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Monday, March 10, 2008
N.Y. Times: New York governor linked to prostitution
Eliot Spitzer admits his involvement in a prostitution ring. He'll be making a statement shortly.
Spitzer, former New York Attorney General turned Governor, made his political mark as an anti-capitalist crusader who harassed America's wealth creators.
He lead an attack on the fake economic crime of price gauging at gas stations.
He falsely charged Martha Stewart with insider trading and obstruction of justice.
He bullied music producers out of millions.
And he harassed mutual fund managers.
I can hardly wait for this news.
UPDATE #1:
Spitzer prosecuted several prostitution rings while Attorney General.
UPDATE #2:
BNN reported that a prostitution ring wire tap intercepted a text message from Spitzer to a prostitute. Spitzer refused to take questions at a press conference today.
Posted by Matthew Johnston on March 10, 2008 in Current Affairs | Permalink
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Comments
Aaaaaand before we hear all the indignant cries against those oversexed hypocritical family-unfriendly People Who Aren't On Our Side, can everyone please submit their web browser's history.html files anonymously to the webmaster. Thanks.
I think it's disclosure@westernstandard.ca
Knowing that your dirt is out there will save you the embarrassment of over-gloating about someone who's own dirt got out there too.
Posted by: Pattern Recognition | 2008-03-10 3:09:14 PM
PR,
Sure, right after Jimmy Swaggart gets his job back. :-)
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-03-10 3:14:08 PM
Last I checked, Swaggart had his job. Wikipedia says this (granted, it could be lying):
"A world-wide multi-million-dollar ministry, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries today mainly comprises The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast, radio and television programs called A Study in the Word, (SonLife Radio Network),and a website, JSM.org. Jimmy's wife, Francis (very much behind the scene); and son, Donnie, control the ministry's preaching and leadership. Jimmy's grandson, Gabriel, is a preacher, and leads the Family Worship Center youth ministry, "Crossfire". Sonlife radio is heard in 22 states."
Crazy, I know. I guess his critics looked in the mirror, figured they were no better (except that they hadn't been caught yet), and let it go.
Posted by: Pattern Recognition | 2008-03-10 3:25:16 PM
PR,
Thanks for the update. So I guess he didn't *resign* like Spitzer despite the " the indignant cries against those oversexed hypocritical family-unfriendly People Who Aren't On Our Side".
I'm not sure how to feel right now.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-03-10 3:33:06 PM
I'd feel ambivalent like St. Paul. I recall him saying somewhere in the epistles that he didn't care if rivals (or presumably scoundrels) preached the Gospel so long as they preached an intact one. Now, if Swaggart's running around with some heretical spin on things, or mouthing off about prosperity and all that, well that's another issue. Otherwise I figure a womanizer like Swaggart has nothing on Paul who, earlier, had Christians jailed (or worse). I recall Swaggart confessed he sinned, got some intense counseling and all that. Hopefully this governor does the same and turns away from this awful junk he was in on.
Posted by: Pattern Recognition | 2008-03-10 3:40:16 PM
I think the big scandal here is that Elliot Spitzer lead an attack on the fake economic crime of price gouging at gas stations yet participated in a prostitution ring where prostitutes charged $5000 a pop.
My question is, "As a big political fish that obviously looked the other way, did Elliot Spitzer have to pay $5000 a pop too or did he get freebies?"
Also were some of those liaisons with illegal aliens, you know, the people that Elliot Spitzer was saying should get NY drivers licenses?
In other words, is this bribery, influence peddling for sexual favours, as well as the felony of participating in prostitution?
Posted by: Speller | 2008-03-10 3:41:55 PM
PR
"I recall Swaggart confessed he sinned, got some intense counseling and all that. Hopefully this governor does the same and turns away from this awful junk he was in on."
Ditto.
Posted by: h2o273kk9 | 2008-03-10 3:42:10 PM
I believe that prostitution should be legal. Spitzer, however, does not. In fact, he built his career, in part, on busting prostitution rings.
Furthermore, Spitzer is the worst of the anti-capitalist crusaders. He used this position as Attorney General to bully Wall Street and set up a political career. Spitzer should not be persecuted for a mistake. He should, however, be persecuted for a career dedicated to the harassment and imprisonment of American entrepreneurs.
Posted by: Matthew Johnston | 2008-03-10 3:46:57 PM
Spritzer has not been named in any indictment.
He has not been named in the complaint. Allegedly he represents "Client #9" in the complaint.
Now, I have no knowledge of US Federal legal procedures but my friends over at FOXNews (we report, you decide) speculate that this is because there's a lot more to come out of the woodwork before all is revealed. Speculation has it that he isn't merely involved in hiring a hooker across State lines. There's much, much more.
What he is alleged to have done is a base-line felony. If he is convicted, he faces a 5 year jail term on each count. He now has the opportunity to play footsie with the prosecutor and make a plea deal.
Now, I like a little strange stuff as much as the next guy, but I'm not the freakin' Governor of New York. He's an abject idiot for doing what he allegedly has done. But, he's a Democrat so the MSM will go easy on him. Play up the family thing, the apology, the "I'm just a human" angle
and of course fact that all men are pigs and we should recognize that.
