Wolfowitz hires lawyer to clear name [24 Apr, 2007 l 2256 hrs ISTlREUTERS]
WASHINGTON: World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz has hired a high-profile lawyer who hopes to present to a special bank committee Wolfowitz’s case that he was not unethical in directing a promotion for his girlfriend.
Robert Bennett, a Washington based lawyer who has represented clients like former president Bill Clinton, said he hoped to present Wolfowitz’s case to a bank committee now assessing whether he abused his position or breached ethics in promoting and approving generous pay rises for his companion Shaha Riza, a bank official.
“We are going to expect the bank to give Mr Wolfowitz a fair process and to give us the opportunity to show what he did was totally proper and ethical,” Bennett said. He said Wolfowitz would not resign.