The fall of Eliot Spitzer: “Client Number 9?” Update: Report – Expected to resign; Report – indicted?; Update: “I apologize to my family. I apologize to the public.” Rumor: Resignation at 7pm?; Federal wiretap info; Wall Street cheered; Update: The alias (”George Fox”) and the affidavit

By Michelle Malkin  •  March 10, 2008 01:24 PM

1spitzer2.jpg

Scroll down for updates…3:00pm Eastern Spitzer is expected to resign…Wow. This is an astounding turn of events for a ruthlessly ambitious, self-styled crusader against corruption. Proverbs 16:18, anyone?…3:06pm Eastern Fox sources reporting that Spitzer has been indicted in the Emperors’ Club case (update – Fox clarifies that it’s not an indictment, but a sealed criminal complaint…here it is…)…3:15pm Eastern. Via WCBSTV, which livestreamed Spitzer’s brief statement: “I apologize to my family. I apologize to the public to whom I promised better…I do not believe in the long run that politics is about individuals…I failed to live up to standard I expected of myself…I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family…I will get back to you in short order”…No questions. No reference to the prostitution ring. No reference to resigning. No reference to indictment….WCBS reports Albany buzz about possible resignation at 7pm and swearing-in of Lt. Gov. David Paterson…WCBS TV’s Marcia Kramer was in the room for Spitzer’s statement. She says his wife was by his side….Allah notes information about Spitzer getting caught on a federal wiretap…His alias? George Fox…here’s the affidavit…

1eliot002.jpg

Mr. Clean–you know, the guy who called himself a “f–king steamroller” –comes clean:

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.

Mr. Spitzer, who was huddled with his top aides inside his Fifth Avenue apartment early this afternoon, had hours earlier abruptly canceled his scheduled public events for the day. He scheduled an announcement for 2:15 after inquiries from the Times.

Mr. Spitzer, a first term Democrat who pledged to bring ethics reform an end the often seamy ways of Albany, is married with three children.

Just last week, federal prosecutors arrested four people in connection with an expensive prostitution operation. Administration officials would not say that this was the ring with which the governor had become involved.

But a person with knowledge of the governor’s role said that the person believes the governor is one of the men identified as clients in court papers.

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.

He had a difficult first year in office, rocked by a mix of scandal and legislative setbacks. In recent weeks, however, Mr. Spitzer seemed to have rebounded, with his Democratic party poised to perhaps gain control of the state Senate for the first time in four decades.

Mr. Spitzer gained national attention when he served as attorney general with his relentless pursuit of Wall Street wrongdoing. As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

JWF notes this passage:

As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“”This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. ”It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”

He had been scheduled to meet with family planning activists this morning and canceled. NY politicos are “shocked.” Very sad for his family. Allah will have vid of the press conference.

More about the prostitution ring, the Emperor’s Club…Is Spitzer “Client Number 9?”

Four organisers and managers of the international ring were arrested by US authorities and charged with conspiracy to violate federal prostitution laws, Newsday.com reported.

Another two of the men were also accused of attempting to launder more than $1.08 million in illicit proceeds from business.

The ring was known as the Emperor’s Club VIP and offered 50 prostitutes in New York, Paris, Washington, Miami and London, The New York Times reported.

The appointments, made through an online booking service, cost between $1076 and $5921 an hour.

The United States attorney’s office said the leader of the ring was Mark Brener, 62, of New Jersey, who delegated operational duties to Cecil Suwal, 23, also of New Jersey, the newspaper reported.

Suwal oversaw the ring’s accounts and oversaw two booking agents, Tameka Rachelle Lewis, 32 of Brooklyn, and Tanya Hollander, 36, of Rhinebeck, New York, according to court papers quoted by the paper.

If found guilty, Lewis and Hollander face a maximum of five years in prison.

Brener and Suwal each face an additional 20 years in prison, if convicted of the money laundering charge.

The group’s website, which can be access through an internet archiving service, described its services in an indirect manner.

A section of the site, Portfolio, had a selection of photos of women, all with their faces obscured.

Under each photo and mononym was a rating using diamond symbols that ranged from three to seven.

