He's bettin' it too...

From Iranian PressTV (with a particularly ugly picture):
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20070504/sajadi20070504022937296.jpg


Wolfowitz blaming bank rules
Fri, 04 May 2007 03:38:50
World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has blamed unclear rules for
prompting questions about how he handled his girlfriends hefty pay
rises.

His claim comes at a time when a special bank panel is putting
together a report over whether Wolfowitz acted properly over Shaha
Riza's 2005 promotion and pay rise.

Two key figures from the bank's ethics committee have already told the
panel Wolfowitz acted incorrectly.

Wolfowitz has apologized but maintains he acted in good faith.

"Rather than attempt to adjudicate between our conflicting
interpretations of the events that occurred here, the board should
recognize that this situation is the product of ambiguous bank rules
and unclear governance mechanisms," he said in a letter to the panel's
head Herman Wijffels.

"While I am prepared to acknowledge that we all acted in good faith at
the time and there was perhaps some miscommunication among us, it is
grossly unfair and wrong to suggest that I intended to mislead anyone,
and I urge the committee to reject the allegation that I lack
credibility."

Earlier this week, the bank's former top ethics official Ad Melkert
told investigators that the committee was not consulted and did not
approve Riza's salary.

Meanwhile, Roberto Danino - the bank's former general counsel - added
Mr. Wolfowitz had acted incorrectly.

The controversy over Riza's promotion and pay award has triggered
calls for Wolfowitz to quit his post - with critics arguing that the
scandal is damaging the credibility of the global lender.

SAS/HAR
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=8574&sectionid=3510203

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