N.Y. Gov. Spitzer reportedly linked to prostitution ring

[kfrost06]

NEW YORK - Gov. Eliot Spitzer apologized to his family and the public on Monday, but did not not elaborate on a bombshell report that he has been involved in a prostitution ring.

"I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family ... my sense of right and wrong," he said at a news conference at his Manhattan office. "I must now dedicate some time to rededicate my trust to my family."

Spitzer's wife stood at his side, her hands behind her back and her eyes cast downward, as he made the statement.

The New York Times reported that a person with knowledge of the governor's role believes the governor is identified as a client in court papers. Four people allegedly connected to a high-end prostitution ring called Emperors Club VIP were arrested last week.

The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of scantily clad women with their faces hidden. It also shows hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said the defendants arranged connections between wealthy men and more than 50 prostitutes in New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.

The Times reported that the governor's travel records show he was in Washington in mid-February, and that one of the clients arranged to meet with a prostitute on the night of Feb. 13.

The case is being handled by prosecutors in the Public Corruption unit of U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia's office. Garcia spokeswoman Yusill Scribner said the office had no comment.

Spitzer, 48, built his political legacy on rooting out corruption, including several headline-making battles with Wall Street while serving as attorney general. He stormed into the governor's office in 2006 with a historic share of the vote, vowing to continue his no-nonsense approach to fixing one of the nation's worst governments.

Time magazine had named him "Crusader of the Year" when he was attorney general and the tabloids proclaimed him "Eliot Ness."

But his stint as governor has been marred by several problems, including an unpopular plan to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and a plot by his aides to smear Spitzer's main Republican nemesis.

Spitzer had been expected to testify to the state Public Integrity Commission he had created to answer for his role in the scandal, in which his aides were accused of misusing state police to compile travel records to embarrass Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno.

Spitzer had served two terms as attorney general where he pursued criminal and civil cases and cracked down on misconduct and conflicts of interests on Wall Street and in corporate America. He had previously been a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, handling organized crime and white-collar crime cases.

His cases as state attorney general included a few criminal prosecutions of prostitution rings and into tourism involving prostitutes.

In 2004, he was part of an investigation of an escort service in New York City that resulted in the arrest of 18 people on charges of promoting prostitution and related charges.

___

Associated Press Writer Mike Gormley contributed to this report from Albany, N.Y.

[kfrost06]

BUSTED! and he was the attorney general, the piece of scum. He can throw people in jail for breaking the law but he does it on the tax payers dime.

Read the last line, "In 2004, he was part of an investigation of an escort service in New York City that resulted in the arrest of 18 people on charges of promoting prostitution and related charges". So lets throw him in jail too the hypocrite.

[Tock]

Yep.

And after that, how about getting the government out of the business of monitoring what we citizens do in the bedroom? Sex workers need to be licensed and inspected periodically (so to speak) by medical people, to protect the general public. The only state with the good sense to do this is Nevada.

Marriage is a contract between TWO people, not TWO people and the government. Any breach of that contract ought to remain the exclusive province of the parties involved, and should have legal remedies available when either party doesn't follow through on their promises.


Had this tryst been between the Governor and another man, preachers would be quoting the bible verses against homosexuality with wild abandon. I wonder how long it will take before they start citing the Ten Commandment that says : "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" along with the bible verse that calls for death for adulterers. Seems to me, if they're gonna use the Bible for their moral authority, they gotta use the whole thing, and not just the parts they like.

[kfrost06]

Yep.

And after that, how about getting the government out of the business of monitoring what we citizens do in the bedroom? Sex workers need to be licensed and inspected periodically (so to speak) by medical people, to protect the general public. The only state with the good sense to do this is Nevada.

Marriage is a contract between TWO people, not TWO people and the government. Any breach of that contract ought to remain the exclusive province of the parties involved, and should have legal remedies available when either party doesn't follow through on their promises.


Had this tryst been between the Governor and another man, preachers would be quoting the bible verses against homosexuality with wild abandon. I wonder how long it will take before they start citing the Ten Commandment that says : "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" along with the bible verse that calls for death for adulterers. Seems to me, if they're gonna use the Bible for their moral authority, they gotta use the whole thing, and not just the parts they like.

