NEW YORK, Nov. 29, 2007
Rudy: "Debate Day Dirty Trick"
Giuliani Tells Katie Couric Expenses Were Handled Above Board, Questions Report's Timing
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Play CBS Video Video Giuliani Speaks Out "Only on the Web": Giuliani lashes out at allegations he misused New York City taxpayer money when he was mayor...and whether there was an effort to cover up an extra-marital affair.
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Video Giuliani's Expense Mess NYC tabloids are buzzing over allegations that Rudy Giuliani misappropriated tax money for his security and tried to hide it. He defends his actions in an interview to Katie Couric.
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Video Giuliani's Expense Scandal Unusual billing accounts uncovered from Rudy Giuliani time as New York mayor suggest public dollars were used to finance travel related to his affair with Judith Nathan. Byron Pitts reports.
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Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani speaks with Katie Couric Nov. 29, 2007. (CBS)
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Photo Essay Rudy Giuliani September 11th made this combative New Yorker "America's Mayor." Will he also be America's president?
A report posted on Politico.com Wednesday said that at the time when Giuliani was beginning an extramarital relationship with Judith Nathan, who eventually became his third wife, he billed obscure city agencies thousands of dollars for his police security detail covering trips to visit Nathan.
But Giuliani insists that everything was done in the open, “honestly, honorably, above board.”
Katie Couric: We were talking earlier, Mayor Giuliani, about the scrutiny that you have to endure when you run for public office, so much scrutiny that it really turns a lot of people off from participating in the process and throwing their hat in the ring. You experienced this recently where all of the papers today, I couldn’t help but notice, are focused on your security detail, which you dealt with last night during the debate. But I am just curious, are you completely comfortable with the way it was handled and the way the billing was handled for example?
Rudy Giuliani: I was very comfortable with it and really upset that it was put out two hours before a debate with the suggestion that certain agencies were asked to bear the cost of my security. When you had a chance to look at it, it took about 3 to 4 hours to go through all of the records. The story turns out to be a totally false story. This practice was going on in my first term as mayor. It didn’t just happen in my second term as mayor. The police department paid for all of these expenses. But since the police department would sometimes be slow in payment. City Hall would pay it first, then the police department would reimburse every single penny of it. And now we’ve been able to confirm that. So this was really, I know what this was. This story is five years old. It came out two hours before a debate. It’s a typical political hit job with only half the story told … not that second part told … that every single penny was reimbursed … that all of this was public. All of this was discoverable. It was not done in a way that nobody could see it. But it was a typical - this particular case - it was sort of a debate day dirty trick.
Couric: But according to accounts, the bills were spread across, as you’re saying, several government agencies - from the NYC loft board to the office for people with disabilities. And one former New York budget director said today there’s no good reason to do this except to have nobody know about it …
Giuliani: He’s just wrong. And that’s probably a political opponent. The fact is, that by doing it that way, it was more discoverable. Had it been paid by the police department, it never would have been discovered because their records are security records and they can’t be discovered. The reality is: All those agencies that you’re talking about, all of it was fully reimbursed within that year. They’re all in the mayor’s office. This was a way of expediting payment. All of it on the record, all of it discoverable, all of it going on for five or six years. And perfectly appropriate and three budget directors have asserted that but of course the press doesn’t cover that.
Couric: Those three former budget directors have basically explained it according to the way you’re explaining it to me today.
Giuliani: Every single penny repaid. And the first version of the story does not make that clear.
Couric: Having said that, Mayor Giuliani, the report was on a political Web site. It wasn’t planted by your opposition and the records were gotten by a Freedom of Information Act so the notion of it somehow being a political "hit job," do you really believe that?
Giuliani: It comes out two hours before a debate when the story is five years old - so do I believe that? Of course I believe that. Do I know who did it? No, I don’t know who did it. Plenty of time for the story to come out but to wait until 3 or 4 o’clock in the afternoon of the day of the debate - and it was very, very artfully done because there’s a very good explanation for this … which is it took 24 hours to go find the people who did it who explained that every single penny was reimbursed. All of this was on the record. None of it was against other practices that were used in situations like this, but it took 24 hours to get that explanation so they’ll be more like this.
