Breaking News: Spitzer Involved in Prostitution Ring: CAUGHT ON TAPE
UPDATE 6: (Putting it up here for its sheer newsworthiness): By clicking this link, you can read the criminal complaint, as well as the affidavit in support of the request for search and arrest warrants. Paragraphs 73 - 85 deal with “Client-9″, who is reportedly Eliot Spitzer, Governor of the State of New York. He is caught on tape arranging for the transfer of money to the escort service, and helping arrange for “Kristen’s” travel from New York City to Washington, D.C.
LEWIS said that they would probably not know until 3 p.m. if the deposit arrived because Client-9 would not do traditional wire transferring.
A headline from the New York Times: Spitzer Is Linked to Prostitution Ring
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. He is set to make an announcement about 2:15 this afternoon at his Manhattan office.
Mr. Spitzer, a first-term Democrat who pledged to bring ethics reform and 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.
Update:
From the New York Sun:
During a court hearing in the case, at which the four people were arraigned, it emerged that all three of the assistant U.S. attorneys assigned to the prosecution are part of the U.S. attorney’s public corruption unit. One is the bureau’s chief, Boyd Johnson III. The unit investigates wrongdoing by both elected and nonelected officials and bureaucrats at various levels of government.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan, Yusill Scribner, would not comment when asked whether a public official was among the clients of the Emperors Club. But the involvement of the public corruption unit raised eyebrows among the defense lawyers.
“When we first got the case, we were surprised that these were the assistants handling the case,”
Now we know why.
The Times story has now added:
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.
New York’s Channel 4 will have the presser live.
UPDATE 2: Sources: Spitzer Will Resign as Governor
George Holt > Eliot Spitzer?
UPDATE 3: Spitzer gave a very short statement acknowledging that he “failed to live up to the standard” that he had set for himself. He apologized to his family and the public, and said that politics is about ideas and the public good. He did not resign outright - not yet, anyway. He indicated that he needed to “take some time to regain the trust” of his family, and he did not take questions. He said he’d “report back” to us “in short order.”
You know, this is one of those stories I had to triple-check and make sure it was the real New York Times website I was reading.
UPDATE 4: The Times is now reporting that Spitzer was recorded on a federal wiretap arranging for the hooker’s services:
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.
An affidavit in the federal investigation into a prostitution ring said that a wiretap recording 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 hotel room. The person briefed on the case identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.
WBEN is saying that Fox News is supposedly reporting that Spitzer has been indicted. I can’t confirm that anywhere. Looks like he hasn’t been indicted. Yet.
Via Ben Smith comes Here’s a cached version of the escort service site with which Spitzer is linked.
UPDATE 5: At least he wears a lapel pin. Also, for sheer entertainment value, Sir Norman Fry, M.P.:
wcp Says:March 10th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Male or female? Oh my.
jesse Says:March 10th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
All you can do is laugh laugh laugh. Spitzer is such a badass.
LC Scotty Says:March 10th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
I’m a fucking condom roller!!
Greg Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
if we’re lucky it will be hte end of this putz’s political career
I hope he resigns in the next day or two
iNdAbUFF Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:10 pm
If he resigns, Patterson is next in line for gov seat…right?
Pauldub Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
[DELETED at Pauldub’s request]
Dan Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:18 pm
He’s resigning.
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local&id=6010544
Terry Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
Pauldub…you should copyright that comment before it gets national play….
iNdAbUFF Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
PD…THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!
Jon Splett Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Wow.
Not only is this bafflingly idiotic on his part politically but his wife is actually pretty hot for an old chick.
http://www.wheresthepaper.org/NYT061110HerNextJobFirstLadyOfNY_files/image002.jpg
Terry Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
She IS hot…and soon to be available, I bet……and possibly well off as well…anyone have her number?????
Mike Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Another black eye for the oldest profession.
Ben Franklin Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Sheriff of Wall Street, or whatever the f*ck they call him. Bye, bye you arrogant SOB. Joe Bruno’s got to be laughing his ass off!!!
LC Scotty Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Dubs, you’re killing me….
hank Says:March 10th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Dub==was that a “Spritzer” or a “Spitzer”?
What the hell would he resign for? Only Republicans resign due to sexual scandal. Democrats? Kennedy, Frank, Stubbs? They’re Crowned as Heros.
Bill Altreuter Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Maybe Eliot and Judge Tills can get an apartment together.
Howard Goldman Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I normally hate to see any person self-destruct. I actually feel empathy for Governor Spitzer.
However, I have been saving an old Cuban Cohiba Robusto (with the old dark-reddish wrapper)in my humidor for more than 5 years.
If this means that we may not be expanding and privatizing our lottery gambling, especially the game referred to as video crack, to fund an endowment fund for UB (no slight on UB intended here), I may have to finally light that baby up.
Denizen Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Super-rich dudes paying for sex must be something new…
whitney Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
I’m offended and very disappointed.
Chris Smith Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Bringing passion back to Albany indeed…on Day One, he called a who-uh.
Jon Splett Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
You know, with the amount of politicians brought down by hookers over the years, you’d think a few more of them would advocate legalizing prostitution.
TheRover Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Never one to pat myself on the back, or say “I told you so”….but this time I can’t help it. Anybody who bought this clowns load of shit and voted for him should take a long look in the mirror to see just how really stupid you are. He was a lying ass from Day One. The thought of Spitzer stepping down gives me more hope for NY than I have had in many, many years!
hank Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Though Conservatives don’t demand “Apologies” for every perceived slight as many Liberals do, why can’t he just “Clinton” it and get back to work?
If Spitzer resigns, it sure makes someone who lied under oath about it and allowed himself to go through impeachment to keep the job seem even more out of whack.