I am not sure why you brought the Bible into this but we can agree he is a hypocrite and he cheated on his wife, kids and the citizens of NY. He betrayed his office and his oath and should resign and be charged. He's an idiot and the worst kind because he puts people in jail for a living(when he was attorney general) and goes out and commits the same crime. I am actually glad, I love when this happens to these two faced law and order/criminals. I look forward to seeing his mug shot but something tells me that will never happen. There are two standards of justice, one for us and a whole new one for the politicians/police/judges. I just feel sorry for his wife and kids.

[Jfew44]

I am not sure why you brought the Bible into this but we can agree he is a hypocrite and he cheated on his wife, kids and the citizens of NY. He betrayed his office and his oath and should resign and be charged. He's an idiot and the worst kind because he puts people in jail for a living(when he was attorney general) and goes out and commits the same crime. I am actually glad, I love when this happens to these two faced law and order/criminals. I look forward to seeing his mug shot but something tells me that will never happen. There are two standards of justice, one for us and a whole new one for the politicians/police/judges. I just feel sorry for his wife and kids.

For sure.

Some guys act like they know right from wrong to get into office, and they might at the time, but being in the position of power just gets to some people. Throw him in the slammer with all the people he put there!

[Prada]

Yeah I really admired Eliot Spitzer, handling the Gambino crime family, Enron, taking on corporate executives who were simply siphoning money. He had a successful career and then this. Many changes were made in the securities industry due to him. This something between him and his wife he will have to deal with.

[Act of God]

He also spoke out about videogames ad nauseum. He went on a public rant about Grand Theft Auto and how you can employ the services of.....

yup

you guessed it

PROSTITUTES


bwa hahahaha

[thegodfather]

Oh yes, prostitution, yet another criminalized activity which takes away control over a womans body. Yet another criminalized activity in which it actually makes the general public LESS SAFE by having an unregulated sex industry without testing. Is common sense really that devoid in the American public/politicians?

[breacherup]

Yep.

And after that, how about getting the government out of the business of monitoring what we citizens do in the bedroom? Sex workers need to be licensed and inspected periodically (so to speak) by medical people, to protect the general public. The only state with the good sense to do this is Nevada.

Marriage is a contract between TWO people, not TWO people and the government. Any breach of that contract ought to remain the exclusive province of the parties involved, and should have legal remedies available when either party doesn't follow through on their promises.


Had this tryst been between the Governor and another man, preachers would be quoting the bible verses against homosexuality with wild abandon. I wonder how long it will take before they start citing the Ten Commandment that says : "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" along with the bible verse that calls for death for adulterers. Seems to me, if they're gonna use the Bible for their moral authority, they gotta use the whole thing, and not just the parts they like.

Actually they (the Government) weren't monitoring what he did in his bedroom, his banking activities were reported to the IRS.
I too am confused by your references to the Bible and homosexuality, because I don't see how it relates to this case.
The man put himself in this position, he did something illegal, and gave his political enemies the rope to hang him with. Not to mention that as a prosecutor he put people on trial for the same crime.

[brewerpi]

Yep.

And after that, how about getting the government out of the business of monitoring what we citizens do in the bedroom? Sex workers need to be licensed and inspected periodically (so to speak) by medical people, to protect the general public. The only state with the good sense to do this is Nevada.

Marriage is a contract between TWO people, not TWO people and the government. Any breach of that contract ought to remain the exclusive province of the parties involved, and should have legal remedies available when either party doesn't follow through on their promises.


Had this tryst been between the Governor and another man, preachers would be quoting the bible verses against homosexuality with wild abandon. I wonder how long it will take before they start citing the Ten Commandment that says : "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery" along with the bible verse that calls for death for adulterers. Seems to me, if they're gonna use the Bible for their moral authority, they gotta use the whole thing, and not just the parts they like.

Forgive me for asking Tock but if this guy were a conservative Republican would you be talking about keeping the government out of his bedroom or would you be pointing out what a hypocrite he is?