Couric: Do you think the motive behind this story is to raise questions about your character because it involves a situation that is quite frankly, you know, probably one you’re not all that proud of.
Giuliani: Look, did I expect it, yes. Did I expect exactly this one, no because it’s not true. And it took 12 to 14 hours to show that it’s not true. But they’ll be others like it.
Couric: You have an explanation. Obviously your explanation is quite different than the original report. How do you think this will affect your candidacy? Or the way people perceive you?
Giuliani: I think it will show that we do things honestly, honorably, above board. All of this is easily explained and all of this is easily discoverable. And none of it was hidden. It’s all there in records. And it is perfectly appropriate procedure. And the fact is, I had to have security. It wasn’t of my own desire. The reason I had to have security was because people have been threatening to kill me for quite some time going back to when I was a U.S. attorney. So I had 24-hour security. The records were handled in a way that they’re all discoverable. The police department ultimately paid for everything. Nobody was put out at all and from my point of view I prefer not to have security but this wasn’t done because I wanted to have security. It was done because there were definable threats to kill me going back to when I was a U.S. attorney.
Couric: When this came out mayor Giuliani, how did you feel?
Giuliani: You know I take it very professionally. I say, ok well, two hours before a debate, three hours before a debate.
Couric: Did it throw you at all during the debate?
Giuliani: No, I don’t think so; go look at the debate.
Couric: Well some have said they didn’t think it was your best debate.
Giuliani: I think it was a good debate. I think I did a really good job.
Couric: You didn’t really answer the question. You think it won’t matter in terms of the election itself - this story?
Giuliani: Of course not. I mean there’ll be 100 more stories … and we’ll see.
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See all 237 Commentsdispised him as a man of low moral character because he cheated on his wife. Now,the man favored in national polls to win the Republican nomination for president is...... a man who cheated on his wife.
Make''''s sense to me
Posted by mickfm at 08:17 PM : Dec 01, 2007,,,
But Rudy''s situation is a lot different, he dumped his wife in public, during a public speech in the news media, he informed her and he didn''t lie about it first, that makes him a better cheater! He would have dumped her in person but he was at the Hamptons banging whats her name! LOL
dispised him as a man of low moral character because he cheated on his wife. Now,the man favored in national polls to win the Republican nomination for president is...... a man who cheated on his wife.
Make''s sense to me
dispised him as a man of low moral character because he cheated on his wife. Now,the man favored in national polls to win the Republican nomination for president is...... a man who cheated on his wife.
Make''s sense to me
Give him a break ,folks! He was %u201Chonestly, honorably, %u201D letting citizens tax dollars pay for security to visit his mistress. Gee, what a great guy! NOT. I can''t believe the freaking sleazeball had the nerve to even use the words "honestly'' and "honorably" given it was concerning an event surrounding his adultery.
If the Republicans nominate him, I''d say we can start practicing saying "Madam President'' to save time. Aside from the fact of his adultery, he just looks like a creepy, dirty old man and the typical dirty politician.
Looks as though we once again don''t have much choice for president. One lady trying to be a hardass, one idiot with Muslim ties, swindler Guilani, etc. ,etc. etc.
It is telling that you criticize others for calling you names; however, you call those who disagree with you, along with ex-Pres Clinton, supporters of terrorism.
Also, those Muslims that you''re talking about in Bosnia, were raped and murdered by the so called "Christians."
Let''s see, Clinton lied about having *** with "that woman" and Pres. Bush gets us into a war based on false pretenses. Which is more serious?
I don''t think it was a Democrat that was arrested in an airport bathroom or having *** conversations with congressional pages or was recently caught in a Washington Madam''s client address book. However, I could be wrong.
