In 2006, I was ready to vote in my first gubernatorial election the majority of Democrats were backing Spitzer and I liked what he had to say but wanted to make up my own mind and initially and privately backed Tom Suozzi, a Nassau County Executive that was running against the then AG in a Democratic primary. However, in the primary I ended up voting for Eliot Spitzer after going to a NY1 debate and being thoroughly impressed with Spitzer's way of speaking and his plan for the future of NY. His vision for the future inspired me and made me proud to be a NYer and I knew that this was the man that I wanted to lead this great state.
I still feel that Governor Spitzer is the man to lead NY. This afternoon I called a friend, mentor and fellow Democrat who said Spitzer had to go, " if this was Bonacic or any other Republican we would be looking at ways to make this worse", I knew this person was right but I still remember the guy that a little more then a year ago inspired me to vote for him. And not just vote for him but switch my support to him from someone else.
Maybe it's selfishness, but I'm not ready to say that my vote, for a reformer that was going to clean up Albany and transform NY, was a mistake. I genuinely believe that what the Governor did has stupid, arrogant, and foolish. Furthermore, it's extremely disappointed the level that Spitzer violated and broke the public's trust. The Governor's actions are exactly the reason why people do not vote and why most young people do not get involved in the process or have any respect for that process.
However, I will not cast judgement on the Governor because to be very honest despite his mistakes and mixed in with that disappointment, the inspiration that brought me to his camp is not gone. Which is why I will support Governor Spitzer if he decides to stay in office or if he choices to resign.
47 comments:
Jeremy,
We seen this type of scenario in Ulster County many times. The constant pressures of elected public office causes the officeholder to do strange things. Usually, it's heavy drinking and illegal drugs-- that in turn causes a bizarre act in public.
Governor Spitzer's resignation is unfortunate but certainly it will have an effect in this county's election cycle.
I support Spitzer wholeheartedly (and I've NEVER done so before). This is absolutely ridiculous. We need to stop with these witch hunts.
The sh*t is going to roll uphill (as well as down) this time. Endorsements. Short Lists. Driver Licenses for Illegals.
We know who you are. We have the tests. The MRI's. The CT scans. The results are already being exploited. And we will be comming for you.
Jeremy, where are you getting the 7pm resignation info? I heard something similar on Sean Hannity, but haven't heard anything since...
Hillary for Governor!
Jeremy! Diappointing and premature?? How so?? He KNOWS he did something VERY ILLEGAL and likely does not want any more details to come out. Please, please, stop being so liberal or you will NEVER get my vote for school board. Where are your ethics?
The fire of hell burns especially hot for hypocrites like this!What goes around comes around!Good rid-dens
Spitzer should not resign over something so innocuous as seeing a prostitute. There are far worse crimes committed by elected officials - if Spitzer should resign, then what should happen to George Bush? The crimes our president has committed are far worse than what our governor has done. One of George Pataki's aides used a state vehicle to take his family on a Florida vacation - that's far more criminal - and he continued to serve (I think he made restitution). I agree that what Spitzer did is hypocritical, but I like him too much to see him go.
What's your source about 7 p.m. tonight, Jeremy? You're reporting something as if you know it's fact. A couple of TV stations reported the rumor. It's past 7 p.m. Has he resigned yet?
To me the fact that Spitzer was (if this is true) unfaithful to his wife and family is more pertinent than the fact that he utilized the services (if this be true) of a "prostitute."
A source involved in Albany politics...I assume he will resign tonight or tomorrow.
He'd be a fool to resign. If Vitter and Craig didn't quit,why should he?
A successful governor is supposed to be unpopular. Eliot is not here to re-inforce his self image. I couldn't care less about some call girl and neither do most discerning New Yorkers. If he can get our state through the next few years of Bush's financial turmoil and keep our state solvent,let him have all the hookers he wants. So he doesn't get an easy re-election, so what! Why should anyone? I say let him stay and work his ass off for us as our most intelligent "john" and toughest governor. If he can make everyone hate him equally, then he's doin' great. Trial by fire.
So, 907, you don't care about the exploitation of women? You obviously weren't a Sennett supporter. He was supposed to be tough on sex crimes against women. Weird, huh? How Spitzer 'endorsed' Sennett.
Can you say Mann Act?
8:36 - Jeremy: You assume?
Of course, you do. So does everybody else. But assume doesn't mean you report it as fact.
