC police commissioner Bernard Kerik dodged a legal dumdum bullet today, when he pleaded guilty to eight felonies.
Mr. Kerik, 54, pleaded guilty to two counts of tax fraud, one count of making a false statement on a loan application — the most serious — and five separate counts of making false statements to the federal government. These last charges stemmed from statements Mr. Kerik made to the White House during the vetting process after the Bush administration nominated him to lead the Department of Homeland Security. He later withdrew his name.
Kerik's foibles, including his ties to organized crime, were pretty well documented back in 2007. Additionally, his bid to be Homeland Security chief got derailed when it came out his nanny was an illegal immigrant. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped corruption charges against him. He faces a maximum sentence of 33 months in prison.