Jeanine Pirro, once a prominent New York politician, saw her career unravel due to a scandal where she plotted to bug her husband’s boat in 2005, hoping to catch him cheating. This incident significantly impacted her failed bid for New York attorney general. After years in television, she has been nominated by Trump to serve as interim U.S. attorney for D.C., reviving her politically tumultuous history.
Jeanine Pirro’s political ascent took a nosedive nearly two decades ago due to a scandal that played out like something out of a soap opera. Long before she became a familiar face on Fox News, fuelled by pro-Trump rhetoric, she was a rising Republican star in New York with ambitions of becoming attorney general. But in 2005, she was caught on tape plotting to bug her husband’s boat — all in hopes of proving infidelity. This audacious move led to a media frenzy, with tabloids reveling in headlines like “BUG THIS LOVE BOAT!” from the Daily News.
The recording, which surfaced in 2006, featured a distressed Pirro in conversation with Bernard Kerik, a police commissioner and ally of Rudy Giuliani. Her frustrations erupted on the tape: “What am I supposed to do, Bernie? Watch him f— her every night?” was one unforgettable line. The fall-out from the scandal was swift and harsh, contributing to her significant loss against Andrew Cuomo in the 2006 attorney general race.
Fast forward to now, with Pirro recently nominated by Trump as interim U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., her past is likely to come back into focus. The president’s withdrawal of Ed Martin — criticized for his defense of January 6 rioters — has paved the way for Pirro’s comeback. “She’s in a class by herself,” Trump remarked, adding a flair of drama to her unpredictable journey.
It’s a peculiar twist that someone caught up in federal investigations over personal drama now has a chance at overseeing a crucial federal office. While the Southern District of New York confirmed they were looking into Pirro at the time, no charges were filed, allowing her to fade back into the spotlight unscathed for now.
Her previous marriage, particularly to Albert Pirro, had its own share of troubles, including allegations surrounding his relationships, mob ties, and past legal troubles. Jeanine believed her husband was using their boat, the Christie, for extramarital escapades. At one point, she quizzed Kerik about the reluctance of his employees to plant recording devices, expressing her frustrations in a way that sounded like a desperate plot from a daytime drama.
After the tapes emerged, Pirro fervently denied any illegal attempts to bug the boat, claiming transgressions were merely venting frustrations during a dark chapter of her life. Yet it certainly didn’t help her political aspirations — she lost her bid against Cuomo less than two months later, marking her rapid descent from the political scene.
Since then, Pirro has transitioned into a television personality, known for her combative monologues on Fox News — especially during the tumultuous Trump years. While some colleagues behind the scenes viewed her proclamations as “completely crazy,” her following among the Republican base grew, cementing her position as a fierce Donald Trump supporter.
Political analysts, like Douglas Muzzio from Baruch College, struggle to come to terms with Pirro’s current trajectory. “If you would have told me 20 years ago that she would be in this position, I wouldn’t believe it,” he remarked. Many believe there are more qualified individuals for the role she’s been given now.
Inside the White House, Pirro is painted as a “highly respected and accomplished attorney and judge,” with spokespersons heralding her dedication. Attorney General Pam Bondi lauded her as a “fearless advocate for the rule of law,” claiming her presence on the team would help in efforts to “make America safe again.”
As the past continues to haunt her, it’s clear that Jeanine Pirro’s political saga is a fascinating portrait of ambition, scandal, and the strange winds of political fate. Her journey — from a controversial campaigner to a defender of Trump’s agenda — is littered with the remnants of a complicated past, signaling that the headline saga may still have more chapters.
Through all the ups and downs, she remarked once, “Without him, I move into the governor’s mansion.” Time will tell just how far this latest political chapter leads her.
Original Source: www.nbcnews.com
