Running the World Bank ...
...like it was a federal agency.
The latest Bush embarrassment came when World Bank President and former Defense Department official Paul Wolfowitz got caught exercising the kind of cronyism perfected by this administration. From an article in today's NY Times
Paul D. Wolfowitz’s tenure as president of the World Bank was thrown into turmoil on Thursday by the disclosure that he had helped arrange a pay raise for his companion at the time of her transfer from the bank to the State Department, where she remained on the bank payroll.
In a chaotic day of revelations and meetings at a normally staid institution, Mr. Wolfowitz apologized for his role in the raise and transfer of Shaha Ali Riza, his companion, to a few hundred staff members assembled in the bank building atrium, only to be greeted by booing, catcalls and cries for his resignation.
Earlier, the bank’s staff association had declared that it was “impossible for the institution to move forward with any sense of purpose under the present leadership.” The association had helped spearhead an investigation into Ms. Riza’s transfer and raise, details of which came into the open in the last 24 hours. [Emphasis added]
One of the most revealing bits in the article was the quoted White House response to revelation of the scam:
At the White House, Tony Fratto, a spokesman, said: “Of course, President Wolfowitz has our full confidence” and in dealing with the controversy over his involvement with Ms. Riza, “he has taken full responsibility and is working with the executive board to resolve it.” [Emphasis added]
Mr. Wolfowitz went to the World Bank declaring that he would clean up the corruption in the organization. Instead, he engineered a situation in which his "companion" would make more than a US Cabinet Member, thereby establishing his bona fides with this "grab and run" administration.
Mr. Bush must be so proud.
The latest Bush embarrassment came when World Bank President and former Defense Department official Paul Wolfowitz got caught exercising the kind of cronyism perfected by this administration. From an article in today's NY Times
Paul D. Wolfowitz’s tenure as president of the World Bank was thrown into turmoil on Thursday by the disclosure that he had helped arrange a pay raise for his companion at the time of her transfer from the bank to the State Department, where she remained on the bank payroll.
In a chaotic day of revelations and meetings at a normally staid institution, Mr. Wolfowitz apologized for his role in the raise and transfer of Shaha Ali Riza, his companion, to a few hundred staff members assembled in the bank building atrium, only to be greeted by booing, catcalls and cries for his resignation.
Earlier, the bank’s staff association had declared that it was “impossible for the institution to move forward with any sense of purpose under the present leadership.” The association had helped spearhead an investigation into Ms. Riza’s transfer and raise, details of which came into the open in the last 24 hours. [Emphasis added]
One of the most revealing bits in the article was the quoted White House response to revelation of the scam:
At the White House, Tony Fratto, a spokesman, said: “Of course, President Wolfowitz has our full confidence” and in dealing with the controversy over his involvement with Ms. Riza, “he has taken full responsibility and is working with the executive board to resolve it.” [Emphasis added]
Mr. Wolfowitz went to the World Bank declaring that he would clean up the corruption in the organization. Instead, he engineered a situation in which his "companion" would make more than a US Cabinet Member, thereby establishing his bona fides with this "grab and run" administration.
Mr. Bush must be so proud.
Labels: Cronyism
posted by Diane at 3:31 AM
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