Bernard Kerik, a man once called an American hero, is in the news again today. In addition to serving as police chief at the time of 9/11, Kerik trained the Iraqi police-force following the 2003 invasion, and was once nominated by President Bush for the job of Homeland Security Secretary. This nomination, which would have been the highlight of any career in public service, ultimately served to cause his downfall. During the vetting process, a proverbial shit-ton of skeletons came out of his closet. Among them: Kerik employed an illegal nanny (who doesn’t?), had extramarital affairs, and took hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bribes. Apparently, these things are frowned upon.
