Set aside the three marriages, his pro-choice and anti-gun positions, the gay roommates, and the pictures of Rudy in drag. Let’s be honest. By and large, the only thing interesting about any of those things is the discomfort it causes his fellow Republicans. It ties them in knots and that’s fun to watch.
But on the substance of things, there is much about Giuliani’s past that doesn’t stand up to much scrutiny, especially his business dealings and some of the cronies he’s appointed, like Bernie Kerik. Today comes word (via The Politico) of a big lawsuit by a prominent Texas GOPer against Giuliani’s law firm and his business partner and close friend and adviser Kenneth Caruso, alleging that they defrauded the plaintiff out of $10 million in a complicated investment deal involving an offshore bank later shutdown amid charges of money laundering.
Giuliani has been around and involved with some pretty mucky characters. It’s still not clear the extent to which some of that muck has rubbed off onto Rudy directly. But it’s hard to stay clean next to a steady drip of muckiness.
Late Update: Steven Benen has compiled a list of the company Rudy keeps.
