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The Staff Association expresses its impatience with the delay.
The impatience of the staff of the World Bank with the long drown out process of the board of directors and their wobbling came to the surface this afternoon.
more... A Washington source ~ May 17, 2007 Wrong date on the resignation letter!
The following is reproduced from the site Wolfowitz Resign. Apparently, Wolfie has drafted his resignation letter with an effective date of mid-June. I guess he needs that bonus of $400K. Chevy Chase und Berlin
more... The Beaver ~ May 17, 2007 ~ Comments (18) Exoneration for Wolfie's resignation.
That's the wish of Wolfowitz but the Bank Board is not giving in, reports WaPo, which continues with:"for another day, the leadership crisis at the World Bank went on with no clear end in sight and much speculation about how and under what circumstances Wolfowitz might eventually depart."
more... The Beaver ~ May 17, 2007 Wolfowitz, SAIS, CIA, SAIC
This item, a rescue from one of our comments threads, calls attention to a White House cover-up of Wolfowitz's ethical lapses (explaining why the WH does not want the Board to confirm the Ad Hoc Committee report) and calls attention to another aspect of the World Bank scandal involving Wolfowitz-Riza-Cleveland and Anwar Ibrahim. The Three Strikes:
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 17, 2007 What Happened to Wolfowitz the Strategist?
Is the question that Steve Clemons is asking today on The Washington Note, his blogspot.
more... The Beaver ~ May 17, 2007 Reuters: Challenges to U.S. Leadership?
Reuters has an opinion piece questioning the U.S. control over the appointment of WB presidents.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 17, 2007 Two possible African candidates.
The Globe and mail is the first paper to mention two possible African candidates for the presidency of a post- Wolfowitz World Bank.
more... A Washington source ~ May 17, 2007 Wolfowitz and Bush have same law firm.
Lawyers Representing Bush In 2000 Election Case Signed Off On Wolfowitz’s Compensation Package for Riza, according to Think Progress organisation , which referenced a report from Law.com that has the following quote on the law firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, hired by Wolfie to review Riza's "sweet deal" transfer contract:
more... The Beaver ~ May 17, 2007 Washington Post speaks of months to wait.
I've been scouring the net this morning to look for new elements on the deal to get Paul Wolfowitz out of the Bank. There are few to be had. A mention of the possible timetable in the Washington Post caught my eye, however. A senior White House aide told the Post that Wolfowitz might negotiate to stay at the Bank "for a few months" once the agreement is reached. Alex Wilks ~ May 17, 2007 ~ Comments (20) Wolfowitz to Board: I'll Only Quit When You Admit I've done Nothing Wrong. (Update).
I'd hate to be a World Bank board member just now. According to this piece in the New York Times, Wolfowitz wants to be officially cleared of all wrongdoing before he steps down.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 17, 2007 ~ Comments (18) Wolfowitz must have had a busy day
This interesting anecdote from a reporter from CNN says a lot about the state of mind of Wolfowitz and his high-priced attorney on this very "depressing" day
more... The Beaver ~ May 17, 2007 Still fighting? You pay your legal team to back you when everyone else has given up. True to form, Robert Bennett is still fighting: "Mr. Wolfowitz will not resign under this cloud and he will rather put this matter to a full vote." David Steven ~ May 16, 2007 Board adjourns for the night.
Those of us/you who thought we were going to see some resolution tonight look like we are going to be disappointed. I have just been told that the World Bank board has issued the following statement: "The Executive Directors of the World Bank Group continued their deliberations on issues raised by the report of the Ad Hoc Group and in their meetings with Mr Wolfowitz yesterday. They will continue their deliberations tomorrow morning (Thursday May 17)".
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 16, 2007 Exit this afternoon for Wolfie
According to ABC News, World Bank officials say the bank's board is completing an "exit strategy" that will allow World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz to resign this afternoon and "still save some face" over the issue of his efforts to seek a promotion and pay raise for his girlfriend at the bank.
more... The Beaver ~ May 16, 2007 Voices of World Bank women.
A friend inside the bank has just emailed me the following comments from two women staff members posted on a bank internal bulletin board earlier today.
more... A Washington source ~ May 16, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Board adjourns meeting
At the request of the US, the 24-member Board deliberating Wolfowitz discipline options has adjourned until 2:30 p.m. (1830 GMT) reports Reuters. It mentions also that the US has withheld its endorsement of the Report from the Ad Hoc Panel The Beaver ~ May 16, 2007 `C'est la Vie'.
South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel is quoted as saying: "there should be a parting of the ways'' between the bank and Wolfowitz.
more... A Washington source ~ May 16, 2007 Wolfowitz not welcome anywhere.
Few countries want to have Wolfowitz come knocking on their doors these days and less are willing to even offer him token support.
more... A Washington source ~ May 16, 2007 Wolfowitz's defence: what's the outlook?
Wolfowitz's statement yesterday really repays careful reading. Posted here (PDF) late yesterday, you can see many comments already from site visitors. But what amazes me most about it is the way that Wolfowitz says he did nothing wrong on Riza, skips over several other issues in the Ad Hoc Group's report, then proceeds to admit that his overall management at the Bank has been a disaster. Alex Wilks ~ May 16, 2007 Another investigation of Wolfowitz and Riza starts at the State Department.
The FT is reporting that the US State Department, where Riza went (or did not, depending on who you believe) for her external assignment, has launched a new probe on Wolfowitz and his role in Riza's career.
more... A Washington source ~ May 16, 2007 Statement of Paul Wolfowitz
Here is a copy of what Paul Wolfowitz said to the board of executive directors this afternoon in his opening statement.
more... A Washington source ~ May 16, 2007 ~ Comments (38) Wolfie pleads for his job but may resign
Just saw this: Adelaide now The Beaver ~ May 16, 2007 Wolfowitz Lifeline Shortens and John Briscoe Speaks.
