Giuliani Aide Aware of Kerik Involvement With Company, NYT Says

By Dan Hart

Nov. 3 (Bloomberg) -- An aide to former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani was aware of Bernard Kerik's involvement with a company doing business with the city while serving as corrections commissioner, the New York Times reported, citing notes.

Edward Kuriansky, the city investigations commissioner, met with one of Giuliani's closest aides, Dennison Young Jr., and briefed Young on Kerik's relationship with Interstate Industrial and a man Kerik recommended for a job at that company, the newspaper said, citing Kuriansky's diaries and notes.

Giuliani, who was criticized for not having better scrutinized Kerik's background before recommending him as a candidate to head the Department of Homeland Security in 2004, has said he wasn't aware of Kerik's ties to the company, the newspaper said. Guiliani declined to comment to the Times. Guiliani's press office wasn't immediately available to respond to a call by Bloomberg News seeking comment.

Kerik faces possible U.S. criminal charges for tax fraud and bribery for allegedly accepting thousands of dollars in gifts while serving as the mayor's corrections commissioner, the newspaper said. Kerik, through his lawyer, has denied the charges.

To contact the reporter on this story: Dan Hart in Washington at dahart@bloomberg.net .

Last Updated: November 3, 2007 11:01 EDT