[wantmoremass]

this is hypocrisy of the worst type in my opinion. agree with your assertions godfather - in places like the netherlands, prostitution is legal and prostitutes are regularly tested/treated for their own and the public good. prostitution is the oldest profession in the world, and will never disappear. at least we should make it safe for everybody involved (including high ranking government officials). the moral stuff is between him and his wife/family IMO.

[Tock]

Forgive me for asking Tock but if this guy were a conservative Republican would you be talking about keeping the government out of his bedroom or would you be pointing out what a hypocrite he is?

Since the early 1980's right-wing religious fundamentalist organizations like The Moral Majority and Christian Coalition beat up on what they considered "moral lepers" for political gain:

-------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_Majority

Moral Majority was initiated as a result of a struggle for control of an American conservative Christian advocacy group known as Christian Voice during 1978. During a news conference by Christian Voice's founder, Robert Grant, he claimed that the Religious Right was a "sham... controlled by three Catholics and a Jew." Paul Weyrich, Terry Dolan, Richard Viguerie and Howard Phillips left Christian Voice. During a 1979 meeting, they urged televangelist Jerry Falwell to found Moral Majority. This was also the beginning of the New Christian Right.[1][2]
Moral Majority was an organization made up of conservative Christian political action committees which campaigned on issues its personnel believed were important to maintaining its Christian conception of moral law, a conception they believed represented the opinions of the majority of Americans (hence the movement's name). With a membership of millions, the Moral Majority was one of the largest conservative lobby groups in the United States. During the 1980 presidential election, the Moral Majority is credited with giving Ronald Reagan two-thirds of the white evangelical vote, over Jimmy Carter.[3]
Some issues for which the Moral Majority campaigned included:[4]

• outlawing abortion
• opposition to state recognition and acceptance of homosexuality
• opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
• enforcement of a traditional vision of family life
• censorship of media outlets that promote an 'anti-family' agenda

The Moral Majority had adherents in the two major United States political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, though it exercised far more influence on the former.
Falwell was the organization's best known spokesperson throughout the 1980s. By 1982, Moral Majority surpassed Christian Voice in size and influence. The organization dissolved officially in 1989[4] but lives on in the Christian Coalition network initiated by Pat Robertson.[5]
In 1981, a series of exposés (later nominated for the Pulitzer Prize) by Memphis reporter Mike Clark led to some condemning the interactions between the Moral Majority and the Republican Party.
In early October of 2007, Cal Thomas openly admitted on Fox News' popular show Hannity and Colmes that the marketing department of the Moral Majority would commonly discuss ways to demonize homosexuals (among others) in order to manipulate the public into following the Moral Majority's agenda.
---------------------------------

Republicans took advantage of this BS, and cloaked themselves as the party of morality, while portraying Democrats as being the ones supporting "godless child-molesting homosexuals." So nowadays, when the ones who used to present themselves as having superior morality are exposed as hypocrites, I do so.

To the extent that Gov. Spitzer is guilty of moral hypocrisy, then yes, he deserves a good excoriation. As I don't live in New York, I'm not all that familiar with his record, so I'll try to comment only on what I know.

[spywizard]

I am not sure why you brought the Bible into this but we can agree he is a hypocrite and he cheated on his wife, kids and the citizens of NY. He betrayed his office and his oath and should resign and be charged. He's an idiot and the worst kind because he puts people in jail for a living(when he was attorney general) and goes out and commits the same crime. I am actually glad, I love when this happens to these two faced law and order/criminals. I look forward to seeing his mug shot but something tells me that will never happen. There are two standards of justice, one for us and a whole new one for the politicians/police/judges. I just feel sorry for his wife and kids.

I guess he thought Bill Clinton got away with it.. why shouldn't he/?

[Coop77]

NY Republicans are demanding he resign in 48 hours or they will begin impeachment proceedings. Apparently you can service dudes in an airport restroom stall and plead guilty to it, and not resign.. but if you get caught with a hooker, you're out.

[kfrost06]

NY Republicans are demanding he resign in 48 hours or they will begin impeachment proceedings. Apparently you can service dudes in an airport restroom stall and plead guilty to it, and not resign.. but if you get caught with a hooker, you're out.

