World Bank Presidential Affairs

I just saw this post by Sameer Dossani in my feeds…

Strike One: In late 2000 the administration of Johns Hopkins University had determined to take significant action against Paul Wolfowitz, then Dean of the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), for an improper sexual relationship with a SAIS subordinate. University action was interrupted when Wolfowitz informed the University he was leaving to take a position with the Bush Administration.

Strike Two: In early 2001 the Bush Administration was preparing to nominate Wolfowitz to be Director of the CIA. Wolfowitz’s wife, Clare, wrote the President and detailed her husband’s extramarital affairs at SAIS and with Shaha Ali Riza, whom he had met while Dean at SAIS and Riza was at NED (before she joined the Bank as an employee in 1999). Clare pointed out that her husband had a sexual relationship with a non-American citizen and that he was seeking to keep these relationships “non-disclosed.” Scooter Libby intercepted Clare’s letter which terminated the CIA appointment but the Administration then nominated him to be DOD Dep Sec. In retaliation, Wolfowitz unleashed his lawyers on his wife and forced her to sign a non-disclosure agreement or forego financial support (also see Wolfowitz’s May 3 rebuttal reference to non-disclosure agreements). Clare Wolfowitz signed. At this point, the White House was fully cognizant of Wolfowitz’s personal habits and chose to cover-up his activities. In other, similar cases, individuals are denied a national security clearance not due to the extramarital activities, but due to the possibility of blackmail stemming from “non-disclosure.” In Wolfowitz’s case, Riza was seen in his company at official Administration events (he was still married).

Strike Three: 2003 (SAIC contract), 2005 (“assignment, not “seconded or detailed” to State Department), 2006 (Foundation for the Future). On the latter, World Bank staff need to focus more carefully on the May 2006 $21,000 World Bank contract and November 2006 speaking contract to Anwar Ibrahim–who informed Robin Cleveland in October 2006 that he was selecting Shaha Ali Riza as Director of the Foundation (while retaining her G-4 tax-free income at an ineligible organization). Ibrahim, close Friend of Wolfowitz, became Chairman of the Foundation in July 2006 after his World Bank contract ended.

FYI : Wolfowitz’s exit package from the World Bank amounts to a pay-out of roughly $375K. And it’s very likely he’ll end up in another appointed position, or with a Board of Directorship at some multinational corporation or K Street lobbyist firm.