This is an embarassment to New York State, to the democratic party and to everyone who supported him for the office of governor. He is supposed to lead our state and set an example for our children. He portrays himself as the crime fighter, as the champion of the little guy. He was our attorney general, the chief law enforcement officer of the state and he is now charged with committing felonies. We are not just talking prostitution. We are talking transporting a young woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution. It is called interstate trafficking and it is very serious. Add the severity of the crime to the fact that it happened on our dime, when he was traveling to Washington as our representative. Who cares about Elliot at this point, lets look at the impact this has on our children. Lets talk about how we explain to our daughters that our governor, one of our leaders, is paying a 22 year old girl to have sex. Try to explain to your children that our married governor is paying a girl not much older than his daughter to have sex. What do we say to our children when they walk in the room and see the newscasts and want an explanation.
What is even worse is the fact that people in our own party are standing up for him and urging him to hold out and not resign. Resignation should be a no-brainer. He has betrayed our trust, betrayed his party, betrayed everyone who supported his crusade.
Let's also remember his response to Alan Hevesi. He was the first to insist that Hevesi had to resign, whether or not he was convicted. Hevesi abused the taxpayers trust in order to protect his wife and family. Wrong, no doubt. But lets compare that to Elliot who abused the public trust in order to get laid and betrayed his wife and family.
Welcome Governor Patterson. The day cannot come quickly enough.
Might the article on page one of today's (3/11/2008) "Daily Freeman" have anything to do with an article on p. B5 of today's "Daily Freeman"?
I would suggest reading both...
$3100/hr is exploitation of men,not women. Slave trade prostitution is another matter.
Sexual promiscuity goes along with high intelligence. Let's hope he keeps it under control from now on. Very few would deny the accomplishments of Einstein on the basis of his sleazy personal life. Even Bill Clinton screwed up in this regard. If Eliot was a republican, this would be a badge of honor.
Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet-Spitzer-Zimet...
How can she live with the shame?
One might one to check out Spitzer's involvement in the "Sunshine Project" (see the "Kingston Progressive" blog for a snippet) as well...
GOOD STUFF.
Perhaps good enough (combined with the article on p. B5 of the "Freeman"... that some powerful people might have SERIOUSLY wanted Spitzer out of there???????????????????????
[Sexual setups and blackmail, etc. have not been unknowns in our political history, now have they?]
[Could this be "I know your dirty little secrets and you know mine and everything is 'okay' as long as you play the game the way you are supposed to play it" ?????]
Just a question...
But I think we should disempower these folks in the "potential" sexual blackmail arena by ignoring anything and everything about their consenting adult to adult sex lives.
Whereas, child sexual abuse, whomever it involves, should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
I think Alan Dershowitz' commentary on WAMC this morning has been the best evaluation of this situation I've heard thus far.
We need to stop confusing personal and political morality. Many of the greatest politicians have had a less-than-sterling personal life. This has little or no bearing on their ability to be a great leader. As for whether or not you may want one as a spouse is a different story, and should be treated as such.
The voters elected Spitzer to serve a 4 year term. Having seen no evidence at this point that Spitzer has somehow committed a crime against the people of NYS, I think the voters should have an additional opportunity to express their opinion of Governor Spitzer in the next regular election. And this should be the case regardless of political affiliation. Jeremy, I think it is especially poignant that your associate said if it were the other way around we'd be trying to make it worse. It is critical that we begin to acknowledge the line between the private and public lives of our elected officials and stop attempting to create political gain through the exploitation of private indiscretions.
This is a personal, private matter. It should be treated as such.
And for 9:23, where has any crime been committed against a woman?! Drop the Sennett nonsense. It has no bearing on this.
Jeremy:
Spitzer should have been our best governor since Hebert Lehman.
Unless he was undercover,the charges appear to be violation of the Mann Act, money laundering and various other "misdemeanors". He has no alternative but to resign. I would believe that he is now using his title to establish some type of defense which would eliminate "jail" time.
A sad ending to what should have been a brilliant career launching him to the White House. Another star that burned out way to early. He just doesn't have the clout that Clinton had to battle this horrendous deed.Can you imagine if any one of his staff had been charged with this same act
His enemies on Wall Street will all but annihilate his potential remain. I would ordinarily not pass judgement until I heard the entire charges, but at this time, I would recognize that plea agreements are now in place. Once these arrangements are positioned, than resgination will follow and Lt. Governor will take the oath of office.
Shelly Zimbler- a once proud supporter of the Governor.
If it looks like a DUCK, Walks like a DUCK, and quacks like a DUCK???
I also smell a big RAT running around jumping up and down with glee. They found a crack in the steamrollers armor and exploited it. Where did Spitzer find out about Emporer VIP?
This smells like the take down of a good politician for the satisfaction of the people he took down on Wall Streetfor corporate greed. PAYBACK???
