NY Governor Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring

The calls for resignation aren't just coming from politicians.

Not that online polls are scientific at all, but two of them that I noticed this morning are pretty telling.

The online poll at www.nydailynews.com... has 84% in favor of resignation, and the poll at www.nypost.com... has 88% in favor of resignation.

Of course these are not scientific and they're not conducted by a respectable pollster, and there won't be an official margin of error and what not... but still... the News and Post are the papers read by the so called "average new yorker", and percentages like that... wow.

[edit on 3/11/2008 by Djarums]

Wow! This was mind blower. Especially since I skipped the news yesterday. All I can say is that if you are one to pass judgment and morality, then no wrong can you do. At least Bill Clinton was not ever a paragon of morality. Spitzer should have known better. "Bad boy! You've been a very bad boy!"

Just goes to show how much people want to believe that there are perfect examples of anything. Spitzer gained power by selling the public his can-do-no-wrong persona. Ethics and morality is a minefield that most politicians, the smart ones, tend to avoid. The smart ones stick to lawfulness and legalities. Spitzer came up smelling like the stereotypical Democrat on this one. The problem is that he built his career on smelling like a Republican. So he can't possibly retain his office now. What a stupid, stupid man.

Federal prosecutors rarely charge clients in prostitution cases, which are generally seen as state crimes. But the Mann Act, passed by Congress in 1910 to address prostitution, human trafficking and what was viewed at the time as immorality in general, makes it a crime to transport someone between states for the purpose of prostitution. The four defendants charged in the case unsealed last week were all charged with that crime, along with several others.

www.nytimes.com...

No doubt this little tidbit is what saves the butts of many broad-minded, er, immoral politicians. What happens in D.C. stays in D.C.

A couple more thoughts. Hope this hasn't been said already. This Spitzer scandal is bound to reflect negatively on Hillary Clinton's presidential bid. This sparks memories of her husband's unbounded morality that occurred a couple of eons ago.

What an incredibly ugly game politics is. It would be better for everyone if everyone stopped deluding themselves by creating impossible illusions of the piety of political office. It's only a matter of time before one who has bought in on a sham realizes it.

what really gets me about this whole "prostitution ring" scandal involving spitzer, is that it really is much ado about nothing. yes i am aware about his "bulldog" attitude he took as he went after corporations and wall street. but you know what, the USA has bigger problems than a governor messing around with prostitutes.


with the following problems:

the never ending occupation of iraq and the thousands of american lives lost at an incredible price tag of apporximately $12 Billion per month

USA foreign relations are just absolutely horrendous

the weakening dollar which is causing oil prices to rise as the dollar devalues

an economy that is creaking to a halt, while necessities such as food are beginning to show noticeable mark-ups

seriously, its the elephant in the living room and we're too busy to notice.

the lead story allover the news was a governor who messed around with prostitutes. like this sort of thing never happened with public figures.

i am not condoning spitzer and he should face the consequences of breaking the law.

wcbstv.com... - impeachment! the guilty dog always barks the loudest and often. like swaggart! skin 'em

reply to post by musselwhite


OH MY! It seems that our culture has been reduced to the same level of the Roman Coliseum.

Does no one have compassion? This is the lowest point in this man's life. Try not to kick him, at least not too hard, when he's down.

What comes around goes around and that applies to brutish mob mentailty on the internet as well as disgraced prosescutors.

[edit on 11/3/08 by kosmicjack]

reply to post by kosmicjack


You know, I understand what you're saying. Thing is, his family. His wife and three daughters have been disgraced by him. On emotional and social levels it is an utter disaster for them. I feel for his wife and children, they've been indelibly scarred. Who knows how the consequences of Spitzer's actions will manifest in the future through his wife and children.

Originally posted by whoreallyknows
I just read this on Rawstory and I find it very intersting

Lawyer questions whether Spitzer was set up, noting political prosecutions

So what?

Spitzer still broke the law, regardless of how many people may be "out-to-get-him." Having political enemies is not a shield that allows one to violate the law. Anyone in a position of power suggesting otherwise should be thrown in prison on corruption charges, as their excuses allow such corruption to continue.

So, let me ask you, do you think it was okay for Spitzer to violate the law multiple times (as it seems he engaged these prostitutes several times) because he may have had enemies?

What if he had child porn? Or murdered somebody? Would you excuse it just because his political enemies uncovered it?

[edit on 11-3-2008 by SaviorComplex]

Originally posted by kosmicjack

Does no one have compassion? This is the lowest point in this man's life. Try not to kick him, at least not too hard, when he's down.

Not only did he violate the trust of both his family and the public, he violated the law (a high crime as the chief law enforcement officer of the State of New York) and exercised corruption.

