His first year as New York’s governor has had some ups and downs, but Eliot Spitzer has maintained a reputation as a rising star. In some circles, it’s not unusual to hear talk about Spitzer as a likely presidential candidate at some point in the future.
It’s probably safe to say we won’t hear that kind of talk anymore.
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 early this afternoon, had hours earlier abruptly canceled his scheduled public events for the day…. 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…. 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.
It’s hard to know where to begin with a story like this, but let’s get the obvious point out of the way: it’s hard to believe brilliant people in positions of responsibility could be this stupid and this self-destructive. And yet, here we are.
I suppose a partisan response could be that Sen. David Vitter, the Louisiana “family-values” Republican, was caught up in an alleged prostitution ring of his own, and he ended up getting a standing ovation from the Senate Republican caucus. Larry Craig is still a senator. John McCain committed adultery and he’s the Republican nominee for president. Rudy Giuliani marched in a parade with his mistress and was taken seriously as a presidential candidate. Maybe, then, Spitzer can survive this scandal?
It may be a tall order. Getting caught committing adultery is bad. Getting caught in an expensive prostitution operation — up to $5,500 an hour — while in office is something else.
To be sure, there are facts we do not yet know. Talk about resignations is probably premature, at least a little.
But in case you’re wondering — and I know you are, because I was, too — the Lieutenant Governor of New York is a terrific Democrat named David Paterson, the first African American to hold this position. According to his Wiki entry, he was elected Senate Minority Leader in 2002, “becoming both the first non-white state legislative leader and the highest-ranking black elected official in the history of New York State.” He also is legally blind.
Plenty more to come on this story.
Update: The NYT piece has been updated: “Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a person briefed on the federal investigation. The wiretap recording, made during an investigation of a prostitution ring called Emperors Club VIP, captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a room. The person briefed on the case identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.”