“We offer a convenient variety of services globally,” the introduction to a 2007 version of the site states.

“Specializing [sic] in deluxe concierge, model introduction, spokes model and contemporary art is our expertise.

“We act for a select group of educated, refined and successful international clients who give their best in all they do and who, in return, only wish to receive the best.

“Our meticulous standards ensure that you always experience the quality you’ve come to expect in a world-class service when working with Emperors’ Club vip.

“Best of all, our innovative social introduction / dating services allow you a luxuriously enjoyable dating / travel experience with ‘no strings attached.’

The NYSun:

Mr. Spitzer, who abruptly this morning canceled his scheduled meetings today in Albany, alerted his staff today that he was connected to an investigation of a prostitution service that charged up to $5,500 an hour.

The New York Sun reported today that prosecutors specializing in government corruption cases are leading the investigation into the prostitution service, suggesting that the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan may have evidence that a public official hired a prostitute.

Federal prosecutors last week unsealed a criminal complaint charging four people with running Emperors Club VIP, which advertised itself as an escort service. Prosecutors say the Emperors Club employed more than 50 high-end prostitutes.

Flip Pidot: From Troopergate to Shtupergate.

Lawhawk plays Name That Party.

***
Timeline…Fox reporting that Spitzer may have been in D.C. on Feb. 13, cellphone records reportedly show him contacting the Emperor’s Club that night, then appearing on Capitol Hill early the next morning.

Via the US Attorney’s Office press release, March 6, re. the Emperors’ Club bust:

MICHAEL J. GARCIA, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, MARK J. MERSHON, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and PATRICIA J. HAYNES, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the United States Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigative Division (“IRSCID”), announced today the unsealing of charges against MARK BRENER, a/k/a “Michael,” CECIL SUWAL, a/k/a “Katie,” a/k/a
“Kate,” TEMEKA RACHELLE LEWIS, a/k/a “Rachelle,” and TANYA HOLLANDER, a/k/a “Tania Hollander,” for their roles as organizers and managers of an international prostitution and money-laundering ring called the Emperors Club VIP (the “Emperors Club”). All four defendants were charged with conspiracy to violate federal prostitution statutes; BRENER and SUWAL were also charged with conspiring to launder more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from the prostitution crimes. BRENER, SUWAL, LEWIS, and HOLLANDER were all arrested this morning, and are expected in Manhattan federal court later today for their initial appearances. According to the Complaint unsealed today:

BRENER, SUWAL, LEWIS, and HOLLANDER used the Emperors Club to arrange connections between wealthy male clients and more than 50 prostitutes in, among other places, New York, New York; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, California; Miami, Florida; London, England; and Paris, France. The defendants charged the
clients fees ranging from $1,000 to more than $5,500 per hour for prostitution services.

The Emperors Club took in more than $1 million in illicit proceeds from its international prostitution business. It accepted payment in the form of cash, American Express
charges, wire transfers, and money orders. To conceal the illegal nature of the business, BRENER and SUWAL received prostitution proceeds in United States bank accounts in the names
of front companies, including two accounts in the names of “QAT Consulting Group, Inc.,” and “QAT International, Inc.” The Emperors Club advertised their prostitution
services in part through the use of a website that included photographs of Emperors Club prostitutes’ bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates for different categories of
prostitutes. The Website ranked the prostitutes using a ranking system from one to seven diamonds, and charged hourly rates according to the assigned ranking. According to the Website, the Emperors Club charged $1,000 per hour for a three-diamond prostitute, and $3,100 per hour for a seven-diamond prostitute. The Website also offered the Emperors Club’s most valued clients “membership” in the “Icon Club,” a status which allowed the clients to access restricted areas of the Website and permitted them to schedule appointments with the most highly-ranked prostitutes, whose fees started at $5,500 per hour. According to the Website, in certain circumstances, the Emperors Club also
offered its clients the opportunity to exercise a “buy-out clause,” which permitted them to purchase direct access to one of the Emperors Club’s prostitutes without having to contact the agency.

