Eliot Spitzer Caught in Prostitution Sting
By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in New YorkHe was caught as part of a federal investigation and has already apologized – wife by his side. Many are calling on him to resign from his position as governor of New York.
Prostitution is a good deal worse than having an affair, and Spitzer wasn’t just picking up women on the street. He was a client of a large, highly organized call girl ring. For a guy who’s built his career on fighting corruption, he apparently allowed himself to be part of something that was not only illegal but could have easily compromised his ability to govern. If this ring wanted a political favor, how would he say no?
If he is indeed guilty, I think resignation is the only appropriate action. If he were my governor, I’d no longer be able to trust his judgment as a leader nor his sincerity in upholding the law.
This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 and is filed under New York. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
March 10th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
As a resident of New York, frankly I’m appalled. People in public office have to know that they’re being watched, and that they need to be setting an example. Doubly so if you’ve made it your job to “stamp out corruption”.
Your point about political favors was a good one. I hadn’t actually thought about it, but it’s obvious in retrospect. And while the apology may not have been a legal admission of guilt, it was close. I’ll be looking to see a resignation in the very near future.
March 10th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
One might argue that at $1,000 - $5,000 per transaction he was paying for discretion - certainly no piece of @$$ is worth that much for an hour, he should have known the phones were tapped - afterall his political enemies went through an enormous amount of trouble to insure that all our phones are tapped. This is one more reason why prostitution shouldn’t be illegal…..I mean, other than his wife and him whose business is it - who did he hurt while fulfilling his public trust - by all accounts he did a good job as governor? As long as he was using his own money, and wasn’t trading political favors for sex then where is the harm. Let ye who is sinless……..He’ll probably resign…..one more man brought low by the Bimbo fatale’.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
That, “…other than his wife and him…” is a cop-out Terence. Don’t get me wrong, I actually agree with you, I don’t see the problem in it. The women would be safer thats for sure and it’d put a serious blow to organized crime, but we are a people and nation of SOME level of morality. I don’t want the government dictating my morality to me any more than anyone else, but I do see the need to draw the line somewhere, and at least in this day in age, there is general agreement that marriage is for monogamy - if you want to nail a bunch of fine young ass, more power to you (there is a reason we all worship Hugh Heffner to some extent…). But he did have children and a wife - and to do that to people you love is rather terrible. I do expect more of my politicians. I don’t really care that Slick Willy got head in The Office or that this guy was using call girls, but it isn’t acceptable when your in office. We don’t tolerate our athletes abusing dogs, our actors not wearing underwear, and we shouldn’t tolerate our politicians cheating on their spouses.
March 10th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
“Prostitution is a good deal worse than having an affair…”; How so? Actually, from the standpoint of the marriage, seems it would be a great deal less than having an affair. It’s just sex and free enterprise; to which do you object?
March 11th, 2008 at 5:07 am
Al:
I agree with you at the emotional level. But prostitution is a crime, while having a mistress is not.
March 11th, 2008 at 7:20 am
MR’s got it right. I meant from a political standpoint. How it affects his personal relationship is his business. But breaking the law is a good deal worse than just sleeping with an intern when it comes to political fallout.
March 11th, 2008 at 10:03 am
Haha… no democrat is going to resign over chasing some illicit tail.
No the real issue is money laundering, and he probably will be forced to resign over that.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/11/spitzer.money/index.html
March 11th, 2008 at 10:55 am
I’m appalled. Not for what he did, but because our Federal government is going around wiretapping people and invading privacy on such unimportant “crimes” that shouldn’t even be crimes in the first place. At the most it was a civil offense against his wife and not an issue the Federal government should concern itself (and our tax dollars) with.
March 11th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Nelson,
Are you arguing that the government shouldn’t uphold the law? It actually started as a New York state thing and didn’t become federal until Spitzer hired a prostitute to cross state lines. I mean, we can argue that prostitution should be legal but I don’t see the value in arguing that the government shouldn’t enforce the law. Even Spitzer himself busted up some prostitution rings when he was AG. Bet he used wiretaps too.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
“Are you arguing that the government shouldn’t uphold the law?”
Yes. If our government were supposed to uphold bad laws we’d still be loyal British subjects. We don’t want our hard earned tax money used against us to invade our privacy and take away our freedoms.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
Our government shouldn’t waste resources on stuff like this. Only his wife holds any claim on damages done by Spitzer and that can be taken care of in Civil court, if she so chooses, without wasting federal criminal investigative tax dollars.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Nelson, first of all, you are confusing sex between consenting adults with sex as commercial exchange. Prostitution is inherrently exploitative in the worst kind of way. You might not think so, but those who do think it’s repugnant are not the same as those who want to regulate consentual sex. It’s an entirely different matter.
Secondly, you’re arguing that law enforcement should only uphold the laws it thinks are valid. If law enforcement should take on that kind of decision making, where does the will of the people come into play? Prostitution can be legalized by any state — if the people of New York wanted it to be legal, they should vote in politicians who will legalize it. Otherwise, as long as it’s a crime, law enforcement has the responsibility to enforce it. And it sure as hell as the responsibility to hold the governor to the same standard as any other joe.
March 11th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
“Nelson, first of all, you are confusing sex between consenting adults with sex as commercial exchange.”
The exchange was consentual. He got what he wanted and she got what she wanted. This is not a matter of national security. It is a matter of wasting government resources.
“Secondly, you’re arguing that law enforcement should only uphold the laws it thinks are valid.”
They already do this. Note the number of illegal acts, such as jaywalking, that rarely if ever get prosecuted. The range of “unlawful” acts that get ignored should be widened to the point where we don’t feel like big brother is watching over us and punishing us for not following his collective will.
“If law enforcement should take on that kind of decision making, where does the will of the people come into play?”
You say “will of the people”, I say “tyranny of the majority.” I’m concerned with individual freedom. Without that, our government stands for nothing.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
“Nelson, first of all, you are confusing sex between consenting adults with sex as commercial exchange.”
The exchange was consentual.
“Secondly, you’re arguing that law enforcement should only uphold the laws it thinks are valid.”
They already ignore laws. In most cities jaywalking is illegal, but almost never gets prosecuted.
“If law enforcement should take on that kind of decision making, where does the will of the people come into play?”
When the tyranny of the majority clashes with individual freedom, individual freedom should win. We’re talking about eavesdropping on citizens and prohibiting a consentual transaction between two willful parties that did not impinge on others (other than his wife, in a civil manner).
March 11th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Prostitution should be legalized……….it’s childish to legislate against that type of behavior. However, Elliott is at the top of the food chain in NY as far as law making goes and he has a responsibility to follow the law while he is in that position - period. He needs to resign. I wonder if this will have any affect on Clintons campaign? Some one should ask Bill what he thinks Elliott should do - or ask Hill an empathetic question with Silda. Maybe Silda could run for U.S. Senate now?
March 15th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I think that Terence has a point, because being so illegal as it is, there`s thousands of escorts sites servicing the US in the Internet, and when a site is closed, new ones are opened. Perhaps men who like call girls could do it outside of the US, like going to an escorts resort in the islands. I see many places that offer the same women as all-inclusive vacations and away from our kids and families, saving us the troubles associated. Googling my way into the escorts world I found a site similar to the Emperor: http://www.charlisangels.com offering luxury women at a $4k per weekend ticket, even private jet services. If there was not such a huge market, there wouldn`t be so many places devoted to the business. Let`s face it.
March 15th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Careful - your being recorded (paid for by your tax dollars). Just for research purposes mind you - do you have any other leads?