For some reason watching Paul Wolfowitz go down for a nepotism scandal rather than for spearheading a galactic disaster of a war feels like seeing Al Capone go down for tax evasion. You get the punishment but somehow it lacks justice.
The former chairman of the World Bank’s ethics committee yesterday accused the institution’s embattled president, Paul D. Wolfowitz, of misleading a panel investigating his role in granting his girlfriend a substantial pay raise.
In a written submission to the investigating committee, the former ethics chairman, Ad Melkert, contradicted Wolfowitz’s assertion that he fully informed bank officers of his handling of his girlfriend’s transfer to the State Department and that his actions had their blessing
[…] “It is completely incomprehensible that subsequently Mr. Wolfowitz did exactly what he originally had proposed not to do: to engage directly in personnel matters concerning his partner,” Melkert said. […] Melkert’s words came a day after Roberto Da?ino, a former general counsel for the bank, told the investigating committee that Wolfowitz had acted “incorrectly” in instructing the bank’s vice president for human resources to extend “an extraordinary salary increase,” according to his written submission.Da?ino excoriated Wolfowitz, saying he subsequently withheld information about the raise, “apparently trying to deceive the board, the staff, and the general public” and adding that Wolfowitz had “damaged the reputation of the bank and eroded his moral authority to lead.”
In other words Paul Wolfowitz’s tenure at the World Bank has turned out exactly the way that I expected it would, up to and including demonizing his critics (“Wolfowitz cast himself as the victim of a “smear campaign.” ). I suppose antisemitism was unavailable. The article goes into much more detail, including the likely verdict: “His testimony did not appear to change the disposition of the bank’s governing board to pursue an end to his tenure, ideally via his resignation.” Click the link if flopsweat is your thing.
***Update***
Leading indicators point to buh-bye.
Tax Analyst
Yes Tim, but although less egregious and harmful, his World Bank shenanigans highlight the overarching point that Wolfowitz is a self-important, lying, dishonest scumbag. I would say that it could hardly happen to a more deserving guy, but then I look down the line at the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, Mr. Decider, Nanny Rice and others and I guess I would call it a tie as to who might be more deserving. But Wolfy will do for a start, I guess.
Dave
HA HA!
skip
You simply ASSUME antisemitism was unavailable. Give Wolfie time. It took Libby more than a month, but he eventually got around to it.
skip
You simply ASSUME antisemitism was unavailable. Give Wolfie time. It took Libby more than a month, but he eventually got around to it.
Tsulagi
Good analogy.
Tony J
Given El Residente’s habit of rewarding failure with a promotion, what are the odds on Wolfie for War-Czar?
After all, NOT giving him another job to screw up would be tantamount to admitting that those dirty, foreign traitors at the World Bank were right to fire him. And it’s only fair that he gets to finish what he started, whether he likes it or not.
Chad N. Freude
That’s what’s scary. The Bush Loyalty Machine™ could very well bring him back into the China Shop. Although there isn’t much left to break.
Wilfred
He’s not gone yet. Don’t count out your high-flying chickenhawks before they fall to earth and splatter on the pavement.
The Other Steve
NRO is talking about a Military Coup today.
Face
He ain’t out yet. Everyone assumed The Gonz would offer to resign after his impossibly bad tenure, but he didn’t. There’s nothing in this Wolf guy that says he’ll take the high road out. If he does go–and I’m highly dubious–all signs point to him going Sherman’s March on the WB on the way out.
Prick Bastard to the very end, this scumbag.
Tax Analyst
Yeah, it was Thomas Sowell…a small piece of a meandering wallow he was in about “the state of things”. Another momentous point he made was that Babe Ruth’s most impregnable record was pitching 14 shutout innings in a World Series game…probably true, since no present day pitcher would be allowed to pitch 14 innings in one game, but appropo nothing but a possible diagnosis of early-stage Alzheimer’s. Some of the comments in reply were a little startling…amazing how many on the Right see no problem, but rather seem hopeful for some sort of “Military Coup” to “set things straight”…all I can say is, “Egads, what is wrong with these people?”…
pharniel
Yha. I see that every time i read comments and sometimes headlines at AoS, and NRO, and everytime my dad sends me political e-mail.
i had to delete two sepreate replys because i couldn’t put the verbal smackpipe down.
it’s the just assinine belife that everything *I* belive is right and eveyrthing *you* belive is wrong, no matter what reality may say.
Tax Analyst
pharniel – I’m not sure if your comment was addressing MY comment or the people I was making my comment about. If you are saying that something is wrong with ME thinking something is wrong with people rooting for a Military Coup than I think you’ve got your thinking cap on the wrong way or maybe need a new one. I have to leave for the day right about now so I can’t have a discussion about it, but believe me, unless you are a fool you don’t want a Military Coup.
Uh, and if you were agreeing with me, well, in the famous words of Emily Litella (Gilda Radnor on the original SNL), “Well, never mind…”
I would suggest that either way you try to make the subject or direction of your comments more clear, I really couldn’t tell. Thanks.
George Arndt
Like Capone being brought down Tax evasion? It’s a perfect analogy! But, Wolfy isn’t, unfortunately, being put in Jail for screwing up Iraq and America’s standing in the world. As much as Wolfy and his ilk wrap themselves in American Flag, they have harmed the US a great deal. And it’s the soldiers, the taxpayers but not the neo-cons who have to pay the price.
Redhand
The Capone tax evasion analogy is inspired. I’ll take whatever humiliation of this arrogant prick is possible.
Steve
Actually, it’s not true. He gave up a run in the first.
Otto Man
We should just tar and feather the entire administration and just get it all over with.
Scruffy McSnufflepuss
I have to note that Robert MacNamara ran the World Bank just fine, with nary a scandal worth recollecting. This proves MacNamara was a pussy. Wolfowitz already out-fucked-up an American war, and now he’s out-fucked-up the World Bank. Take THAT, MacNamara!
Tax Analyst
Well, that’s what I get for not back-checking anything I read over at NRO. Thanks for the correction.
les
I particularly like Wolfie’s unflagging retreat from reality–he may resign if it’s not officially for being a lawless, cronyistic flaming creep. After all, only the entire fucking world knows what the actual deal is…