Lots was going on at the Bank today. Internal Communications, whose courage is keeping the bulletin boards going strong, had a busy day deleting inappropriate posts, caught in the crossfire between those who thought he should go and those who thought it was inappropriate to think he should go. You had to be quick to see anything objectionable ("not compatible with the code of conduct") and it turned out that 2 of IC's 7 staff were engaged 24/7 in the purging. If that ratio is true elsewhere in the Bank, then The Current Situation is burning through $2 million a day.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 15, 2007 Media Round Up
It's been a busy day for news (and we haven't even heard the results of the 5pm discussion between Wolfowitz and the Board). Here are a few of the more interesting tidbits:
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 Canada on Board, Whither Japan?
An anonymous source has written the following open letter, urging Japan to renounce its support for Wolfowitz.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 Elementary my dear Watson.
The FT reports that Canada has sided with the Europeans in refusing the US request for more time in dealing with the crisis. This leaves only Japan that continues to blindly toe the US line - supporting US calls to separate discussion of ethics violations by Wolfowitz from the broader question of whether he should remain in his post.
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 15, 2007 More invective about Palacio.
Worldbankpresident.org received the following about Wolfowitz-appointee general legal counsel Ana Palacio from someone who claims to be a World Bank staffer - "sent anonymously for fear of reprisal". Jeff Powell ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Comments (15) Rizagate whistleblower speaks. US NGO Government Accountability Project (GAP), which broke the story about Wolfowitz' interventions on behalf of his partner, has posted a letter sent today from the Bank staffer who leaked the original Shaha Riza payroll records. The staffer says the whole ugly affair has exposed "the underlying inadequacy of the Bank's governance framework", calling for a drastic overhaul of whistleblower protections and the leadership selection process. Jeff Powell ~ May 15, 2007 It's unanimous. The great and the good (OK, I'm on there so it's not exactly an exclusive club) from NGOs, academia and development thinktanks have signed on to the call from the Brookings Institution that the "outdated convention should be abandoned and replaced with selection procedures that reflect two key principles: transparency of process, and competence of prospective leadership without regard to national origin." Just do it. Jeff Powell ~ May 15, 2007 UPDATE:White House: Turning of the tide?
A senior White House official has told ABC News that "all options are on the table" regarding Paul Wolfowitz's future and "it is an open question" whether he should should remain as President of the World Bank.
more... The Beaver ~ May 15, 2007 Background Reading
OK, so it looks like I can't do real work for more than five minutes today without getting a call from the media or an anonymous tipster trying to pass me some bit of gossip. So, here are some background materials that newcomers to the story may find interesting.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Comments (2) A strong indictment of Wolfowitz
These are the words that David Corn uses to qualify the report from the Ad Hoc Panel on his blog on the topic: How Wolfowitz and Riza Gamed the Bank
more... The Beaver ~ May 15, 2007 Wolfowitz mistakes "not a firing offense"
"The White House acknowledged on Tuesday that World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz erred in the handling of a pay raise and promotion for his companion but said that was not cause for him to be removed from his job. The Beaver ~ May 15, 2007 All but two World Bank Country Directors Sign Letter Urging "Rapid Resolution"
37 of 39 World Bank Country Directors (CDs) have signed a letter urging a "rapid resolution" to the scandal (i.e.: Wolf out now). One of the two who did not sign is John Briscoe. Those of us involved in water and the World Bank will remember that Briscoe was the World Bank's man in charge of derailing the World Commission on Dams. When he failed to water down the commissions recommendations, Briscoe successfully argued that the Board should effectively take no action (pdf 5 pages).
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 Wolfowitz--Shock & Awe (UPDATED)
As the world turned this morning, printers in World Bank offices around the world got busy with the Ad Hoc Committee's riveting report. First in Beijing and Hanoi, then in Delhi and Islamabad. Then the hapless consultants in lovely Baghdad. Yemen, whose President told Wolfowitz last week "Iraq was a lovely country, until you invaded it." Africa, and the meetings in Europe and parts of the former Soviet Union where cronyism and gangsterism were part of the history, some not so distant.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 15, 2007 If they f*** with me, I'll f*** with them too [update with pic]
In the documents that came out last night, some startling revelations into how Wolfowitz's mind works. When Xavier Coll advised him that the ethics committee may not look kindly on him giving Riza a raise just as she was leaving, Wolfowitz reportedly said:
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 15, 2007 Wolfowitz broke Bank rules.
Bloomberg is reporting that the Panel has found that "Wolfowitz violated the terms of his contract and showed a "disregard for the interests of the institution'' when he ordered a pay raise and promotion for his companion," according to the report released today.
more... The Beaver ~ May 15, 2007 World Bank Board of directors releases its report (updated, news links).
The board has just released the report by the ad hoc committee investigating the Wolfowitz-Shaha affair.
more... A Washington source ~ May 15, 2007 ~ Comments (20) Will Wolfowitz do the Attali? Far from without precedent, in 1993, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Jacques Attali, faced allegations of personal impropriety and scathing reviews of his performance. He did the honorable thing and resigned. Jeff Powell ~ May 14, 2007 George W. Bush attempts to delay Wolfowitz decision.
The White House has apparently launched "an extraordinary last minute effort to save Paul Wolfowitz". They tried to "prevent the distribution" of the Bank board committee report. Despite the U.S. government's previous protestations that the Bank's process must play itself out Bush apparently preferred to talk the issue through man to man with G7 finance ministers. But they refused to take his conference call. Dick Cheney has also gone on the record just now directly saying Wolfowitz should stay.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 ~ Comments (2) White House playing games:UPDATED
Like I have predicted in this update, the White House is at it again with its shenanigans. It is reported in the Wolfowitzmust resign.blog that the White House, through U.S. ED Eli Whitney Debevoise, "this morning launched an extraordinary last minute effort to save Paul Wolfowitz by attempting to prevent the distribution of the long-awaited report of the Ad Hoc Committee."
more... The Beaver ~ May 14, 2007 Former Bank board member blogs his views.