BRENER was allegedly the leader of the Emperors Club, with ultimate decision-making authority. He recruited prospective prostitutes, determined how to market the Club’s
prostitutes to clients, and resolved problems that arose. SUWAL was the day-to-day organizer of the Club’s operations. She controlled the Emperors Club bank accounts,
supervised the booking agents, and received applications from the prospective prostitutes.

LEWIS and HOLLANDER were allegedly booking agents for the Club. They took requests from clients and coordinated meetings with prostitutes over the telephone, and referred issues relating to payment to SUWAL.

In connection with today’s takedown, the FBI and IRS-CID executed three search warrants on locations connected to the Emperors Club’s operations and four seizure warrants for bank
accounts containing proceeds of the organization’s criminal activities.

BRENER, 62, and SUWAL, 23, both reside in New Jersey; LEWIS, 32, resides in Brooklyn, New York; and HOLLANDER, 36, resides in Rhinebeck, New York. If convicted, the defendants
face maximum sentences of 5 years in prison on the count charging conspiracy to violate the federal prostitution statutes; BRENER and SUWAL face additional maximum sentences of 20 years in prison on the money-laundering conspiracy count.

Mr. GARCIA praised the investigative work of the FBI and IRS-CID.

Assistant United States Attorneys BOYD M. JOHNSON III, RITA GLAVIN, and DANIEL STEIN are in charge of the prosecution. The charges contained in the Complaint are merely
accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

1emp.jpg

Update 4:10pm Eastern. Brenda Buttner on FNC reports that Wall Street cheered upon hearing the news of Spitzer’s troubles. The joke among traders about the Emperors’ Club scandal is that Spitzer the Emperor had no clothes–literally.

Update 4:13pm Eastern. More on the wiretap.

Update 5:30pm Eastern. Ed Morrissey takes a short trip down Spitzer memory lane.

Update 8:00pm Eastern. Suspicious money transfers tipped the feds off.

More affidavit details.

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  1. Sister Toldjah
  2. The Jawa Report
  3. JammieWearingFool
  4. The Dark Citadel » Blog Archive » The fall of Eliot Spitzer: “Client Number 9?”
  5. Stop The ACLU » Blog Archive » New York Governor Eliot Spitzer Linked to Prostitution Ring
  6. Blogs of War
  7. Let Freedom Ring » Blog Archive » Spitzer to Resign Amid Allegations?
  8. Random-American - News Analysis and the Rantings of an Ordinary Citizen » N.Y. governor involved in prostitution ring?
  9. UrbanGrounds » Blog Archive » Eliot Spitzer Pays up to $5K/Hour for Prostitues?
  10. UrbanGrounds » Blog Archive » Eliot Spitzer Pays up to $5K/Hour for Prostitues?
  11. SLIMEBAG SPITZER TO RESIGN AT ANY MOMENT « The Catskill Commentator
  12. Spitzer In The Wind: New York Governor Reportedly Caught With Hand In The Cookie Jar : The Feldman Blog
  13. Pirate's Cove
  14. The Dan Lee Report » Blog Archive » Democratic NY Governor Elliot Spitzer admits to Googling more than the internet.
  15. Spitzer: Everything I always thought he’d be - UPDATED | The Anchoress
  16. Spitzer Swallows His Pride « Axis of Right
  17. preciseTruth
  18. A Blog For All
  19. This ain’t Hell, but you can see it from here » Blog Archive » It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy
  20. SPITZER CAUGHT IN PROSTITUTION SCANDAL « Texas Hold ‘Em Blogger
  21. Eliot Spitzer, Governor of New York, Linked to Prostitution Ring as Client 9 … Resignation Cannot be Far Away | Scared Monkeys
  22. Dem NY Governor Is Alleged Whorehopper « Out West
  23. Diary of the Mad Pigeon
  24. Spitzer Can’t Communicate his Way out of Sex Scandal
  25. PAXALLES
  26. It’s Never Good When “Prostitutes” and “New York Governor” Appear in the Same Headline : The Sundries Shack
  27. Michelle Malkin » Left and right agree: Eliot Spitzer must go
  28. Didja Hear? » Freedom Folks
  29. A Spitzing Image:If Eliot Spitzer Is A Fraud, What About Santa? : The Feldman Blog
  30. Tel-Chai Nation
  31. Hillary Clinton, Iron My Shirts Stunt vs Spitzer — atLindas
  32. Inmate Starved to Death, and Ho’s Get Ahead « Lemur King’s Folly
  33. New York's New Law Affects 3400 Affiliate Marketers | TopBusinessReviews.com
  34. New York Governor Paterson Says He Will Run in 2010 » Right Pundits

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Comments


  1. #263282
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pm, DLWright said:

    As someone somewhere once said: heh.

