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:eyes:
<snip> In a debate among Republican candidates this week, Mr. Giuliani was asked what promises he would make about running an open White House.
“I would make sure that government was transparent,” Mr. Giuliani said. “My government in New York City was so transparent that they knew every single thing I did almost every time I did it.”
That was a daring claim, considering that prying information out of the Giuliani City Hall required teams of lawyers with the persistence of mules. To cite three of the most prominent examples, he tried to block the release of different batches of public records to the city’s Independent Budget Office, to the city’s public advocate, and to the state comptroller. He was sued on each occasion. He lost every time. He appealed each decision. He lost every appeal.
“So,” Mr. Giuliani said during the debate, looking toward his presidency, “I would be extremely open.”
Just not yet.
Since leaving public office at the end of 2001, Mr. Giuliani has made many millions of dollars, but will not say exactly how, or from whom. He has filed the disclosures required of presidential candidates, and these show he made money through speaking engagements, a partnership in a law firm, and shares in 12 consulting and financial businesses. During an interview on “Meet the Press” earlier this week, he said he could not reveal more.
“I couldn’t put out a list of all my clients,” Mr. Giuliani said. “There are confidentiality agreements that surround the relationship that businesses have with law firms, in particular. In some cases, with security firms, so I can’t do that.”
The question was put to a spokeswoman for his campaign on Friday: Has Mr. Giuliani asked his clients to release him from the confidentiality agreements?
The campaign did not answer.
The Giuliani companies have provided services for the Saudi national oil company, for the emirate of Qatar and for a data-mining business that wanted a federal contract, according to recent reports in Time magazine, The Wall Street Journal and The Village Voice.
Qatar, a small petroleum state, is a delicate place for an American presidential candidate to do business. Its emir has built up good relations with the United States and has played host to American military forces, but elements within his government also gave shelter to the man who planned the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. Those sympathizers probably tipped off Mr. Mohammed when Americans were hoping to seize him in 1996, according to the 9/11 Commission report.
AMONG those who invited Mr. Mohammed to Qatar, the commission said, was Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid al-Thani, now the minister of the interior.
When asked by Tim Russert of “Meet the Press” about his company’s relationship with the interior minister, Mr. Giuliani responded: “The relationship is with a, a ministry that does training.” A ministry, Mr. Russert pressed, headed by Mr. Thani?
No, Mr. Giuliani said. <snip>
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