Page "White House shakeup (2004)" Paragraph 11

On December 2, 2004, Bernard Kerik was nominated by Bush as the next Homeland Security secretary.

However, on December 10, after a week of press scrutiny, Kerik withdrew acceptance of the nomination citing personal reasons and a potential controversy over the immigation status of a nanny and housekeeper he had employed.

In a situation reminiscent of the Nannygate matter of 1993, Kerik had failed to pay taxes for the worker, who may have been an illegal immigrant to the United States.

However, the nanny has not yet been located, leading some to believe the nanny story was an invention created to divert attention away from Kerik's other problems.

Other controversies which may have contributed to Kerik's declining the nomination included an alleged outstanding arrest warrant from 1998 stemming from unpaid bills on the maintenance of a condominium ( documents regarding this warrant were faxed to the White House less than three hours before Kerik submitted his withdrawal of acceptance to the President ) and questions regarding Kerik's sale of stock in Taser International shortly before the release of an Amnesty International report critical of the company's stun-gun product.

Kerik has also been accused of being involved in at least two extramarital affairs.

One of the affairs occurred in the aftermath of 9 / 11.

Kerik allegedly used an apartment intended for police business that overlooked The Pile for the affair.