Part #2, The price Spitzer paid for his indiscretions.
Elliot Spitzer, Democratic Governor of New York, has been implicated in a prostitution ring and it is being reported that he has informed his most senior administration officials of his involvement.
Back on March 7, 2008, reports came out of federal authorities arresting four people of running an online prostitution ring that serviced clients in New York, Paris and other cities and took in more than $1 million in profits over four years.
The ring, known as the Emperor’s Club V.I.P., had 50 prostitutes available for appointments in New York, Washington, Miami, London and Paris, according to a complaint unsealed on Thursday in Federal District Court in Manhattan. The appointments, made by telephone or through an online booking service, cost $1,000 to $5,500 an hour and could be paid for with cash, credit card, wire transfers or money orders, the complaint said.
Today we see that Elliot Spitzer, the Governor of New York, has been implicated in that prostitution ring.
It is believed that the governor is one of the men identified in that prostitution ring,as a client. (PDF file of court papers)
Spitzer, 48, is married and has three daughters and in the latest reports he has publicly apologized to his family.
Spitzer was in the public eye recently for his proposal to give illegal aliens driver's licenses, licenseswhich he withdrew after it became a political hot potato.
[Update] It seems that this is coming at a bad time for Spitzer since he is expected to testify to the state Public Integrity Commission, to answer for his role, in a case where his aides were accused of misusing state police to compile travel records to embarrass Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno, who is Spitzer's "nemesis".
[Update#2] Spitzer's statement:
I acted in a way that violated in my obligation to my family...I apologize first and most importantly to my family, and to the public, I promise better.
I am disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected my expect I must dedicated some time to regain the trust of my family.
[Update #3] According to the USA Today blog, an anonymous source says Spitzer "has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month."
More is coming out from the NYT, AP, New York Sun, Fox News and CNN, some saying Spitzer is expected to resign and if he does then he would be succeeded by Lt. Governor David A. Paterson.
[Update #4] According to CNBC, if Spitzer resigns over this scandal, then he will be succeeded by Lt. Governor David A. Paterson.
[Update #5] What WCBSTV call reliable sources are telling them that Spitzer may officially resign tonight.
Reliable sources told CBS 2 Political Reporter Marcia Kramer that Lt. Gov. David Paterson could be sworn in as governor as early as 7 p.m. Monday.UPDATE!
It is being reported that it took Hillary Clinton less than one hour after this story broke to completely "sponge" her campaign website clean of Spitzer, specifically his endorsement, which WAS listed until today.
Either way, Hillary Clinton has already delivered the first of many "You're dead to me, Eliot"-moments, sponging her campaign website clean of all mentions of Spitzer's endorsement last May. Spitzer's name was gone from the website less than an hour after the Times story broke—impressive timing when you consider it took Mitt Romney nearly an entire day to decide to throw Larry Craig under a bus last August.
Just because I have spent over 40 years perfecting the art of bitchiness and because I think she should have left it alone and just denounced the endorsement instread of trying to "scrub" it..
Let Hillary try to scrub this:
The Hill, "Spitzer endorses Clinton, says nation in ‘crisis’
Fox on MAY 8, 2007, "New York Governor Spitzer to Endorse Hillary Clinton for 2008 President"
CNN on MAY 14, 2007, "Spitzer endorses Clinton, New Jersey mayors lend support to Obama."
[MAJOR UPDATE] 5:00PM, AZ time- It wasn't the sex that led to Spitzer it was the money, according to ABC:
The federal investigation of a New York prostitution ring was triggered by Gov. Eliot Spitzer's suspicious money transfers, initially leading agents to believe Spitzer was hiding bribes, according to federal officials.
I will continue updating this as the day goes on and more information comes out.
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