  2. #263283
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:27 pm, William Amos said:

    Oh man is this gonna go ballistic

  3. #263289
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm, Barry F. said:

    Ooops! You’ve gotta hate it when that happen, huh, Governor.

    The higher one puts himself/herself on a pedestal, the farther they have to fall. ;-)

  4. #263291
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm, NotaSlickFan said:

    I wonder if somewhere down the road he’ll use the “it depends on what the definition of is is” defense.

  5. #263292
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:32 pm, taylork said:

    It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.

    And this is different than government today, how?

    But seriously, I wonder if this will get the same amount of coverage Senator Wide Stances public restroom forays.

  6. #263293
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:33 pm, geminicontender said:

    Democrats will wash their hands of this by ignoring as much as possible. Were the prostitutes “illegal with drivers licenses?” Hillary must be ashamed. Her husband, now Spitzer who screwed her up with licenses for illegals. WAKE UP lefties. You are wrong on so many issues and the people who represent youare none the better.

  7. #263295
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:37 pm, geminicontender said:

    The whole Democratic party at the moment is just so delicious. I am so entertained by these morons. They just keep sticking their foot in their mouths. Affirmative action showing up with Barack and Hillary. Law breaking by Spitzer. Rezko making a place along with Obama’s reverend. This is so much better than anything on TV.

  8. #263296
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:37 pm, madchef said:

    I guess he should have pushed for legalized prostitution instead of drivers licenses for illegal aliens.
    Ha Ha

  9. #263299
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:39 pm, twall said:

    Looks to me that the DEMS have found their V.P. Nomination

  10. #263300
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:40 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    I wonder if somewhere down the road he’ll use the “it depends on what the definition of is is” defense.

    It’s only sex. Right? Not that it interferes with his daily work, or anything else. Just like Clinton.

    /sarcasm off.

  11. #263301
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm, tre said:

    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:31 pm, NotaSlickFan said:
    I wonder if somewhere down the road he’ll use the “it depends on what the definition of is is” defense.

    No, it’s just a vast right wing conspiracy against him.

  12. #263302
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm, WarTip said:

    Just political partying without regard for We the People. Business as usual for the bloated bureaucrats. Nothing to see here folks!

  13. #263304
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:41 pm, geminicontender said:

    Spitzer=party of disenfranchised. All he was trying to do was ‘franchise’ the business. What’s wrong with that. Go VP.

  14. #263306
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    If this was a Republican governor, everyone would be calling for his head and his resignation…NOW.

  15. #263307
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm, Barry F. said:

    Wait. I think Eliot is channeling Willy. What? What is that you are saying?… “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”?

    Okay. Apparently, according to Eliot, they were just sitting in a hotel room getting to know one another on a more intimate level. Nothing to see here. Move along, now. ;-)

  16. #263308
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:43 pm, capitano said:

    This self-promotion is disgusting!

    Spitzer is blatantly pandering to the Democrat party to wrestle the Vice Presidential bid away from Barack L. Ron Obama.

  17. #263311
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:44 pm, almeehan said:

    How sad for his wife and daughters. How sad for the American people who cannot seem to have people of integrity to lead. Perhaps the driver license debacle was indicative of something loose behind the wheel. Power corrupts.

  18. #263315
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:46 pm, John Ansell said:

    I guess this means he can run for Senator via Barny Frank style.

  19. #263316
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm, d1carter said:

    What an idiot! Playing by the rules are for all of us “little” people….

  20. #263317
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm, William Amos said:

    How many of these girls were illegal immigrants ?