This guy is the supreme hypocrite.
Posted by: atric | 2008-03-10 3:57:46 PM
>"I believe that prostitution should be legal."
Matthew Johnston | 10-Mar-08 3:46:57 PM
I do too.
But I also believe that upholding the existing law is an integral part of being Governor of NY.
If Elliot Spitzer believes prostitution should be legal and wanted to frequent the services of prostitutes he should have at least tried to change the law rather than break it.
Posted by: Speller | 2008-03-10 3:59:43 PM
I would clarify that it's not a "mistake" to sleep with a prostitute when you're married. It's not like he woke up and went, "Aw heck, again! Wrong door. Wrong bed. Wrong woman. Man, I need to get my glasses checked."
Posted by: Pattern Recognition | 2008-03-10 4:00:23 PM
"If Elliot Spitzer believes prostitution should be legal and wanted to frequent the services of prostitutes he should have at least tried to change the law rather than break it." - Speller
Preciously.
Posted by: Matthew Johnston | 2008-03-10 4:03:22 PM
"At least use a decent knocking-shop, where they know the meaning of the word 'discretion'."
- Francis Urquhart
I don't really care what Elliot Spitzer does as a private citizen. Everyone makes mistakes. His family and him will have to deal with his indiscretions.
This is a good example of Karma. If Elliot Spitzer were a good and honest man, he'd probably survive this. He'd have friends who would stand up for him. He'd have people willing to give him a chance - to cut him a break.
But since, by all accounts, Elliot Spitzer is a terrible, terrible man - almost universally disliked - no one will come to defend him now. The man was a thug and a bully from the very start, one who thoughtlessly ruined companies and lives while posing as a moral crusader.
I was struck by this:
"Kristen" said that she liked him, and that she did not think he was difficult. "Kristen" stated: 'I don't think he's difficult. I mean it's just kind of like . . . whatever. . . I'm here for a purpose. I know what my purpose is. I am not a . . . moron, you know what I mean. So maybe that's why girls maybe think they're difficult . . . . " "Kristen" continued: "That's what it is, because you're here for a [purpose]. Let's not get it twisted - I know what I do, you know." LEWIS responded: "You look at it very uniquely, because . . . no one .ever says it that way." LEWIS continued that from what she had been told "he" (believed to be a reference to Client-9) "would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe - you know - I mean that . . . very basic things. . . . "Kristen" responded: "I have a way of dealing with that . . . I'd be like listen dude, you really want the sex? . . . You know what I mean." Near the end of the call, LEWIS and "Kristen" discussed "Kristen's" departure via Amtrak, the room that Client-9 had provided for "Kristen," and "Kristen's" share of the cash that Client-9 had provided to her. (Call 9750R).
In other words, the man was even a jerk with these women - trying to pressure them into unsafe sex.
If he was a good man, he'd get through this. If he had the promise of redemption, even if I'd attack him, he'd have backers.
But he's just a terrible, thuggish, man and therefore no one will ride to his rescue.
Posted by: Adam Yoshida | 2008-03-10 7:45:10 PM
Adam, as a conservative how can you call committing adultery on your wife and paying a woman for sex just an 'indiscretion' and a 'mistake'? Especially when his policy work earns him the label thuggish and terrible. He's a thug for his office work, but he's just indiscreet and mistaken when he stomps all over his wife's soul?
That's pretty euphemistic language. It's like saying "That radical islamist movement's sure a nuisance eh?"
Posted by: Pattern Recognition | 2008-03-11 9:07:34 AM
Why would someone like Spitzer hire a prostitute ? In the words of Charlie Sheen ' I wasn`t paying them for the sex , I was paying them to leave ' .
' If Elliot Spitzer believes prostitution should be legal and wanted to frequent the services of prostitutes he should have at least tried to change the law rather than break it.'
Subconsciously , maybe he was trying to change the laws. Many laws are changed when enough people decide that they are outdated or unfair and break them . e.g. marijuana , porn , the Liberals fascination with 14 yr olds and reluctance to up the age limit ,foul language on TV , bike helmet laws for Sikhs.
And don`t be shocked if he doesn`t resign . When was the last time anyone resigned for illegal behaviour .Pay a liar [ er lawyer ] enough money and he`ll make it go away.
Posted by: daveh | 2008-03-11 10:34:46 AM
>"Subconsciously , maybe he was trying to change the laws. Many laws are changed when enough people decide that they are outdated or unfair and break them . e.g. marijuana,"
daveh | 11-Mar-08 10:34:46 AM
As the chief executive of the State of New York Elliot Spitzer can pardon condemned criminals and commute sentences with his signature.
If Elliot Spitzer wanted to change the prostitution laws so that they were congruent with the laws of the State of Nevada, nobody had more power or opportunity to do so than Elliot Spitzer.
The Empires Club string of brothels in Brooklyn is undoubtably operated by the Bonanno Crime Family.
As a former Attorney General of New York and now Governor, Elliot Spitzer should have had the integrity to match the power the public had vested in him.
Posted by: Speller | 2008-03-12 6:52:58 AM
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