Thursday, May 17, 2007

Wolfowitz finally sacks himself as World Bank chief...

Neo-con Paul Wolfowitz has resigned as president of the World Bank tonight - after failing to ride out criticism for breaking the bank's code of conduct.

He tried to brazen out pressure from European and other governments after he fixed a fancy pay deal and handsome promotion for one of the Bank's employees with whom he was 'romantically involved'.

Perhaps the final straw was a German official telling him he would not be welcome at a high level meeting in Berlin next week.

Details in tomorrow's Financial Times.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Along with Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and that bloke who was a ringer for Mr. Pastry, Wolfie was very much the architect of the ill-fated imperial mission to Iraq and consequently a marked man.

We have all been led astray by love or lust at sometime in our lives, but to promote your girlfriend just after getting appointed seems to show a lack of judgement.

fairdealphil said...

well said brynley!

Anonymous said...

And the rumour is that his number two is about to be Gordon Brown's right hand man!

And what do they both have in common?

They both got their girlfriend's a job!

Anonymous said...

Geoffrey,
you've lost me.

Help me out by spelling it out.

Anonymous said...

Gordon Brown is expected to recall his former private secretary from Washington, where he serves as as an executive director at both the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, to become his chief-of-staff. The Wall Street Journal is reporting this morning that Tom Scholar, like Paul Wolfowitz, is accused of abusing his position to assist a girlfriend get a promotion.


He is accused of violating the Bank's Staff Rules and the Board's Standards of Conduct, like Wolfowitz, Scholar is said to have a romantic relationship with a female employee at the World Bank. Scholar has never officially disclosed this relationship even though it clearly interferes with his oversight responsibilities as a Board member. He is accused of directly intervening to further the woman's career. He is not taking calls and has gone to ground.

Looks like Jonathan Powell's successor will follow in his high ethical standards...

http://www.order-order.com/2007/05/world-bank-sleaze-allegations-swamp.html