Fulsome apologies to Mr Per Kurowski. He is a former Executive Director to the World Bank (for the governments of several Latin American countries). He has been blogging on this issue, but till now I missed it. He has it in for both the Bank board Ethics Committee, and Wolfowitz.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 Mallaby makes it plain: anti-corruption yes, Wolfowitz no.
Sebastian Mallaby - former Economist writer and author of a book on previous World Bank president James Wolfensohn - has a clear position in today's Washington Post. In a detailed article he spells out the case for Wolfowitz's departure this week. The Wall Street Journal also has its own prescription for the World Bank's anti-corruption work.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 14, 2007 Washington Post on Wolfowitz's Marital Status
Wa Po's Al Kamen has been doing his best to find out whether Wolfowitz is married or divorced (follow link at bottom to go to page 2). Interestingly, Wolfowitz's (current or former) wife, Clare Wolfowitz, refuses to answer questions regarding her (and by implication his) marital status. Also, the Washington Post has this opinion piece by Sebastian Mallaby, who has made a reputation around defending the Bank from attacks by its critics, often using dubious data.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 14, 2007 UPDATE:Will the crisis be over before G8 FM meeting?
This is what Germany is asking for? According to the Financial Times, Germany "wants the matter settled before the Group of Eight finance ministers meeting on Friday in Potsdam, which Mr Wolfowitz is scheduled to attend."However quite a few scenarios come into play:
more... The Beaver ~ May 13, 2007 Modernization or Westernization?.
Many in the world see the World Bank as a tool of the West, in general and the US in particular, to Westernize the developing world under the slogan of modernization and development.
more... A Washington source ~ May 13, 2007 ~ Comments (8) Another Take on the Wolfowitz Mess (UDPATED)
from a group of current and retired World Bank staff. They find it hard to imagine what defense PW can put forward in his 11th hour rebuttal, that the Board is now scrutinizing after a meeting Friday that went late into the evening. Let's go over what he might say.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 13, 2007 Small windows into the World Bank - Updated.
Many see the world bank as a closed, almost secret organization working behind a formidable wall of complex bureaucratic rules and procedures . That impression is to a great extend quite true, but in recent years, the multilateral organization has taken some baby steps (or actually been pushed by NGOs) to open some windows to the outside world and move towards more transparency and disclosure.
more... A Washington source ~ May 12, 2007 Wolfowitz has nothing new to report
but Bob Bennett seems to think otherwise. Steve Weisman reports in the IHT that Paul Wolfowitz and his unkempt (and expensive) spokesman have "worked up a point-by-point counterattack to the ethics charges against him."
more... Deep Insider ~ May 12, 2007 More on team Wolfowitz behaviour.
I received this from a well-placed named individual. More depressing stories on the actions of Paul Wolfowitz and his team of close supporters in the Bank. Especially two stories about foreign travel while on Bank duty. Make up your own minds on whether they ring true.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 12, 2007 One for the weekend: Dr Seuss skit on World Bank affair.
A World Bank staff member who can't concentrate on world poverty while their institution is enmeshed leadership dramas has taken the time to pen a new version of a Dr Seuss poem. Titled 'How I Sank the Bank', it adds to the prayer and various songs featured on this site. If it does not help get your kids to sleep this weekend you may want to read it aloud at the start of your next meeting.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 12, 2007 Crucial info missing in Post defence of Wolfowitz.
David Corn has published a thoughtful piece questioning aspects of a Wolfowitz endorsement published this week in the Washington Post.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 12, 2007 More details on how a vote may look like.
Citing board sources, a new Reuters report says "World Bank board majority want Wolfowitz to resign".
more... A Washington source ~ May 11, 2007 Brookings Institution sign-on calls for leadership selection reform.
Influential DC-based policy thinktank, the Brookings Institution, has called for the Americans and the Europeans to give up their stranglehold on the selection process for the heads of the World Bank and the IMF. Read the letter and send your support!
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 11, 2007 More questions about Riza's secondment.
Strange things about Riza's time at SAIC, State and the Foundation for the Future.
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 11, 2007 ~ Comments (15) Wolfowitz Slovenia trip has corruption focus
The Wolfowitz Resign bloggers have a nice piece pointing out the irony of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz traveling to Slovenia next week to present an award for an essay competition on corruption. They comment: "we assume this means he is leaving his fine sense of irony at home". Alex Wilks ~ May 11, 2007 Hilary Benn's fighting words. Will the UK live up to them?
In response to written questions from British Liberal Democrat MP Lynne Featherstone, UK secretary of state for international development Hilary Benn has said that "picking the heads of the World Bank and the IMF based on nationality should end".
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 11, 2007 Look for a Wolfowitz resignation in the next few days.
I have no particular information to confirm this, but my years of experience in Washington tell me an outline of a deal has been reached. Wolfowitz has lost , the Bush administration has now finally realized he can no longer be saved. A Washington source ~ May 11, 2007 ~ Comments (30) Samy Watson is getting tired of being a silent defender of Paul Wolfowitz
The Canadian Executive Director is being deluged with emails from irate Canadian staff at the Bank. Why: The US press continues to report that Canada is siding with the George Bush and Dick Cheney to keep Paul Wolfowitz, his girlfriend and his cronies at the top of the Bank. Not a peep from Ottawa, although Finance Minister Flaherty has backed off his pre-Spring Meetings statement that "Paul Wolfowitz told me what he did for his girlfriend, and that's OK with me." Dangerous words when hurled at you at a campaign meeting during a lovely Canadian fall election, along with "why did you support a man who gave his girlfriend a $60,000 raise?"
more... Deep Insider ~ May 11, 2007 Free flow of the Conservative Kool-Aid
It is sad to realize that the actions of Wolfowitz are still considered proper."I do not believe that Wolfowitz did anything wrong at the World Bank" said Dan Goure, a defense analyst, on NPR "All Things Considered"
more... The Beaver ~ May 11, 2007 Meltzer Commission Back In Style
The nice thing about the current scandal is that its putting a spotlight on the World Bank. Journalists who do not want to defend the indefensible or state the obvious are opting to give us some substance. Washington Post syndicated columnist and right leaning George Will brings up all the Meltzer Commission talking points in his latest column which argues for the elimination of the Bank.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 10, 2007 ~ Comments (20) The board establishes the record of a fair process.
