Rudy Giuliani Chokes Up Remembering Former NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik
Rudy Giuliani became visibly emotional while paying tribute to former New York police commissioner Bernie Kerik, who died Thursday at age 69.
The disgraced former New York City mayor audibly sniffled and appeared to be holding back tears at several points during Thursday's episode of his 'America's Mayor Live' podcast, a segment of which was recorded just moments after Kerik's death was publicly confirmed.
Describing Kerik as 'my closest friend and my brother, who saved my life,' Giuliani said, 'Actually, there was no one in my life who was braver than he was.'
'I was a better man for having known Bernie. I certainly was a braver man and a stronger man, and I wish my father had known Bernie because my father was the bravest man I ever knew,' he explained. 'I don't know what I'm going to do without him. Never expected this. I love him.'
A New Jersey native and Army veteran, Kerik was appointed by Giuliani to serve as New York's police commissioner in 2000. He was hailed as a national hero after overseeing the city's response, rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
In 2004, he was tapped by then-President George W. Bush to lead the Department of Homeland Security. Five years later, however, he pleaded guilty to federal tax fraud and false statement charges, and was given a four-year prison sentence, of which he served three years.
President Donald Trump pardoned Kerik during a 2020 clemency blitz, after which Kerik reteamed with Giuliani to investigate Trump's baseless claims of election fraud following his loss to Joe Biden later that year.
Deeming Kerik 'one of the first victims of lawfare,' Giuliani added: 'He was pardoned by a great president with a big heart and a lot of decency, and he loved that president.
'Bernie dedicated, I would say, the last years of his life, from about 2015 on, to making sure Donald Trump would become president, and would succeed as president,' he continued. 'He loved him. He absolutely loved him.'
Toward the end of the broadcast, Giuliani said he'd been planning to visit Kerik over the weekend.
'I feel like I should've been with him,' he said.
Watch Thursday's episode of 'America's Mayor Live' below. Giuliani's comments on Bernie Kerik begin around the 1:08:52 mark:
Donald Trump Taps Rudy Giuliani's Son For Top Sports Gig
Ex-NY Police Commissioner Bernie Kerik, Who Pleaded Guilty To Federal Tax Fraud, Has Died
Rudy Giuliani Says He's Too Sick For Court Hearing — But Fine For Trump's Inauguration
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
30 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Federal officials identify two 'sanctuary cities' in NH
A federal Department of Homeland Security report identified the city of Lebanon and adjacent town of Hanover as the only communities in New Hampshire it identifies as being 'sanctuary' communities for immigrants in the country illegally. The report comes less than two weeks after Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed two bills (SB 62 and HB 511) to outlaw sanctuary city policies in the state and to block local officials from preventing police departments or county jail administrations from reaching cooperative agreements with federal immigration authorities. DHS officials said its report complies with President Donald Trump's executive order titled, 'Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens.' The report listed the 35 states and the District of Columbia where at least one community had an ordinance blocking or altering cooperation with federal officials about suspected, illegal immigrants. Maine and New Hampshire are the only states in New England not identified as sanctuary states. In Maine, the sanctuary status exists in two counties and the city of Portland, according to the report. A federal court order created the sanctuary treatment in Rhode Island while officials in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont adopted their own language, DHS officials said. The Franconia Board of Selectmen earlier last month endorsed a sanctuary community ordinance. Ayotte said the bills she signed would nullify that town's actions. Legislative critics charged the legislation would worsen the relationship local law enforcement has with legal immigration advocates in their hometowns and was an unfunded mandate as it could impose unreimbursed costs on communities. The new laws the governor signed take effect Jan. 1 except for one anti-sanctuary city provision that would apply starting in late July. Legislative leaders sent out letters last Friday thanking the sheriffs in Rockingham and Hillsborough Counties for signing so-called Section 287G agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Two other counties, six towns and New Hampshire State Police have applied for their own agreements. klandrigan@
CBS News
33 minutes ago
- CBS News
Acting head of FEMA said he wasn't aware U.S. has a hurricane season, sources say
Staff of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were confused and dispirited on Monday after the acting head of the agency said during a daily briefing that he had not been aware the country has a hurricane season, according to three sources familiar with the meeting. The remark was made by David Richardson at the conclusion of an 8:30 a.m. daily operational briefing typically attended by hundreds of FEMA staffers and interagency partners. Reuters was first to report the comment. Richardson, a former Marine Corps officer, has led FEMA since early May. It was not clear to staff whether he meant it literally or as a joke, but current and former employees who spoke with CBS News said the comment flustered many who genuinely believe Richardson was truly surprised to learn that a hurricane season had started. Others suggested that any joke made by the leader about the upcoming season was delivered in poor taste, offending agency staff already suffering from low morale amid a flurry of resignations, firings, leadership overhauls and polygraph tests distributed to staffers. Acting FEMA chief David Richardson Department of Homeland Security The Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 and lasts through November. NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, recently predicted it will be an above-average hurricane season that could bring 13 to 19 named storms, with six to 10 becoming hurricanes and three to five strengthening into major hurricanes.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Mariners retiring Randy Johnson's No. 51 jersey in 2026 — after retiring Ichiro's 51 this August
No. 51 is about to be extra special in Seattle. The Seattle Mariners announced Monday that the team will retire legendary pitcher Randy Johnson's No. 51 jersey in 2026 — retiring the number for the second time in a year. Johnson, a 10-time All-Star, spent nine years with the Mariners early in his career. The lefty put up huge stats in Seattle, earning five of his All-Star selections in that span, a Cy Young in 1995 and leading the league in strikeouts for four straight seasons, from 1992-1995. Advertisement The Mariners made the announcement on the 35th anniversary of the franchise's first career no-hitter — thrown by Johnson on June 2, 1990. While the exact date for Johnson's jersey retirement has yet to be determined, there's a small wrinkle: By the time of that ceremony, No. 51 will already be retired. On Aug. 9 later this season, the Mariners are retiring No. 51 in honor of Ichiro Suzuki, while also celebrating his selection to the National Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2025. There's a good reason for the oddity. When Ichiro first joined the Mariners in 2001, the star right fielder wrote a letter to Johnson asking if he could wear his number, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale. Johnson gave his blessing. Advertisement In addition, per Nightengale, Johnson intentionally delayed his own retirement ceremony to next year, so that Ichiro could have his own spotlight this year. As a result, No. 51 will be retired twice in Seattle, honoring both of the legendary former players who wore it. The pair of 51s will join the three numbers already retired by the Mariners: Ken Griffey Jr.'s No. 24, Edgar Martinez's No. 11 and the league-wide No. 42 worn by Jackie Robinson. After his time in Seattle, Johnson went on to play with the Arizona Diamondbacks, earning four straight Cy Young awards from 1999-2002 and winning a World Series in 2001. He threw a perfect game on May 18, 2004, one of only 24 in the history of the MLB. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2015. His No. 51 was retired by Arizona that same year.
