Giuliani parlayed 9/11 fame into riches: newspaper

Raw Story
May. 14, 2007

Just months after the terrorist attacks on New York City in September of 2001, "America's mayor" Rudolph Giuliani "took the first official step toward making himself rich," writes the Washington Post.

It was on December 7, 2001, three weeks before leaving office as mayor of New York City, that Giuliani sent a letter to the city's Conflicts of Interest Board asking permission to form a consulting firm.

The broadly defined company, Giuliani Parters, would bring in more than $100 million providing "management consulting service to governments and business" over the next 5 years, according to a Washington Post source.

That fame and success turned Giuliani into a Republican front-runner for the 2008 presidential election, and transformed him from "a moderately well-off public servant into a globe-trotting consultant whose net worth is estimated to be in the tens of millions of dollars."

Excerpts follow:

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In crafting its image, the firm took care to burnish its most valuable asset: the worldwide reputation Giuliani had earned for his composure and leadership in the days after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. "No client is ever approved or worked on without a full discussion with Rudy," said the firm's senior managing partner, Michael D. Hess, former corporation counsel for the city of New York.

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Clients of Giuliani Partners are required to sign confidentiality agreements, so they do not comment about the work they receive or how much they are paying for it. Though now running for president, Giuliani refuses to identify his clients, disclose his compensation or reveal any details about Giuliani Partners. He also declined to be interviewed about the firm.

Because of this secrecy -- a request to visit his wood-paneled offices overlooking Times Square was turned down -- a complete picture of the firm and its business is difficult to obtain. This report is based on a review of corporate, government and court records, along with scores of interviews with clients and government officials who have interacted with Giuliani Partners.

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READ THE FULL WASHINGTON POST STORY HERE