We Need Transparency from Rudy

Before we get further down this road, Republican primary voters need transparency from their presidential candidates. I'm all for private sector experience, but Rudy Giuliani's role with his firm is current and ongoing. One of his major clients, Qatar, is a US ally but has a mixed record on the terror war, and is the base of the virulently anti-American TV network Al Jazeera. WSJ:

Because the firm is closely held, Mr. Giuliani isn't required to disclose much about his income and wealth, other than his holdings in the firm itself, where he remains chairman and chief executive and receives income in the form of guaranteed payments and partnership distributions.

Campaign watchdog groups say that raises some red flags. "Are there folks who might want to have greater influence with a potential President Giuliani? If so, they may be partnering with him now in the hopes of currying favor with him later," says former federal prosecutor Melanie Sloan, head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan watchdog group.

There is also the misjudgment on Bernard Kerik which makes it all the more important for Giuliani to be up front about his clients.

We need full disclosure. No October surprises please.

UPDATE: In related news, McCain rising to 2nd in 3 GOP polls, and here's RCP Poll Average Chart.