The board of executive directors issued the following statement to explain why it is taking too long to resolve the crisis "expeditiously" !.
more... A Washington source ~ May 10, 2007 Generalissimo Franco Holds On
The deathwatch continues. The Board has given Paul Wolfowitz yet another two days to respond to what everyone already knows. He broke the rules, his associates helped him, and he tried to cover up his actions. Deep Insider ~ May 10, 2007 More Iraq parallels: will Wolfowitz ever learn?
Some further insights into attempts by team Wolfowitz to control public messages at the time of the Iraq war. And into the role of contractor SAIC, where Shaha Riza did her Iraq stint. One thing the Defense Department failed to consider properly when planning its "New Iraq strategic information campaign" was that bloggers, independent journalists and others would frustrate the attempts to monopolize information flows. This is all exposed in documents just obtained by the National Security Archive.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 10, 2007 He's doing a great job. For the US state department. The NY Times reports that US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice has been busy pounding the phones over the past weeks in support of her pal Paul. "She has spoken with several European foreign ministers about her positive impressions of Paul and the job he's doing at the World Bank," said Sean McCormack, state department spokesman. Fortunate for Paul that there isn't much else going on in the world at the moment - say in the Middle East - to distract the secretary of state from the more important business of defending Bush cronies. Jeff Powell ~ May 10, 2007 Odds shorten on Paul Wolfowitz leaving.
A Village Voice piece has some nice praise for us and an update on the web trading on whether Wolfowitz will resign. Staff at the World Bank - who excel at presenting numbers - will enjoy the chart below showing how Wolfowitz's stock has fallen in recent days. The numbers will concern the White House and US Treasury, however, who have clearly missed their best negotiating opportunity - their man is not just on the slide, he's on his back.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 10, 2007 New doubts about Wolfowitz corruption strategy.
Jeff posted a wry piece yesterday on Congo supporting the World Bank's anti-corruption drive. The Financial Times has a story about the other Congo (Democratic Republic of), which casts doubts on Wolfowitz's anti-corruption strategy at the Bank.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 10, 2007 The Nail in the Coffin?
Ok, I think with the latest leak, this time from the Pentagon, Wolfowitz and Riza are down for the count. The FT is reporting that Wolfowitz told Pentagon investigators that he obtained the help of a World Bank staffer with whom he "had a close personal relationship" in "activity supporting the war".
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 10, 2007 ~ Comments (10) Wolfowitz has till Friday to respond
The Board has extended the response period from 72 hours to 5 days quotes the Voice of America News.
more... The Beaver ~ May 10, 2007 Democrats Weigh In Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is among those democrats who sent a strongly worded letter to President Bush demanding that he do something to resolve the crisis. Their preferred solution would be one that "preserves the important and historical role of the United States in selecting the president of the bank." Sameer Dossani ~ May 10, 2007 Germany and Paris.
German Development Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul has come out and said it: Wolfowitz should resign. But let's not dare upset our friends on Pennsylvania Avenue.
more... Shannon Lawrence ~ May 09, 2007 Did Robin Cleveland pull a Dick Cheney?
[Note: pics added] So today at 12pm a number of activists again gathered outside the World Bank to thank Paul Wolfowitz for showing us all what the World Bank is really good for. At 1pm, we were joined by the folks at avaaz.org, who attempted to deliver their sack Paul Wolfowitz petition. One noteworthy rumour that was passed along there concerned Robin Cleveland.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 09, 2007 ~ Comments (11) Delay requested: some tips for Wolfowitz's lawyer.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. seems to have endorsed the request by Paul Wolfowitz, the World Bank president, for more time to defend himself against charges of misconduct, seeking a delay that could also give the Bush administration time to negotiate his voluntary resignation. This according to the International Herald Tribune. Alex Wilks ~ May 09, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Congo approves $15 million for governance capacity building in World Bank.
BRAZZAVILLE, May 9, 2007 – President Denis Sassou Nguesso today provided US$15 million in grant financing for a Transparency and Governance Capacity Building Project for the World Bank.
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 09, 2007 Leaks and counter-leaks: more on report findings.
Greg Hitt and Neil King Jr. have several interesting insights into the still secret board committee report on the Wolfowitz case. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, they summarise their understanding of the committee's findings and look ahead to the conclusions of this sorry saga.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 09, 2007 Wall Street Journal Goes off the Deep End on Malloch Brown. (Update).
In this startlingly alarmist Wall Street Journal opinion piece, the editors argue that Mark Malloch Brown, former UN number two, has been pulling the strings of the Wolfowitz saga in order to get himself appointed to the post!
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 09, 2007 On the Hill.
As time runs out for Wolfowitz, key World Bank overseers in the U.S. Congress are weighing in. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), who chairs the House Financial Services Committee, says he’d be much happier to sign a U.S. check to a Wolfowitz-free World Bank.
more... Shannon Lawrence ~ May 09, 2007 (Update 2). While Wolfowitz, Folsom and Cleveland hunkered down
an eerie calm fell over the Bank on Tuesday. The Board and the Governors were reading the ad hoc committee's report (300 pages, if you believe the New York Times, 600 with transcripts, according to Paul Wolfowitz's newly subdued spokesman, Bob Bennett). Staff went about their work, meetings took place, partnerships were discussed and rumours were traded. People laughed about the only resignation announced on Reuters just as it was being handed over to Kevin's boss.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 09, 2007 White house maintains support But just barely. The defense of Wolfowitz was rather lukewarm from Tony Snow today as this Reuters report makes clear. Looks like we're in the bargaining/bluffing stages. I'll match your cronyism and raise you one "gentleman's agreement" system. Sameer Dossani ~ May 08, 2007 We have a problem with the President, not the procedure
Problematic statement from Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos. Up to now the appointment procedure seems to have worked,'' Bos added. ``We have a problem with the president, not the procedure.''