Well Coop, the Republicans demanded Sen. Craig step down but Democrats like Barney Frank thought that was to harsh. IMO they both should step down and in the case of Gov. Spitzer, he should go to jail like the people he sent to jail for doing the same thing.

[kfrost06]

I guess he thought Bill Clinton got away with it.. why shouldn't he/?

Spywizard, if your say he is like Bill Clinton, you need to tell me what the definition of is is.

[thegodfather]

Since the early 1980's right-wing religious fundamentalist organizations like The Moral Majority and Christian Coalition beat up on what they considered "moral lepers" for political gain:

-------------------------------
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moral_Majority

Moral Majority was initiated as a result of a struggle for control of an American conservative Christian advocacy group known as Christian Voice during 1978. During a news conference by Christian Voice's founder, Robert Grant, he claimed that the Religious Right was a "sham... controlled by three Catholics and a Jew." Paul Weyrich, Terry Dolan, Richard Viguerie and Howard Phillips left Christian Voice. During a 1979 meeting, they urged televangelist Jerry Falwell to found Moral Majority. This was also the beginning of the New Christian Right.[1][2]
Moral Majority was an organization made up of conservative Christian political action committees which campaigned on issues its personnel believed were important to maintaining its Christian conception of moral law, a conception they believed represented the opinions of the majority of Americans (hence the movement's name). With a membership of millions, the Moral Majority was one of the largest conservative lobby groups in the United States. During the 1980 presidential election, the Moral Majority is credited with giving Ronald Reagan two-thirds of the white evangelical vote, over Jimmy Carter.[3]
Some issues for which the Moral Majority campaigned included:[4]

• outlawing abortion
• opposition to state recognition and acceptance of homosexuality
• opposition to the Equal Rights Amendment and Strategic Arms Limitation Talks
• enforcement of a traditional vision of family life
• censorship of media outlets that promote an 'anti-family' agenda

The Moral Majority had adherents in the two major United States political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, though it exercised far more influence on the former.
Falwell was the organization's best known spokesperson throughout the 1980s. By 1982, Moral Majority surpassed Christian Voice in size and influence. The organization dissolved officially in 1989[4] but lives on in the Christian Coalition network initiated by Pat Robertson.[5]
In 1981, a series of exposés (later nominated for the Pulitzer Prize) by Memphis reporter Mike Clark led to some condemning the interactions between the Moral Majority and the Republican Party.
In early October of 2007, Cal Thomas openly admitted on Fox News' popular show Hannity and Colmes that the marketing department of the Moral Majority would commonly discuss ways to demonize homosexuals (among others) in order to manipulate the public into following the Moral Majority's agenda.
---------------------------------

Republicans took advantage of this BS, and cloaked themselves as the party of morality, while portraying Democrats as being the ones supporting "godless child-molesting homosexuals." So nowadays, when the ones who used to present themselves as having superior morality are exposed as hypocrites, I do so.

To the extent that Gov. Spitzer is guilty of moral hypocrisy, then yes, he deserves a good excoriation. As I don't live in New York, I'm not all that familiar with his record, so I'll try to comment only on what I know.

Morality is between individuals. Morality is NEVER EVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, to be legislated by the government. Of course, we have such legislation that goes under the guise of some bullshit reason they make up to justify the law.

[Coop77]

Well Coop, the Republicans demanded Sen. Craig step down but Democrats like Barney Frank thought that was to harsh. IMO they both should step down and in the case of Gov. Spitzer, he should go to jail like the people he sent to jail for doing the same thing.

Sen Craig's party members distanced themselves from him, because he was political poison, but nobody made impeachment threats like they're doing with this guy.

[Hoggage_54]

Here she is:

[Tock]

She's got a nice watch.

I wonder if that's a Seiko . . .

[SMCengineer]

She's hot.

[thegodfather]

She's hot.

Id nail her....but not for $4,300...I pull bitches like that for free...

[kfrost06]

Here she is:

que bonita!

[Lexed]

hot but not worth 4,300..... why pay that much when I get it for free all the time

[kfrost06]

hot but not worth 4,300..... why pay that much when I get it for free all the time

yeah right! If you get girls like that all the time you are the man and when can I come over and hang out