  21. #263318
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:48 pm, gippergirl said:

    As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

    He was just going undercover in order to do his job…

  22. #263319
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:49 pm, mngirl said:

    Whoa! How the mighty fall.

  23. #263320
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:49 pm, txvet2 said:

    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    If this was a Republican governor, everyone would be calling for his head and his resignation…NOW.

    Yeah, but he’s not, so he’ll blubber and whine and blame it on Bush and everybody will shrug and forget about it.

  24. #263321
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:49 pm, madchef said:

    “The ring was known as the Emperor’s Club VIP and offered 50 prostitutes in New York, Paris, Washington, Miami and London, The New York Times reported.”

    “The appointments, made through an online booking service, cost between $1076 and $5921 an hour.”

    I want to see the client list from the Washington D.C Area.

  25. #263322
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:50 pm, jsr said:

    For Dems, this is a resume enhancer. Looks like he’ll be moving up fast in the party hierarchy.

  26. #263324
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:51 pm, olympian2008 said:

    Take your pick…

    “House of the Rising Sun”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBGXwX-TdTY

    “Love Potion #9″

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSy5I3zsAA

  27. #263325
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pm, taylork said:

    Heads will only roll if it’s found that he used taxpayer money to pay for his trysts. Otherwise it’ll make him more popular with the base, just like with Clinton.

  28. #263326
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:52 pm, John Ansell said:
  29. #263327
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:53 pm, William Amos said:

    If Elliot spitzer prosicuted and jailed people for Prositution how can he now argue for lienency ?

  30. #263329
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm, taylork said:

    Obama’s final nail?

    I don’t see how this hurts Clinton. In fact, given that she won the senate in part because of Bill’s philandering, maybe this helps her.

  31. #263330
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:54 pm, taylork said:

    If Elliot spitzer prosicuted and jailed people for Prositution how can he now argue for lienency ?

    Because he’s better than us mere mortals.

  32. #263332
    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:56 pm, gollumclone said:

    Big whoop- look at all the governmental incompetency, malfeasance and coverups. I’m sure the NY Times will feature these sordid stories at least as much as the Abu Graib ones. Where is the mainstream media on the Obama Chicago corruption stuff? zzzzzzzzzzzz.

    How many former Clintonites have dirty hands? Oh, forgive me, they were victims of Ken Starr’s witch hunt.

    Why should spitzer be any different than what goes on all the time with NJ politics? Will he be resigning? After all it is only about sex and powerful men have strong sex drives.

  33. #263335
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm, Random-American said:

    Well so much for that whole ‘Mr. Crimefighter’ thang.

  34. #263336
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:01 pm, MrVIBEMAN said:

    I think this song is a little more applicable.

  35. #263338
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:02 pm, tarpon said:

    LOL, it’s not like he was just tapping his toe or something.

  36. #263339
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:03 pm, taylork said:

    Hmm, if he’s resigning there has to be more to this than him just sleeping around. He must’ve used state resources somehow and is now trying to nip the scandal in the bud before we find something that’s a cause for conviction.

  37. #263340
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:04 pm, rooster said:

    A badge of honor for a democrap politician.

    Wonder if she had a New York drivers license?

  38. #263341
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:04 pm, taylork said:

    I wonder how much play this will get compared to the Rudy thing in November? This will be a great comparison.

  39. #263344
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pm, ajmontana said:

    Gives the Governors Ball a whole new meaning…..

  40. #263346
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:09 pm, Mookie said:

    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:42 pm, BlameAmericaLast said:

    If this was a Republican governor, everyone would be calling for his head and his resignation…NOW.

    Come on now. Everyone knows Republicans don’t have straight sex scandals.

  41. #263347
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm, taylork said:

    The chief mistake was him not having the last name Clinton or Kennedy…well, that and the prostitutes.

  42. #263348
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm, taylork said:

    Come on now. Everyone knows Republicans don’t have straight sex scandals.

    Well, Larry Craig’s was free, so does that mean he was the more fiscally converative man-whore?

