Bernard Kerik

Bernard Kerik (born 1955) was law enforcement officer and friend of Rudy Guiliani. When Guiliani was mayor of New York City, he even named the Manhattan Detention Complex after Kerik in late 2001. In December 2004, Guilani apparently persuaded President George W. Bush to nominate Kerik as Secretary of Homeland Security.

But Kerik withdrew his name about a week later amid questions about his past that included allegations that he had hired an illegal immigrant as a nanny.

Newsweek reported that there may have been additional reasons for his withdrawing:

But there may have been other issues at play. Kerik, who recently made millions in the private sector, once filed for personal bankruptcy as a New York cop. And just five years ago he was in financial trouble over a condominium he owned in New Jersey. More serious trouble than anyone realized: NEWSWEEK has discovered that a New Jersey judge in 1998 had issued an arrest warrant as part of a convoluted series of lawsuits relating to unpaid bills on his condo. The magazine faxed documents, including the arrest warrant, over to the White House around 6:00 p.m. Friday, asking for comment. Neither Kerik nor the White House had any immediate response. At 8:30 p.m., Kerik had submitted his letter to the president.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, who succeeded Guiliani in office, eventually removed Kerik's name from the Manhattan Detention Complex.