Brittany, not only am I surprised how you support the objectification of women to be nothing more than sex toys, but how about his wife?
You are talking about someone BREAKING THE LAW, not the sex. It is not up to the individual to decide which laws are fair, and which ones are ok to break. There is a process in place to change laws. If Mr Spitzer wanted to legalize prostitution, and felt there is enough support around NY to do so, he could have included it in the budget.
You all should be happy. Paterson is far more liberal than Spitzer, although he hasn't as much clout.
Jeremy, for someone who constantly tell us you haven't the time to read all posts, you sure seem to have the time to reject posts on this subject which make too much sense.
I'm surprised the Democratic Party isn't happier about this.
Assuming Governor Spitzer resigns, Paterson has a chance to actually get the "Day 1" agenda implemented without the baggage and Bruno is politically castrated, finally giving the Democrats a real shot at a majority in the NYS Senate.
Jeremy,
Is it the noble thought of honest Goverment,or holding our elected officials accountable? Or is it the idea bringing goverment from the Van Allen astroide belt, back to earth.
We all had great expectations for our new Governor. Even when his iron fist approach to Bruno failed, I felt that he might just learn and try a differnt angle. Spitzer is a hypocrite, an adulter, and lacks moral integrity. His real crime is one of lying to the people of New York, extra marital sex, and not managing his personal finnaces in a legal, or ethical manner.Spitzer is a disgrace to the Democratic party, and all who labored with high expectations of a reform movment in New York.
By the way, the segment with Alan Dershowitz on WAMC,which Brittany refered to, really puts the light of logic into this debate. What enforcable law was broken? The Mann act? To qoute Dershowitz " Washington DC is a federal area, any one in the city who is arrested for prostitution has broken the Mann act. And, if they ever enforced it, half of Congress would be in jail."
So your idol is nothing more than a dirty politician. Your young and will get over it.
Bob Porter
Bob Porter
You have just lost my and my family's vote for school board. You have now proven yourself to be only a follower. How can you even reasonably want him to remain in office. He has not only betrayed his family, but also the voters and those who left went to work for him because they beleived in what he was doing. You left out a very important point about Spitzer's behavior...he broke the law. Can you say prostitution, money laundering, structuring and conspiracy. This from a man who held himself out as a pillar of what was right and passed judgement on others regularly. The whole time he is double talking all of us. He has to go for that reason alone. However, you are also missing the major point that he has also lost complete credibility and will be powerless should he stay in office. This guy was the biggest shame in NYS poltical history and you need to come out and admit it... we were all duped by the guy
1:07, if it isn't about the sex then why are you talking about objectification and sex toys?
I personally do not consider prostitution to fall into either of the two categories that you mentioned. In addition, I think the more steps taken to decriminalize the act and remove prostitution from the underground, the more likely it will be that those who are forced (either through coercion or simple lack of choices) into undesirable situations will have protection and recourse.
As for his wife, there are two people in that relationship. Neither one is talking. So what right do we have to presume that we know anything about the nature of their relationship? Spitzer did not bring this public criticism on them. In fact, he did everything in his power to keep it private which is, ironically, probably the only "crime" he will ever be indicted for.
It is the media and the public that have put Silda in a difficult position and eliminated any empowerment that she may have been able to gain from the situation. Our hunger for scandal and entertainment, at any cost, is putting a very real individual through hell, which I think we can all agree would have been better dealt with in private, as the family matter that it is.
Brittany, Please do us a favor and stop using the excuse that this is a family matter. It is not and it is insulting for you to claim otherwise.
If you don't believe me ask yourself and your friends this question, "How many times has your father brought a hooker home to meet your mother, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles for a holiday, picnic or other family gathering?"
I'm willing to be the answer is zero.
One: If prostitution is criminal, which our laws currently define it as, how about letting loose the ENTIRE client list of the Emperor's Club (or whatever the place is called)?
Two: I'm with you Brittany about the legalization of prostitution being in the best interest of women, men and our nation!
Three: I'm wondering if anyone else is reading the other headlines that we are being bombarded with, having to do with a Baptist church kicking out a KKK store (what was the KKK store doing there in the first place?)... the fact that 1/4 of our teenagers are being diagnosed with STD's... the "wonderful" news that there are all kinds of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water... and (these are just snippets...) the fact that we are spending more and more and more money (billions...) on an unjust, pre-emptive war that is FAR WORSE than Stephen King's killer car, "Christine" in high gear --- Spitzer's inability to control HIMSELF --- or B. Clinton's BJ ---
Four: Did I hear something about a woman that is employed by the IRS being a factor IN this prostitution ring???????????????
