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Wolfowitz Resignation Seems Imminent

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Tue May 08, 2007 at 01:26:00 AM EST
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Paul Wolfowitz' tenure as President of the World Bank grows shorter each day.

The latest is that a deal is in the works, whereby he resigns and the U.S. gets to pick his replacement.

The Europeans worked to arrange a quick exit for Mr. Wolfowitz as a special bank committee concluded that he was guilty of breaking rules barring conflicts of interest in arranging for a pay raise and promotion for Shaha Ali Riza, his companion and a bank employee, in 2005.

Wolfowitz was told of the committee's finding Sunday night.

Then there's the sudden resignation of his top aide:

More....

In another sign of Mr. Wolfowitz’s difficulties, his top communications aide, Kevin Kellems, resigned Monday, saying that “the current environment surrounding the leadership” at the bank made it “very difficult to be effective in helping to advance the mission of the institution.”

Mr. Kellems said in a statement that he had “tremendous respect and admiration” for the bank’s staff but made no mention of Mr. Wolfowitz, with whom he had a close association when the bank president was deputy secretary of defense.

I'd bet he doesn't last the week.

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    Wolfowitz Resignation Seems Imminent | 9 comments (9 topical)

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    Why Wolfie Wants to Drag It Out (none / 0) (#1)
    by LimaBN on Tue May 08, 2007 at 06:04:36 AM EST
    Doesn't he get a huge bonus if he lasts until June 1?  I've gotten the impression that's what he's been fighting for.  

    The guy has been in over his head for way too long.

    Bad enough to figure your girlfriend is going to lose her new tax-free job due to her incompetence - and rather clever to arrange a hop, skip, and a jump to a meaningless sinecure.  But it's going a bit far to then argue, "She needs a fifty-percent increase in pay to compensate for losing the diplomatic tax exemption."  

    And to swing both the raise and then come back for retention of the diplomatic tax exemption?  Leaves a bad taste in everyone's mouth.  

    So now he learns Bill Clinton's lesson - don't ever make people realize you're laughing at how dumb they are.  They will get even with you, every time.

    He wants to drag it out because his contract (none / 0) (#8)
    by kindness on Tue May 08, 2007 at 12:57:23 PM EST
    stipulates that if he's still there after 6/1/07, he is owed a $400,000 bonus.

    He still thinks he's like Ken Lay or something.

    Parent

    Wolfowitz replacement (none / 0) (#2)
    by Lacy on Tue May 08, 2007 at 06:16:38 AM EST

    Who else to replace Wolfowitz but a man who shares his intellect: Doug Feith.

    Here's why this scares me. (none / 0) (#3)
    by Pneumatikon on Tue May 08, 2007 at 08:04:02 AM EST
    People like Wolfowitz and Bush and Rumsfeld have been openly criminal for decades and get away with it, and they'll get away with all this when the Democrats take charge in January, 2009. Then, just like they did in the 90's, they (and others like them) will lay low and pop up later to commit crimes when they get a chance. Maybe they'll find a way to steal elections again. With the rise of the Democrats I think our house will finally get cleaned up here but they have powerful resources. Or maybe they'll start another war. Or swindle investors out of billions. They're recidivists. They won't stop commiting crimes until they've been imprisoned or executed.

    Meanwhile we have to keep fighting off their "sheep," which now number just under 30% of the population. That's an improvement for sure -- they made up a third of our numbers for years. But their numbers are still massive, they're still radically well organized, and they're still sure they're 100% right and the rest of the world is 100% wrong.

    World Bank (none / 0) (#4)
    by squeaky on Tue May 08, 2007 at 10:01:41 AM EST
    The World Bank is basically a criminal organization with or without Wolfie. It says a lot that they want to 86 the guy. They depend on a low profile to do their dirty work, Wolfie is like a bull in a chinashop, too high profile for them although perfect in every other way.

    Balanced equation... (none / 0) (#5)
    by desertswine on Tue May 08, 2007 at 10:13:10 AM EST
    Wolfowitz = Loser

    It's nice work if you can get it (none / 0) (#6)
    by Sailor on Tue May 08, 2007 at 10:44:42 AM EST
    Mr. Kellems's departure leaves another top aide to Mr. Wolfowitz, Robin Cleveland, still in place. Both Mr. Kellems and Ms. Cleveland have been the focus of complaints from the bank's staff over their unusually high salaries -- about $250,000 each -- and unusual level of control at the bank.

    Ms. Cleveland remains at the bank, but officials said that she moved out of her office just outside Mr. Wolfowitz's last week, and into a smaller office elsewhere at the bank headquarters.
    Corrupt Filth (none / 0) (#7)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Tue May 08, 2007 at 11:56:52 AM EST
    He really deserved the job. The real trick will be finding someone else as corrupt to replace him. Never mind, there is a bottomless larder of pond scum to choose from.

    Wolfowitz (none / 0) (#9)
    by koshembos on Tue May 08, 2007 at 04:03:55 PM EST
    Why would I care about the head of the World's Bank?  What do we know about the head of the IMF?

    We disagree vehemently with Wlfowitz on Iraq; I know nothing about Wolfowitz the person. I find the obsession with Wolfowitz nothing but a vehement obsession.

    Wolfowitz Resignation Seems Imminent | 9 comments (9 topical)

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