OK—if it’s all true he paid for a roll in the hay. If that was enough for you to have to give up a position of public trust, most of the Armed Forces would have to be discharged, from Admirals and Generals on down to lowly privates!!
I mean if he was getting some kind of financial gain from the operation, i.e. he was PART of it, that’s one thing.
But if the President can get some tail off a young girl for free and lie about it and THAT’s cool with the country, why can’t a Governor PAY for it. At least he was trying to stimulate the economy, no?
(Disclaimer–even as a R, I thought Tom Suozzi was the right man for the job–at least the one who could get elected in blue blue NYS)
Terry Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Mrs. Spitzer has a degree from Harvard Law..so, I doubt that a woman of that capability wasn’t aware of what was going on….perhaps she is taking a page from the Hillary Clinton Book on Strategy…….very interesting
hank Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Shit–now that I’ve seen the wife’s picture—I’d hit it. Nothing wrong with her.
It’s just something with pols of ANY stripe. Big Egos maybe. The feeling of power they get–Spitzer just doesn’t look like a Horn-Dog to me. Not that I’d stick up for the moron, of course. never figured out how he got elected in the first place.
Howard Goldman Says:March 10th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
We may have been too late to help Mrs. Spitzer, but hopefully our services can prevent the next debacle.
http://www.emperorsclubvip.org/
Bill Altreuter Says:March 10th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
It is a bit more than an infidelity, or even a John law violation. The accusation here is that he paid for the transportation of a woman across state lines for immoral purposes. It’s a Mann Act violation and apparently New York public officials need a refresher course in federal criminal law. They sent Chuck Berry away for it, and you can bet that Eliot Spitzer the prosecutor wasn’t easy on other violators. This is the biggest fall from grace by a New York politician since Sol Wachtler flamed out, and it’s a damn shame. Spitzer recognized that the culture in Albany was corrupt and dysfunctional, and we were close to getting a Democratic majority in the State Senate which would have made substantial reform possible. I don’t see Patterson accomplishing anything in that line– he is a product of the Albany system. It is incredible to me that Client 9 could have been that stupid.
Ward Says:March 10th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
What’s wrong with Emperor’s Club VIP’s website? It keeps going down on me.
Jack Says:March 10th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Think the wife will stay with him ? They knew the guy at the escort service so it wasn’t his first time. That guy is probably the most arrogant politician we’ve ever had. I’m not at all happy with Patterson. I see a Cuomo back in the mansion. OUCH, I hated his father as Governor, and I worked for the State. Will Patterson name the Control Board members ?
Paul Jonson Says:March 10th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
How does the guy who was a political contributor to Spitzer feel? Spitzer used that guys name as an alias on the hotel room and to the Emperor’s Club. George Fox I believe his name is.
TseTse Says:March 10th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I am amazed that the man didn’t know any better, like 1) make the appointment from a pay phone, and 2) rendevous at a crowded club first, not at a registered hotel room. At those prices I guess he didn’t want to waste any clock time.
Eisenbart Says:March 10th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
His poor wife, looks like she’s had her heart ripped out of her chest.
Stephen Nazwisko Says:March 10th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
*still pounding head on wall*
mike Says:March 10th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Hank, If he would of been a marine, he would of got arrested with a male hooker, because we all know fire island=paris island. Plus he would of been a homophobic republican.
Chris Smith Says:March 10th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Don’t blame me, I voted Suozzi.
Jack Says:March 10th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
So.. if we’re talking Mann Act, then Eliot is on par with Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry? At least they made it into the R&R Hall of Fame. Don’t put yourself out there as the holier-than-thou candidate if you are going to go all Gary Hart on your legacy. It took 25 years for him to rehabilitate himself, Eliot. Bukharin? He paid with his life. Choose wisely.
Chris Smith Says:March 10th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
If Spitzer resigns, Paterson becomes Governor. Does this leave the Lt. Governor (and Senate tiebreaking vote) position empty? Or does Bruno ascend to the LG position?
Mike Kelly Says:March 10th, 2008 at 11:38 pm
BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: David Patterson; one of the most vehement anti-gun nuts in the state. Hide your weapons!!!! As for the wife and children of Spitzer; I hope they go through hell. Maybe the next politician will think twice knowing his family will be negatively affected.
Mike Walsh Says:March 10th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
We told you guys Elliot was a pure BS artist when you were all fawning over his rhetoric. Hate to say we told you so, but….
dougk Says:March 11th, 2008 at 12:14 am
what’s all the fuss about, didn’t clinton legalize this during his administration?
Dave A. Says:March 11th, 2008 at 1:02 am
I’ve been trying to come up with a smart-ass, witty remark, but I can’t; I’m just too depressed. The worst part is that I’m just not surprised anymore. Our elected officials - both parties - have become a gaggle of whores and thieves without even a pretense of morals or concern for the public they pretend to serve. I’m embarssed to say that they represent me in any way.
hank Says:March 11th, 2008 at 9:18 am
Apparently “Mike” is one of those guys who always envisioned himself as John Wayne, but didn’t pack the gear.
“Got FREEDOM?” thank a Veteran today.
To the guy who wrote this:
As for the wife and children of Spitzer; I hope they go through hell. Maybe the next politician will think twice knowing his family will be negatively affected.
The wife and Kids are VICTIMS here. Why wish them harm? Like things aren’t going to be hard enough for them.
John K Says:March 13th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I wish them good, family was not at fault. Is it true that Kristen used to be a call girl in an escorts resort in the islands, www.charlisangels.com?
I tried to find her photo in the current and past girls galleries, had no success. Had this guy taken erotic vacations? he won`t be the last one, that`s for sure.
news channel 13 albany live Says:May 24th, 2008 at 11:16 am
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