(I had to laugh, though it is tragically NOT funny...........)
Five: I once wrote a letter to the "Daily Freeman" suggesting that our politicians and prospective politicians be given lie detector tests (to which I would now add --- at random --- by a number of different organizations --- NOT controlled in ANY WAY by the government...)
Six: And I'm wondering...
Is there anyone else out there that thinks THAT might be a GOOD IDEA?????????????????????????
N.S.
I would like to draft Blaber for Governor!
9:06, I don't see how your question is remotely relevant.
So, ask yourself this instead.
When a spouse is suspected of cheating, is that situation blasted across the national media and left open to tremendous speculation and attack from people outside their social circle?
When a spouse is suspected of cheating, is the individual forced to quit his or her job or be fired?
When a spouse is suspected of cheating, are they coerced into doing what others are insisting upon rather than respecting and adhering to the wishes of the other partner, through which trust may begin to be rebuilt?
The way this situation is being handled is beyond offensive and doing more damage to Silda and the girls than if they had been left to deal with a personal matter privately. Please stop pretending to be so concerned about the welfare and well being of women when, clearly, you're not. I can think of one family of women who you've given very little consideration to.
People should not be subjected to the judgment of others when it comes to making personal choices on personal matters. That includes choices related to a marriage, and it also includes choices related to careers.
Everyone has indiscretions in their lives, and I would hope that no one would ever be treated the way Gov. Spitzer has been if those issues ever came to light. It's hypocritical to be "gunning" for him when you wouldn't want the same for yourself. It is pure hypocrisy.
Now, there are some sad CLOSED minded individuals here, if Jeremy's poll is accurate. 21 think Spitzer should remain? Now that's blind loyalty. And you wonder why there are people who continue to defend and support Bush?
NS, good points. I've also been following the coverage of the CDC report on STI's in teens and find that to be far more troubling and tragic than anything Gov. Spitzer may have been doing with a prostitute.
(Although, given the allegations around some of his activities, this just demonstrates the long standing need for sex education in schools...)
I really do not understand how the actions of two consenting adults behind closed doors is somehow more newsworthy than the life-threatening and preventable health problems facing America's youth. If we want to talk about sex, let's talk about THAT sex. It really speaks poorly to our priorities.
9:27, it's exploitation of both. The men are being overcharged and the women aren't taking home nearly the amount that the media is suggesting they do. Escort agencies generally take between 30 and 60% of the fee. Men should be charged reasonable rates and women should actually get paid for the work that they do. It's capitalism at its best.
From a blog of my own on the issue:
As it stands right now, there is a great disparity in the cost of sex work -- for street workers payment is minimal, if at all, with great costs associated with health care, legal fees, tax problems, etc. For "high class escorts" there is an enormously inflated fee, however a large percentage of that fee is returned to the agency, drivers, receptionists, etc. Legalization would bridge the gap between low wage sex workers and agency escorts, creating a standardized and more reasonable price for services and allowing more money to return to the worker him/herself. It would also improve the expectation of service for the consumer, with the market dictating that higher cost services are correlated with higher quality services, a scenario that is not currently the case. The burden of taxes, etc. should fall on the customer, not the provider.
I also think that bringing fees to a reasonable level on both sides of the spectrum will create an environment that is predominantly populated by those who choose sex work as a profession, rather than those who do it because "you can't make this kind of money doing anything else" or "this is the only thing I know how to do." I think one of the biggest reasons people are uncomfortable with sex work, especially prostitution, is because there is the assumption that many of these individuals, if given another choice of profession with comparable pay, would not choose sex work. I think this is generally true. However, there are many (even though it is probably not the majority) currently working in the sex industry who have truly chosen this profession. And there are many more who are not currently in the profession, but would very much like to be, if not for the legal and physical hazards of the "workplace" as it exists at present."
Also, for anyone interested in listening to the Dershowitz interview, it is being podcast at http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wamc/news.newsmain?action=article&ARTICLE_ID=1241886§ionID=231
Anonymous 8:43 wrote:
This is an embarrassment to New York State, to the democratic party and to everyone who supported him for the office of governor. He is supposed to lead our state and set an example for our children. He portrays himself as the crime fighter, as the champion of the little guy. He was our attorney general, the chief law enforcement officer of the state and he is now charged with committing felonies. We are not just talking prostitution. We are talking transporting a young woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution. It is called interstate trafficking and it is very serious. Add the severity of the crime to the fact that it happened on our dime, when he was traveling to Washington as our representative. Who cares about Elliot at this point, lets look at the impact this has on our children. Lets talk about how we explain to our daughters that our governor, one of our leaders, is paying a 22 year old girl to have sex. Try to explain to your children that our married governor is paying a girl not much older than his daughter to have sex. What do we say to our children when they walk in the room and see the newscasts and want an explanation.