You reserve compassion for those who suffer tragedies. And while this is certainly a tragedy, for his family, Spitzer does not suffer as an innocent victim, he has brought it upon himself. He does not deserve our compassion. All he deserves is our scorn and disdian.

So yes, he deserves to be kicked and hard, until his ribs snap. In a figurative manner. It's the next best thing since tar-and-feathering went out of vogue.




[edit on 11-3-2008 by SaviorComplex]

I can't blame Elliot Spitzer for being human. Everyone, myself included, has done something stupid and foolish like this sometime in their past. It's just that the average person doesn't do something like that, usually, when they are in the public spotlight like that. I do blame him for doing this while Governor. He should have known that something like this would come out anyway. The arrogance of power. And as others have pointed out, this could very well impact on Hillary Clinton's chances for getting the Democratic Party nod to run as it's candidate for President because of what her husband Bil Clinton did both before and during his Presidency with Gennifer Flowers AND Monica Lewinsky.
I had voted for Spitzer for Governor. I thought he was a good candidate. He was one of the best Attorney Generals New York State ever had. And he had the political savvy to become President, too. All down the drain in a ring of fire.

reply to post by SaviorComplex


Lets fall back a little on the hothead responses, unless this is your uncle there really is no need for it.

I never in my post say this was an excuse for his behavior. I simply posted the story and the link and if you scroll down two more post I also posted another story and a link. Where in this do you see me saying it wasn't his fault. The man was caught with his pants down...period! He was wrong. However, there is a lot of information out there about him as a governor and some people may be interested in it.

reply to post by SaviorComplex


Spitzer deserves compassion. And he deserves punishment. He does not, as you suggest, deserve to be tortured. No one deserves to be tortured.

is it just me or are they only going after this guy because he is a superdelegate

Originally posted by Wally Conley
I had voted for Spitzer for Governor. I thought he was a good candidate. He was one of the best Attorney Generals New York State ever had. And he had the political savvy to become President, too. All down the drain in a ring of fire.

Don't feel bad. I voted for Edwin Edwards at least twice and maybe three times. It's hard to remember now. I moved to NO in 1976 and he was my favorite Governor.

I was even interviewed in a "man on the street interview," praising Edwards and his long tenure of public service.

Edwin Washington Edwards (born August 7, 1927) served as the Democratic governor of Louisiana for four terms (1972–1980, 1984–1988, and 1992 –1996), twice as many terms as any other Louisiana governor has served. Edwards was also Louisiana's first Catholic governor in the twentieth century and perhaps with the exception of Huey P. Long, was Louisiana's most popular governor. A colorful, powerful and legendary figure in Louisiana politics, Edwards was long dogged by charges of corruption.

In 2001 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison on racketeering charges. Edwards began serving his sentence in October of 2002 in Ft. Worth Texas, and was later transferred to an Oakdale, Louisiana, facility.

en.wikipedia.org...

Edwards was a good Governor. He was wildly popular with the public, because he was good for the state. He served at least one term without accepting a single dollar in salary.

Yet, by being involved in illegal activity, he betrayed the trust of the public and now he sits in prison, where he celebrated his 80th birthday.

en.wikipedia.org...

According to Alan Dershowitz on CNN said the Mann Act is never prosecuted.

So what were the Feds doing investigating prostitution. I think it could have been a setup.

However that being said I believe Spitzer should resign for showing a unbelievable lack of judgement.

Prostitution opens a politician up to blackmail. Spitzer must know this!!!

Mr Clean is that a stain on your pants???

Originally posted by whoreallyknows
Lets fall back a little on the hothead responses, unless this is your uncle there really is no need for it.

I never in my post say this was an excuse for his behavior...

What you call a hot-headed response, I call common sense and reasoned.

I do offer my apologies though. It was not directed to you, and did not mean to suggest you were excusing it. I was directing it at both the author of the article and the lawyer in question.

[edit on 11-3-2008 by SaviorComplex]

Originally posted by Leo Strauss
So what were the Feds doing investigating prostitution. I think it could have been a setup.

The feds were investigating possible money laundering by the call-girl agency. That's how Spitzer came to the attention of the agency.

The Mann Act may well not apply in this case, but that's the least of Spitzer's problems.

His constituency wants him out of office, regardless of whether he is prosecuted.

www.foxnews.com...

Originally posted by Leo Strauss
So what were the Feds doing investigating prostitution. I think it could have been a setup.

Yeah, who ever heard of federal law enforcement investigating crimes?

Actually, it looks like the IRS was investigating money laundering in connection to the prostitution ring. I could be wrong and will be happy to be corrected.

Besides, it doesn't matter if it was a "set-up." He wilfully broke the law, and multiple times.

reply to post by SaviorComplex


Apology accepted