The Spitzer thing

It's all over the radio in New York -- Democratic Governor Elliot Spitzer's involvement in "white slave trade."  From the sound of it, everyone is pretty shocked, the Gov being known for his boy scout attitudes, inability to get the joke when the joke is dirty -- and his placement on the short list for future president of the USA.  Since the sex trade is rated more icky than any combination of incompetence, invasion, and imperialism, Spitzer's off that short list for sure if all this turns out to be true. 

What came to mind at first hearing was the memory of how Republicans tried like crazy to discredit Spitzer-the-prosecutor, Spitzer-the-muckraker, Spitzer the anti-corporate-shenanigans candidate.  And now:

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, an administration official said this morning. ...

... The governor’s travel records show that he was in Washington in mid-February. One of the clients described in court papers arranged to meet with a prostitute who was part of the ring, the Emperors Club VIP, on the night of Feb. 13.

Mr. Spitzer appeared on a CNBC television show at 7 a.m. the next morning. Later in the morning, he testified before a Congressional committee.

An affidavit filed in federal court in Manhattan in connection with that case lists six conversations between the man, identified as Client 9, and a booking agent for the Emperors Club. ...

Comments

[Bob Sakowski, Orlando FL]

So the initial investigation was about Spitzer making deposits to what investigators defined as "phony corporations" and decided that they just had to continue the investigation because of the possibility of corruption.

Right, if someone else was depositing money into Spitzer's account, maybe, but the other way around?

This investigation smells of political prosecution.

For obvious reasons.

[PW]

I had the same reaction, Bob. But...

[PW]

Update: There are some questions, including from a lawyer/former prosecutor who served in the Bush administration, about what the relationship may be between pulling Spitzer down and illegal domestic wiretapping on the part of the administration. Full discussion here: http://wamu.org/programs/dr/08/03/11.php#19468
The Spitzer matter comes up towards the end of the program.