  43. #263350
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:12 pm, Mookie said:

    Well, Larry Craig’s was free, so does that mean he was the more fiscally converative man-whore?

    Heh heh. Excellent point.

  44. #263352
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:12 pm, MrVIBEMAN said:

    Apparently at least five terrorists were killed, while at least one escaped, though he probably needs new eardrums and might ask for a raise before trying that again.

    I love it! A raise…lol…that’s great!

  45. #263355
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm, MrVIBEMAN said:

    Oops wrong thread!

  46. #263358
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:13 pm, Dimsdale said:

    In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

    Methinks he doth protest too much.

    Another Dem showing his true colors, with a healthy dose of “do as I say, not as I do.”

    Wotta putz.

  47. #263360
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pm, twoninerkilo said:

    If he wasn’t such a wimp he could have found a woman in a lounge for the price of a couple of champaign cocktails. BTW who picked up the tab for this floozy?

  48. #263364
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm, SHoward said:

    Leave it to AJ….

    Heh, Governor’s Ball…Heh heh..

  49. #263366
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:15 pm, DirkBelig said:

    WAIT!!! A DEMOCRAT involved in a sex and corruption scandal is getting CHARGED and RESIGNING?!? What does he think he is?!? A Republican?!?

  50. #263367
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm, SHoward said:

    This is certainly a resume enhancer on the left, though.

  51. #263368
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    I’ll laugh myself silly if they were illegal alien hookers.

  52. #263371
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:16 pm, taylork said:

    His defense: “I was only stimulating the economy”

  53. #263374
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:17 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Doesn’t this man have any interns?

  54. #263375
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm, ajmontana said:

    yeah aloha, you just cracked the case…lmao the main reason he wanted them to get to their appts. worry free.
    nuttin like a stressed out hooker. :shock:

  55. #263378
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:20 pm, ajmontana said:

    cueing the late night talk show writers……. what a field day they have for tonight. nothing like material dumping right in your lap.

  56. #263379
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:21 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    In June 2005, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson hailed Eliot Spitzer as “the future of the (Democratic) party.”

    Need there be more said about the Democrat party?

  57. #263380
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pm, Paul-Cincy said:

    Michelle, I appreciate the tone of your posting, when so many in the blogosphere take such a delight in the misery of those they disagree with (that is beyond pointing out the hypocrisy and irony of it, which is certainly fair game). Let’s not lose our compassion and wish maximum pain just because it’s a guy on the other side. That’s something Kossies or HuffPoites would do.

  58. #263381
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:23 pm, Mookie said:

    The poor wives always have to stand next to these a-holes. I couldn’t do it.

  59. #263382
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:24 pm, behiker said:

    Someone at work had switched the TV to MSNBC so I took a few minutes to listen to their “spin” on things. What I found interesting was when they proceeded to list other scandals involving governors it was always “Republican Governor so-and-so” or “Governor so-and-so” when it was a democrat. Not once was it mentioned or shown on the screen that Spitzer is a democrat. And some people still insist MSNBC isn’t biased; HA!

  60. #263383
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:24 pm, nyc123me said:

    I knew that guy was suspect right from day one.

    “The appointments, made through an online booking service, cost between $1076 and $5921 an hour.”
    and I wonder where that money came from.. you got it – taxpayers.

    Another case of democrapic ‘do as I say, not as I do’ syndrome.

  61. #263385
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm, RobM1981 said:

    Wow… so many interesting angles to take here. Such as:

    “Why is this kind of prostitution illegal in the first place?” You can make (and defend) all kinds of claims about prostitution victimizing women – but not in this case. If this were legalized and controlled, you’d have a fighting chance of keeping organized crime out of it, which leads us to…

    Did the Governor or New York get naked with someone affiliated with organized crime? Or was it just regular crime? Any chance that it was foreign crime, given that the ring was international?

    No chance at blackmail or State Security issues there. Naahhhh…

    or… do you think he can take the McGreevy approach and say something like: “My truth is that I am a horny American…” ???

    No, these aren’t the real questions we need answered. The real questions burning on everyone’s minds are:

    1. How long before he is offered Tenure at one of the “leading colleges in America?”
    a. 1 week
    b. 1 month
    c. 3 months
    d. 60 Minutes.