National Health Insurance = the world''s industrial democracies, except U.S
Gov''t Education = a chance for those who aren''t rich to get an education
Welfare = helping those in difficult straights get back into the workforce. A few years ago, you might have been right, but that dang "BJ" Clinton signed a bill that limited welfare and encouraged work. *** him!
I won''t address the Nazi accusation. I''m not calling anybody a Nazi, except real ones and even Mr. Bush doesn''t qualify on that score.
In the history of western civilization, I can only recall one great conservative and that was Winston Churchill, who saved Britain from true nazism.
Respectfully.
A liberal and proud of it.
If only we could get that lucky!!!
It needs a name and about seven years of investigation if he''s elected Predident. Otherwise, just forget it. It''s yesterday''s news.
Posted by Infidel_Us at 08:59 AM : Dec 01, 2007
If they were, you would have already seen the Giuliani ties to 911 terrorists story. "But we know that reality has a liberal bias ..."
Is there really any doubt that they are biased to the left???
most of the other "facts" in your ignorance laden argument, are in error. these misdeeds of government have happened under both democrat and republican administrations, yet as the excellent liberal you are, i am sure you ignore such truths.
sit on that neoconism, you discredited liar.
Posted by antiliberal at 07:20 PM : Nov 30, 2007
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Whoa! Did someone get your swastika in a bunch there sparky?? ROFLMAO Take off the Hood and Sheet, pull up a chair and lets chat about your insane hatred for your fellow citizens. First of all the "Greatest Generation", you do remember them don''t you? Well they are responsible for the BIGGEST Government Run Social Program, Social Security. Now you fascist KNOW what''s going to happen if you attack that one don''t you?? Even YOU aren''t that stupid. Second, there is NOTHING in our constitution that says we the people can''t have whatever health care system WE choose. Lastly it''s painfully obvious after decades of failure that the fascist in the Republican Party is NOT going to do anything about the worst health care system in the world. Yep that''s right swastika breath, WE the PEOPLE pay MORE to cover LESS than any nation on this planet...PERIOD!! Now you can put your hood and sheet back on.. stand up now and lets be a good little Corporate Bootliker... SIEG HEIL! SIEG HEIL to the CEO!!
Giuliani ties to 911 terrorists ...
The "hero" ... LOL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oL8d35g9nE0
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Posted by AveJoe1 at 09:58 PM : Nov 30, 2007
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Hey Sparky, say away from the Kool Aid, you''ve had WAY to much. You might also concider putting away the swastika too. Maybe a night course in American History would help you... there you would find out that EVERY right you have, YEP every single one of them is because of a LIBERAL... Con''s fought for the KING MORON!! Sieg Heil Bush!!
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Posted by AveJoe1 at 09:58 PM : Nov 30, 2007
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Well, I would agree until you got to the "anti-civil liberty" part. If that is the criteria for a conservative, to protect the constitution and civil liberties, then the guy is the White House is the biggest liberal in history.
but seriously it is beyond hysterical to watch the party of family values nominate a person who is a serial liar, adulterer, flip flopper - a GOP Clinton!
Life is so grand sometimes.
Bush spends money like a Republican. Republicans spend money like crazy. But, they''d rather borrow the money.
If Republicans are more fiscally responsible, why didn''t the national debt decrease under Reagan? Why did it explode? Did Reagan have a veto pen? Why were most of his proposed budgets actually larger than most of the ultimate budgets the Democratic congress sent him? You can believe the myth all you want. But, Republicans spend like drunken Republicans. Democrats spend like drunken Democrats. Democrats are tax and spend. But, the Republicans are borrow and spenders.
When you look back at the Republican Congress that Bush operated with for several years, show us the fiscal responsibility. Remember, the Republican Congress could have sent him smaller bills to sign. If Bush is the drunken spender, what was going on with all those Republican Congressman who sent him those bills? You can''t dump it on Bush Jr. Look at Reagan. Look at the Republican congress a few years ago. The evidence speaks for itself.
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