World Bank Board to debate on future of Wolfowitz

The Bush administration continues to defend embattled World Bank President, Paul Wolfowitz, ahead of a meeting of board members on his future in the wake of a scathing panel report accusing him of breaking the rules in securing a hefty pay-hike for his girlfriend.
Wolfowitz, who will be defending himself before the 24-member board in a closed door session later on Tuesday, said the findings by the bank's special panel is "unfair and unwarranted."
The Board has a range of options before it including expressing a general no-confidence in the president and asking him to resign, or simply fire him.

The investigative panel, which warned of a "crisis in leadership", recommended that the board "consider whether Wolfowitz will be able to provide the leadership needed to ensure that the bank continues to operate to the fullest extent possible in achieving its mandate."
It also pointed to the president's "questionable judgment and a pre-occupation with self-interest over institutional best interest."

Defending Wolfowitz, US Treasury Department spokesperson, Brookly McLaughlin, said the facts of the case did not merit a dismissal.
"A clear reading of the facts in this report demonstrates that this was a unique situation, mis-steps occurred on all sides and communication may not have been clear enough," she said.