    2. Which “school” is Spitzer most likely to work at?
    a. Berkley
    b. Harvard
    c. Columbia
    d. The Heidi Fleiss School of Etiquette

    3. What course is he most likely to teach?
    a. Clintonian Ethics
    b. Theology: Why 4 and a half Commandments is more than enough
    c. The Lesser Known Landmarks of Washington DC
    d. PoliSci IV: Is that a Bill in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?

  62. #263386
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm, jsr said:

    Where are the trolls to dismiss this as much ado about nothing, and after all everybody needs to express their sexuality and the real problem is that prostitution is illegal?

  63. #263387
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:26 pm, e.koenig said:

    10 second press conference…with no resignation???

    Well it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.

  64. #263388
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:26 pm, docflash said:

    He just asked for FORGIVENESS.How he let his family down.Blah blah,the usual.The Dems will get this blown over.They can’t afford this scandal during the election cycle.

  65. #263389
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm, rightisright said:

    On March 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm, William Amos said:
    How many of these girls were illegal immigrants ?

    Check their driver’s licenses and S.S. cards

  66. #263390
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:27 pm, ajmontana said:

    Times like this he wishes he was Gov of Nevada……

  67. #263392
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:29 pm, Jaded said:

    Is he not a major Hillary backer? like the LA Mayor and her husband….the men around Hillary cannot keep their zippers shut!!! funny and neat all at the same time.

  68. #263393
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:30 pm, Seabecker said:

    re: #59 – Similarly, the AP report does NOT state this scumbag Democrat’s party affiliation.

    I guess it only matters when Rs do something bad.

  69. #263394
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:31 pm, BrianNY said:

    Maybe NOW the NYT will get serious about the loans that Mr. Spitzer gave to his politician son, Eliot, over his various political stages. It’s just as dubious a case as this one.

  70. #263395
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm, ajmontana said:

    geez! with ears that big you think he would have heard the Feds coming!

  71. #263398
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:33 pm, BrianNY said:

    Spitzer NEVER mentioned resignation in his confusing and short statement to the press today. He did, however, mention that this is a private matter (the old Clinton excuse.) Let’s wait to see if the Southern District of NY feels the same way.

  72. #263399
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm, publiuswarmac9999 said:

    Just another example of moral relativism at work. As with Bill Cllinton it isn’t about the individual but about the collective. We will see if Spitzer attempts to use Clintonian logic to stay in power. (In the great world of secular socialistic thought, religion with its moral absolutes is to be criticized and big government with its everybody a victim philosophy is to be lauded. Spitzer, therefore, is a more a cog in a machine than a real person with real failings.)

    Spitzer is a human being and like all of us a sinner. We should all pray for him and his family, the fall from grace is quite a tragic one here.

  73. #263400
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:34 pm, taylork said:

    Does this make his wife qualified to be governor now?

  74. #263401
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:35 pm, On-my-soap-box said:

    Surfing around, I could not find a single article that put a (D) behind his name.

  75. #263403
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:38 pm, Concerned Citizen said:

    A little Schadenfreude to start out the week.

  76. #263405
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pm, DirkBelig said:

    As someone who has never needed to pay for sex, I’m a little confused: What, exactly, do these women do that commands $5500 per hour?!? Deliver a complete home theater with big plasma TV and a surround system and make a couple of mortgage payments in addition to your ’round-the-world?

    The most high-powered attorneys don’t bill that much, so what’s up here? Unless you get to shag Angelina Jolie (and get the plasma TV), I just don’t see the basis for the price tag.

  77. #263406
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pm, Lilycat said:

    Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. After all the misery he caused others with his rabid desire for prosecutorial glory, it just seems fitting.

  78. #263408
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm, DanVanSmak said:

    So, rumor has it that The Spitz is going to punt at 7pm tonight to “quietly make this go away.” The only problem is that this won’t ever quietly go away. After he punts, no law firm on earth will ever touch him. Bill Clinton is Bill Clinton (and he can reverse gravy-train off President-Elect Yoko Ono — for a change), but the Spitz? What does he have that can help him get over? My guess is: not much. Sucks for you, Eliot. *out*

  79. #263409
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm, gayle said:

    Hey, it’s OK!