What is even worse is the fact that people in our own party are standing up for him and urging him to hold out and not resign. Resignation should be a no-brainer. He has betrayed our trust, betrayed his party, betrayed everyone who supported his crusade.
Let's also remember his response to Alan Hevesi. He was the first to insist that Hevesi had to resign, whether or not he was convicted. Hevesi abused the taxpayers trust in order to protect his wife and family. Wrong, no doubt. But lets compare that to Elliot who abused the public trust in order to get laid and betrayed his wife and family.
Welcome Governor Patterson. The day cannot come quickly enough.
8:43 AM
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You have a true valid point however your presentation failed to focus on the typical New Yorker who actually works for a living. Unlike the governor whom he supported, he works for a living in a blue collar job barely making ends meet so there is no discretionary income for “leisurely matters”. He wasn’t born with a “silver spoon” in his mouth and attending a four year university was out of the question due to lack of funds. And what about his sons and daughters? Yes, they’re thinking of leaving the Empire State for better job opportunities that simply don’t exist in their region.
It is not the criminality of the act committed, but rather the arrogance on the part of the Governor that concerns me. The typical New Yorker struggles to match household expenses against income while the multi-millionaire governor blows $4500 on a prostitute! Yet, if average married Joe Blow has sexual fantasies-- it will culminate in a trip to the bathroom with a pornographic magazine in one hand….
And your correct about being a hypocrite. But the vast majority of politicians are this way and this is being done in the name of political expediency-- and they get away with it too! Spitzer won’t be criticized by the party until after he leaves office which should be soon. In the interim, Joe Blow still struggles amidst false hope and promises that one day his lot would improve. For every fallen politician, another will take his place for it’s business as usual--even in Ulster County.
Roll the tapes back Brittany. Spitzer took DOWN prostitution rings. People went to jail, lives ruined because of HIS belief of a justifiable law. That wasn't some ultra conservative taking down these rings for a profession you believe should be legal. It was SPITZER! One has to wonder, what sort of protection did he give the ring he patronized.
So stop with the, this should be legal crap. If Spitzer thought it should be legal, he shouldn't have gone after them as AG. So you can't defend him using an angle he doesn't believe himself.
5:41 says "If Spitzer thought it should be legal, he shouldn't have gone after them as AG." If a cop feels that marijuana should be legalized, should she or he not arrest someone in possession? It's not up to the cop, nor the AG, to decide which laws to enforce. No doubt that Spitzer was and is a hypocrite, but his patronizing a prostitute isn't our biggest problem. I'm having trouble paying my bills and putting $50 for a tank of gas in my car...I don't care if he wants to spend HIS money on hookers. If he was embezzling or taking kickbacks, then I'd be ticked off - but this is a victimless crime, and should be taken off the books.
Brittany you sound as smart as you look in that picture
This is hardly a victimless crime. Aside from what his wife and children are going through right now answer me this, what do you think Spitzer he would have paid or done to keep this quite in order to save his political and professional career? I can only imagine what might be extorted out of him by those who knew and would have sought to use this against him. There is no doubt he would have sold out the people of the New York to keep his dreams alive and to sweep uner the rug his selfish acts.
Brittany, loved your 7:43 post. It really makes perfect sense. A true economic anyalsis that weighs the costs as well as the benefits of what we have now and what we might expect to obtain in the future. The focus of the post is crystal clear and does not get bogged down with that whole human element of prostitution. Welcome to the
Republican party.
11:17 - right now, the only victims are his wife and children, making it a family matter. You're right about the POTENTIAL of him getting blackmailed and extorted, but since that DIDN'T happen, your "what ifs" don't apply. But - since the prostitutes are the ones who are prosecuted, why aren't the 50 women getting arrested? And why aren't they going after the other clients? Spitzer is an idiot for doing this - but if prostitution was legal, then there'd be no need to fear about blackmail, extortion, etc.
If these posts expressing blind loyalty to a hypocritical elected official who broke the same exact laws that he in fact prosecuted people for only a few years ago are indicative of the democratic party in this county and state....we are all in trouble. Why is it so hard to admit this guy had to go for this behavior. What you all failed to point out is that this would of been all they were talking about for the next three years...he would of been powerless to get anything done. He did the right thing by stepping down and now he should just go away. Ask yourselves what would you be saying if this happened to Pataki
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