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 08, 2007 Towards an alternative European approach.
As our Washington Source has noted, various articles today feature hints of a possible deal to end the Wolfowitz World Bank crisis. Below I summarise this morning's coverage of the current situation, the potential deals and bargaining chips. But above all I spell out a potential new European proposal which does not involve the US keeping hold of the Bank's top job.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 08, 2007 ~ Comments (22) Who does Canada represent?
As Deep Insider has reported , the Canadian representative on the World Bank board is one of the few in Wolfowitz's corner. The New York Times, in its latest articles by Steven Weisman, agrees with that assessment, saying it's Canada, the U.S., and Japan still willing to stand with him. But at the Board, Canada isn't just Canada ...
more... Soren Ambrose ~ May 08, 2007 The horse trading starts.
Europe has just put in the opening bid, if Wolfowitz resigns now, the US gets to name the next president of the World Bank.
more... A Washington source ~ May 08, 2007 Wild Speculation Thread
So the first day of this week has been interesting. Use the comments section below to guess at what comes next. My own play at Nostradamus below the fold: Sameer Dossani ~ May 08, 2007 ~ Comments (18) Is Robin Cleveland or Marwan Muasher next? (UPDATE)
The Financial Times implicates new World Bank Vice President of External Affairs, plus Wolfowitz advisor Robin Cleveland, in a plot to mislead the public. The apparently tried to blame the former general counsel and the ethics committee for approving Shaha Riza's external assignment to the State Department. When news of the FT story broke in the Bank just now, External Affairs VP Marwan Muasher left the World Bank communications staff cocktail reception in the atrium, and headed to the 12th Floor where the president and his top team reside.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 07, 2007 UPDATE:Board committee finds Wolfowitz has broken rules.
According to the New York Times, the Ad hoc Panel has found Wolfowitz to be guilty of conflict of interest in arranging Riza's salary raise and promotion and to have broken rules in arranging her transfer to the State Department.
more... The Beaver ~ May 07, 2007 Is the Spinmaster doing his last deed? (UPDATE)
According to Bank Information Center Executive Director Manish Bapna "Kellems' resignation is perhaps a last ditch effort to stave off a vote of no confidence by the Bank board,"
more... The Beaver ~ May 07, 2007 Wolfowitz's right hand man jumps ship.
News just in: Kevin Kellems, Paul Wolfowitz's spin doctor and enforcer, has announced he is leaving the Bank. This is surely a sign that the Wolfowitz camp is very worried, and hopefully a sign that more resignations will follow this week.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 07, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Latest on decision timing and outcome (update).
At the weekend the Bank's board failed to finish its review of the charges against Paul Wolfowitz, meaning that "deliberations over Mr. Wolfowitz would be delayed at least until the end of the week". This according to Steven R. Weisman in a New York Times piece that just went on-line. The slight delay is said to be due to "difficulties in drafting the particulars against Mr. Wolfowitz" rather than any behind the scenes deal-making. Weisman, who's been very on top of this story, quotes bank officials saying "the panel would eventually find that he violated bank rules barring conflicts of interest".
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 07, 2007 Hundreds more staff sign letter: World Bank governance agenda under threat.
World Bank staff are continuing to make their views known. The staff letter we announced ten days ago now contains an additional 700 signatures of angry Bank staff. The staff concerned are working directly on good governance and anti-corruption. They argue that the present crisis is a critical test of the Bank’s own commitment to the principles of sound corporate governance. Yes, as the Bank already had very doubtful credbility in key circles, this may take ages to recover from.
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 07, 2007 ~ Comments (4) From the Great White North
Canadian staff at the Bank are furious that Samy Watson, ED for Canada, Ireland and the Caribbean, and the Canadian government, have not been more forthcoming in commending the process that will lead to Paul Wolfowitz's removal as World Bank President. It's becoming clearer that the the situation is murky, with problems on both the Harper government side and with the highest levels of the Liberal Party opposition. Harper's regime hangs on by a thread, as the issue becomes not "if" but "when" his minority government has to face the restive Canadian electorate.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 07, 2007 So what happens now?.
There are basically four possibilities now for this week, since Wolfowitz has refused to resign on his own. 1) The board would exonerate him. 2) Find Wolfowitz in breach of his contract and bank rules and asks him to resign. 3) they find him in breach but stop short of asking for his resignation. 4) find him in breach and call a formal vote of no-confidence.
more... A Washington source ~ May 06, 2007 ~ Comments (374) Early reporting on this scandal.
True, Wolfowitz's record at the world bank became a major news story only in the past few weeks. Some journalists however, have reported a great deal of these allegations as early as 2005. Here are the leaders of the media pack on this story:
more... A Washington source ~ May 06, 2007 J'accuse
The Washington Post's finance and business curmudgeon, Steven Pearlstein, lashes out at the hypocrisy of the World Bank's Board in his "l'Affaire Wolfowitz" squib Sunday morning. What he does not discuss is how this links back to Wolfowitz cronies, Suzanne Rich Folsom and Kevin Kellums.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 06, 2007 Everyone's Writing about Paul Wolfowitz
Just when you thought you could catch up on George Tenet, Alberto Gonzales, Condi Rice and Niger, and Karl Rove's missing emails, trees are still being cut down to cover Paul Wolfowitz's adventures in corruption and cover-up. Voting him off the island is a good place to start.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 06, 2007 FT Deutschland: Wolfowitz case must end U.S. right to choose Prez The German edition of the Financial Times is arguing [english here] that this sordid affair must be the end of U.S. appointments to the post of WB president. Great to see others, including the FT, making this case. Sameer Dossani ~ May 06, 2007 What is it about Nigeria?