    Libs get a free pass on unethical behaviors.

    How dare we conservatives speak ill of this man!

    ….another one bites the dust……

    LOL!!

  80. #263410
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:41 pm, emjem24 said:

    Being that New York is my birth state, I cannot miss the irony of Spitzer’s situation. He was going to do so much good, too. Clean up Wall Street, give illegal immigrants NYS drivers’ licenses, and make New York state government more “efficient.” Again, Spitzer seems to have gotten caught in his own trap.

    If it isn’t the actual corruption or lack of ethics that gets you, then the illicit sex will.

  81. #263411
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:42 pm, SHoward said:

    Ya know, I was going to agree with some of you that indicated we should feel some empathy perhaps, or at least pray for him.

    I will agree he needs people to pray for him right now, and has always, and likely will always.

    But after the totally arrogant performance he has delivered as AG and now governor, it’s actually quite refreshing to see him tumble. Although I don’t live in NY, he has the potential to rise above state level politics, and his past persectutions of Wall St. and national corps. have influenced things far beyond his state.

    On the other hand, like I said before, (which was said way before me), this is probably more of a badge of honor or resume enhancement for the left.

    His ears sure do put Obama’s in perspective, though.

  82. #263412
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:42 pm, J S Ragman said:

    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:06 pm, ajmontana said:
    Gives the Governors Ball a whole new meaning…..

    Dang it, AJ. I have to clean the coffee off my monitor again.

  83. #263413
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:42 pm, SapsHaven said:

    And his replacement? Just what we need – another politician who lies about his background.

  84. #263414
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:42 pm, BrianNY said:

    #40 Mookie said:

    Come on now. Everyone knows Republicans don’t have straight sex scandals.

    As Rosie O’Donnel would say, “Is that even important?”
    1. Straight or gay, Eliot Spitzer’s liberal audacity and irresponsibility has just brought NY State government to a grinding halt.
    2. It’s sad that someone, as open minded as you, would interject the scorched-earth politics of personal destruction (gay vs. straight) at such a serious moment in NY State politics.

  85. #263415
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:43 pm, corona said:

    Hmmm … I can’t help but notice that a New York Times story is featured … Where’s the fishwrap?

  86. #263416
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:44 pm, txvet2 said:

    Hollander, Hollander, hmmmm… Any relation to the infamous Xaviera???

  87. #263417
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:45 pm, David e said:

    One of my physics students is from NY. She is going to get ribbed from me tomorrow.

  88. #263418
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:45 pm, SHoward said:

    Something else just came to mind: Tony Villar didn’t have to pay Marthala Salinas. What’s he got that Spitz ain’t?

    Hmmmmmm…..

  89. #263422
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:46 pm, ajmontana said:

    lmao, he says for a private matter? say what!!?? hello?
    typical dem crapweasel….

  90. #263423
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pm, taylork said:

    #84, learn to take a joke.

  91. #263424
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pm, BrianNY said:

    Lots of talk about a possible 7 PM resignation. I’ll believe it when I see it.

    However, if it is revealed that Eliot Spitzer (D) tapped his toe at one of the prostitutes from underneath a partition…he’s finished.

  92. #263425
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:51 pm, ajmontana said:

    for $5,500.00 per hour I’m sure you wouldnt waste precious minutes toe tappin…..

  93. #263426
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:53 pm, Straight_Talk_Luigi said:

    I’m going to watch over the next few days and compare the coverage of this to the bathroom stall incident of Larry Craig.

    The Democrats always seem to promise ethics, but that’s a misnomer, because the crux of their party is becoming “do it if it feels good.” That’s not ethical, it’s selfish.

    If this is prostitution, then I guess the whole theory of the far left that republicans are nothing more than sexually repressed old men applies to them as well?

  94. #263427
    On March 10th, 2008 at 2:53 pm, Mookie said:

    I wonder what will happen to Spitzer’s Super Delegate status.

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