People perusing their NYT Saturday morning over coffee will find five letters to the editor. They're thinking, hmmm, one pro-Paul Wolfowitz letter from Alabama, by Professor Okeowo of Alabama State University. What is it about Nigeria? Deep Insider ~ May 05, 2007 Critical facts: a guide to the Wolfowitz case.
World Bank staff members, writing on the Wolfowitzresign blog, have kindly produced a summary of the facts of the case. They note that "the sheer volume of information circulating in the Wolfowitz leadership scandal threatens to cloud some of the key issues". And that: "Mr. Wolfowitz's statement of April 30 2007 has added unsubstantiated assertions as facts".
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 05, 2007 "Washington insiderism".
A good article by David Corn, the Washington editor of The Nation magazine, detailing the incestuous web of relationships in the structure of the foundation of the future, where Shaha Riza now works.
more... A Washington source ~ May 05, 2007 Reform for next Prez?
Don’t hold your breath. With no government officials calling for systemic change, the WB board looks likely to sidestep any change to business as usual (i.e., the U.S. calls the shots). Soren Ambrose ~ May 04, 2007 Hell Hath No Fury
Suzanne Rich Folsom, Paul Wolfowitz's hand-picked director of Institutional Integrity (sic), is fighting mad. She is fighting hard to shut down the internal discussion threads, citing in particular comments about her, and about INT, some apparently from her own people. Why?
more... Deep Insider ~ May 04, 2007 Republican Senator
According to Bloomberg, Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is the first Republican Senator to voice his opinion on the resignation of Paul Wolfowitz.
more... The Beaver ~ May 04, 2007 Worth reading
Some good advice is being offered to the next president of the World Bank by a blogger who writes about corporate life, economics, business et al.
more... The Beaver ~ May 04, 2007 Muckraking (UPDATED)
seems to know no limits. In a Forbes article Gary Weiss says, "aw, shucks, what he did ain't so bad." Better informed people disagree.
more... Deep Insider ~ May 04, 2007 WB staff are NOT weenies
According to Anne Williamson, stepping down will be a personal disaster for Paul Wolfowitz. Bush's power is spiralling south and there are no more cushy jobs available.
more... The Beaver ~ May 04, 2007 Time Magazine Goes for Substance
In a break with the direction Newsweek is taking this story, the article in this week's Time' is at least going for some substance rather than merely gossip.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 04, 2007 AP: Wolfowitz Aided Corruption in Indonesia
This AP story brings up issues from the early days of this blog regarding Wolfowitz's support for the brutal and corrupt Suharto dictatorship.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 04, 2007 ~ Comments (0) Steal These Pics Thanks to the nice folks at DailyKos for making a bunch of graphics that will no doubt be useful for wbpres.org bloggers... Sameer Dossani ~ May 04, 2007 Wolfowitz turns on Shaha Riza.
Paul Wolfowitz has been using his lawyer Robert Bennett, and other "friends", to point fingers at everyone around him in a desperate and unseemly attempt to divert attention from his own role in the Shaha Affair.
more... A Washington source ~ May 04, 2007 ~ Comments (20) About face
Truth is prevailing. So far we have read about three instances whereby someone has fudged or misrepresented the real circumstances of what really transpired in 2005.
more... The Beaver ~ May 04, 2007 UPDATED: War of words
In a last ditch to save his neck or may be anticipating what the Ad Hoc committee would propose, Wolfowitz blames Bank rules for mix up. After directing the blame on staff who know the rules of the Bank, now he has a change of heart and is pointing the finger at confusion and miscommunication-and this three days after he has been crying that he has been unfairly judged.
more... The Beaver ~ May 03, 2007 A lie by any other name?
Leading Dutch newspaper Volkskrant reported on its 2 May front page that former Dutch executive director (and head of the ethics committee when the Riza pay raise was negotiated) Ad Melkert has said that Wolfowitz has lied.
more... Jeff Powell ~ May 03, 2007 Calls for the Canucks to do the right thing.
Colin Bradford, senior fellow at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, calls for Canada to take a stand and push for merit-based leadership at the Bank. Jeff Powell ~ May 03, 2007 Wolfowitz, RIP David Ignatius has the best Obituary of Wolfowitz I've seen to date. When the dust settles and this chapter of history is written, I suspect it will look like what Ignatius describes. Hubris. The sin of Pharaoh, the Pharisees, and the Quraish. Where have all the prophets gone? Sameer Dossani ~ May 03, 2007 Beyond Wolfowitz: Governance and the World Bank
OK, so after reading this David Brooks op-ed in the NYT, I've come to the conclusion that even Wolfowitz's supporters see his departure as a "when" and not an "if" question. Well, what's to stop W. from putting Rummy in his place?
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 03, 2007 ~ Comments (2) Tell it as it is Margaret
Nice entertaining piece by Margaret Carlson in Bloomberg. She talks about how the political ruling class in DC believes that they are above anyone ( even the dead :-) ) and the rules of the land.
more... The Beaver ~ May 03, 2007 You broke the rules!
According to the NYT the Board may take the route that PW violated the rules against conflicts of interests to pressure him to resign.
more... The Beaver ~ May 03, 2007 Former governors of the bank join the calls for resignation.
In an open letter to the Financial Times, Five former ministers of finance and former governors of the world bank from Latin America say Wolfowitz should resign.
more... A Washington source ~ May 03, 2007 ~ Comments (1) (UPDATE) Well, they should know.
Jack and Suzy Welsh have weighed in on Gonzales and Wolfowitz. You'll recall that Jack's messy divorce from his long-serving wife, Jane, after she found that Suzy's HBR "interviews" were a good deal more in-depth than normal, brought to the fore another corporate governance issue: excessive executive compensation. In this case, Shaha is not an executive, but her compensation for her off-premises non-job certainly is excessive. Deep Insider ~ May 02, 2007 Shengman speaks
and it's not good for Paul Wolfowitz and Shaha Riza. You'll recall that a centerpiece in their statements about why they colluded to break the rules about managing their, er, conflict of interest, was "everyone was doing it." Specifically Shaha mentioned the wife of Shengman Zhang, former MD, whose case Wolfowitz had used to bargain his own special deal. Well, Shengman's statement was posted on the Bank's internal discussion space this morning. Again, the facts are different from what Ms. Riza would have us, and the Board, believe. Shengman Zhang's statement to the Committee
more... Deep Insider ~ May 02, 2007 Daily Show on Wolfowitz and the Bank
I'm laughing so hard I'm crying. I hate the Daily Show site, so here's a link to a blog that has both segments. The first starts on Condi Rice and then moves to Wolfowitz who, as Jon Stewart points out, is now arguing that he gave his girlfriend a raise, a promotion and guarantees of more to come to prevent a conflict of interest.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 02, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Wolfie press conference.
In Brussels for what was billed as a joint Wolfowitz, Gordon Brown and Louis Michel press conference. David Steven ~ May 02, 2007 A New Statement from the Board of executive directors.
The board has just issued the following statement to the staff of the bank
more... A Washington source ~ May 02, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Xavier Coll's turn.
In his statement yesterday, Paul Wolfowitz pointed a direct finger at 3 people as having been intimately involved in the Shaha pay raise and multiple promotions affair. Both Roberto Dańino , former general counsel for the bank, and Ad Melkert, former chairman of the World Bank's Ethics committee, have issued their own statements refuting Wolfowitz's assertions.
more... A Washington source ~ May 02, 2007 ~ Comments (3) On the Lighter Side of things
Couple of humorous blog postings that caught my eye.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 02, 2007 Anti-PW must be right
Could this be what some of us have been saying? PW does not work for WB but the for the WH.
more... The Beaver ~ May 01, 2007 Looking Beyond Wolfowitz
Reuters is carrying a piece that begins to look beyond the inevitable downfall of Wolf the second and towards the question of changing the selection process for WB presidents.
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 01, 2007 ~ Comments (4) Leadership
Everyone's favorite phrase in the otherwise indigestible statement Paul Wolfowitz so kindly emailed to everyone at the Bank yesterday (three hours after his press flaks had showered it on a bored Washington press corps) was his pleading closing complaint. He denounced the process, which was intended Deep Insider ~ May 01, 2007 Tongue-in-cheek
Just saw this piece on Foreign Policy site about a memo written by PW to the Bank's staff wrt Insider Trading. The Beaver ~ May 01, 2007 ~ Comments (6476) Is the Wolfowitz fight-back working?
We still do not have a proper read-out from yesterday's board meeting with Paul Wolfowitz (check back here later for more). But one Bank staffmember, who prefers to conceal his identity, wrote to me saying that Wolfowitz emerged pleased and thinks he might get to hang on. The Bank staff member's reaction - he would have to leave: "if Wolfowitz stays, it will just prove to all of us that the Bank is a pure puppet of the US administration, and not the place where many of us want to spend their careers".
more... Alex Wilks ~ May 01, 2007 LA Times debunks LA Times
Sarah Whalen's critique of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Ruth Wedgwood's LA Times op-ed defending Wolfowitz. We can learn a lot about someone by the kind of folks who rush to his or her defense...
more... Sameer Dossani ~ May 01, 2007 3 rebuttals of Wolfowitz's statement - Updated -
Ad Melkert, former chairman of the World Bank's Ethics committee has issued this statement refuting Wolfowitz claims that he and the board share responsibility for the Shaha affair. The Government Accountability Project (GAP) has also issued this statement on " Misrepresentations in Wolfowitz’ Statement". Finally here is another excellent rebuttal by former Vice President and General Counsel of the World Bank; Roberto Dańino.
more... A Washington source ~ May 01, 2007 ~ Comments (5) Incredulity replaces Irony (Update with GAP)
The issue now is that Paul Wolfowitz and his counsellors and their enablers have taken a mismanaged conflict of interest and botched "solution" that strains credulity, and blown it into an issue of global proportions. And even if you think he might be able to run the Bank, mobilize IDA and lead us to his dream of a world free of corruption--and few now do--this, alone, should be ample evidence of his unfitness to be President of the World Bank Group.
more... Deep Insider ~ April 30, 2007 Full texts of Wolfowitz submissions to the board.
Now on-line: the full documents that Wolfowitz and his team have submitted today to the Bank board's hearing. They contain a professional effort to re-marshal his arguments, but little new material. And no coverage whatsoever of the broader allegations which have emerged against him, Riza and his senior appointees.
more... Alex Wilks ~ April 30, 2007 ~ Comments (14) I am the victim
Is this the excuse for incompetency? or blame the other side for smear campaign. Where is his notion of ACCOUNTABILITY ?
more... The Beaver ~ April 30, 2007 There's no deception like self-deception
Don't be troubled by Andrew Young's curious op-ed in the Washington Post this morning, for the reasons nicely summarized in Steve Clemons's Washington Note Deep Insider ~ April 30, 2007 Bad, bad Boys and Girls.
Steve Clemons has some good stories on the boy and girls of Mr PW. The Beaver ~ April 30, 2007 ~ Comments (3) Apologists
What part of the definition of nepotism don't the apologists of Wolfowitz understand? It is sickening to listen or read that it is only a mistake or a mis-step on Wolfowitz part because he didn't know the rules of the Bank. Come on, even a peasant knows what the word "bribery" means when he is paying for favours.
more... The Beaver ~ April 30, 2007 Is standing-down un-American?
PW should consult his friends, who are managing Public Corporations, about good governance in the aftermath of corporate flame-outs . He has already shown that he lacks the emotional intelligence required for his current position and yet, according to the Telegraph he told a friend last week: "I'm seeing this out. I'm going to ride it out." In the same article in the Telegraph, it is mentioned that: ”Insiders say that even the US treasury secretary, Henry Paulson, is convinced that Mr Wolfowitz should resign because his behaviour would not have been appropriate in a multinational business.”
more... The Beaver ~ April 30, 2007 What have they been smoking?
Clearly Paul Wolfowitz's spokesman Bob Bennett has been busy today, trying to divert attention from his client's actions and the ensuing cover-up. As if Shaha's extraordinary promotion/raise/secondment and ghost job weren't bad enough, the Big Bad Bennett is huffing and puffing about other World Bank salaries and perks. That, of course, is not the issue. Deep Insider ~ April 30, 2007 Wolfowitz threatens to sink the ship along with himself.
It seems that those who naively thought that Wolfowitz cared about the bank or its reputation are coming to a rude awakening. Wolfowitz and his lawyer and spokesman Robert Bennett, are - and not very subtly - threatening to sink the bank in the process of trying to save himself if need be. Bennett, according to the New York Times today, " .. indicated that he was prepared to keep the temperature raised if necessary, possibly by demanding release publicly of the salaries and perquisites of others at the bank."
more... A Washington source ~ April 30, 2007 ~ Comments (327) Oxfam tells Wolfowitz to go. Oxfam, the anti-poverty charity, on Sunday finally joined the campaign for Wolfowitz' ousting. In a statement to the Financial Times, Jeremy Hobbs, executive director of Oxfam International, said the Bank’s mission to fight poverty was being "deeply compromised" by the ethics dispute. "We believe that the World Bank's ability to act as a leading development institution has already been so damaged that Mr Wolfowitz's continued presidency of the World Bank is untenable," he said. Jeff Powell ~ April 29, 2007 Cronies Abandoning Judgment, too?
...Bank staff are shaking their heads now about about whether Wolfowitz appointee, Czarina of Institutional Integrity, Suzanne Folsom, too, has lost her mind. Deep Insider ~ April 29, 2007 A solution for the World Bank?
A senior Bank staffer has suggested a sensible way forward. Wolfowitz should resign, and managing director Graeme Wheeler should step in as acting president until such time as the Americans and the Europeans can agree on an open, transparent and merit-based selection process for Wolfowitz' successor.
more... Jeff Powell ~ April 29, 2007 ~ Comments (6) Will he show?
Next Wednesday: a donor's meeting on education in Brussels, hosted by Gordon Brown, Louis Michel and... Paul Wolfowitz. Officials are proceeding on the assumption that Bank's president will show up, but are not looking forward to a press conference where Brown will be asked about Blair, Michel about his imminent return to Belgium politics, and Wolfie about funding for primary schools (not). David Steven ~ April 29, 2007 Job offer waiting for Wolfowitz?
Pendennis, commentator for UK paper The Observer, has been told by Bank sources that Wolfowitz "can look forward to a warm welcome from petroleum and energy company Halliburton, should he wish to work there." "They admire him greatly," says the Bank source. Jeff Powell ~ April 29, 2007 Salaries covered up. And uncovered.
The Independent on Sunday reports that in a letter written in response to a "brief conversation" and dated 13 July 2006, the bank's human resources head, Xavier Coll, told Mr Wolfowitz that it was "virtually impossible" to shut off access to individual salary details, although some staff had had their access "revoked".
more... Jeff Powell ~ April 29, 2007 Five million a year for Wolfowitz' security.
Today's Telegraph reports that Wolfowitz' personal security detail is costing the World Bank (read: developing countries - ed.) five million dollars a year.
more... Jeff Powell ~ April 29, 2007 World Bank Committee Finds Ethics Breach by Wolfowitz...
The Ad Hoc committee investigating the Wolfowitz-Riza Affair has almost finished its work, the Washington Post reports this morning. According to three sources cited by the paper, the only remaining point of debate is whether the committee will explicitly recommend that Wolfowitz resigns.
more... A Washington source ~ April 28, 2007 ~ Comments (5) Orders to play down 'climate change' came from Wolfowitz' office.
US NGO, the Government Accountability Project (GAP) has acquired an internal World Bank document that summarizes a February 2006 meeting of World Bank officials regarding climate change and clean energy. The document indicates that orders to tone down references to "climate change" in an environmental strategy paper originated in the office of Bank president Paul Wolfowitz. Jeff Powell ~ April 28, 2007 Wolfowitz has damaged US leadership at World Bank.
In further signs that US anti-Wolfowitz sentiment is spreading, the Washington Post this morning features an opinion piece from a former US representative on the World Bank's board. He says: "It's embarrassing to watch. It's even more infuriating to think about the opportunity that Wolfowitz has squandered and the jeopardy in which he has placed America's key role in the bank".
more... Alex Wilks ~ April 28, 2007 ~ Comments (472) Bennett in Wonderland.
Lewis Carroll must be turning in his grave. Paul Wolfowitz’s lawyer (surely spin-doctor, ed.) is trying to get his client out of trouble by comparing the board's investigation process to an Alice in Wonderland episode. Responding to the report that the board committee has already drafted a position recommending Wolfowitz’s removal, Richard Bennett told his favourite outlet Bloomberg: “If this is true, it is grossly unfair. It reminds me of Lewis Carroll's Red Queen who said the alleged thief of the tarts was certainly entitled to a trial, but she suggested they have the sentence first.''
more... Alex Wilks ~ April 27, 2007 ~ Comments (3) Ecuador and Wolfowitz
Is the scandal creating political space for governments? Is Ecuador’s expulsion of a World Bank staff person related to Wolfowitz dragging the Bank down?
more... Sameer Dossani ~ April 27, 2007 Unsettling times for Wolfowitz allies at the Bank. Worldbankpresident.org readers will be very clear that the problems at the institution spread far beyond Paul Wolfowitz and Shaha Riza. The World Bank president has managed to get rid of half of the senior managers who were there two years ago and install a set of people with worrying political connections and uncert |