: NEW YORK (AP) — New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, a Democrat known for his moral crusading, issued a public apology but stopped short of resigning Monday over reports he had hired a high-end prostitute.
Spitzer, a father of three who built his career fighting corporate corruption as New York state attorney general, issued only a brief statement after the reports broke, saying he had failed to live up to his own standards.
"I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family, that violates my or any sense of right and wrong," Spitzer told reporters, flanked by his wife of more than 20 years.
"I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public, whom I promised better," he said. "I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."
According to the New York Times, Spitzer was caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet a high-end prostitute at a Washington hotel last month.
Spitzer was believed to have called an exclusive ring known as the "Emperor's Club VIP," which was broken up by New York authorities last week.
The Times said that Spitzer learned last week that he had been implicated in the prostitution probe and informed his top aides Sunday night.
Prosecutors declined to comment on Spitzer's alleged involvement with the ring, although prostitution clients are rarely charged by federal authorities.
Prosecutors said last week the ring operated in cities across the United States and in London and Paris, employing more than 50 prostitutes who charged fees ranging from 1,000 dollars to more than 5,500 dollars per hour.
The club even offered clients the option of paying with cash, credit card, wire transfer or money order, selling the prostitutes' services through a website that ranked each of them on a system of one to seven diamonds.
His alleged involvement with the ring drew a swift call from the Republican Governors Association for Spitzer to step down.
"Eliot Spitzer campaigned on ethics reform; unfortunately the governor of New York has egregiously failed his constituents," the group's executive director, Nick Ayers, said in a statement.
"The governor of New York should immediately resign from office and allow the people of New York to pursue honest leadership."
Spitzer, 48, a former New York state attorney general, became governor in January last year, pledging to bring ethics reform.
At his inauguration, he used his address to say "we must transform our government so that it is as ethical and wise as all of New York."
His time in office, however, has been marked notably by a scandal involving the use of state police to keep tabs on Republican state senate majority leader Joseph Bruno.
It was during his time as attorney general that he earned a reputation for toughness and high ethical standards.
When he first took on the post, he locked horns with the Gambino Mafia family in a bid to break their hold on the New York and New Jersey waterfronts.
He later made a name for himself as one of the toughest corporate cops in the United States, with a crusade against Wall Street wrongdoers.
In May 2002, he led a spectacular victory over the Wall Street titan Merrill Lynch, which paid 100 million dollars to settle charges that it advised clients to buy stocks it secretly believed were "junk."
And in December of the same year, he helped wring 1.4 billion dollars out of top Wall Street banks and brokers for stock research abuses. His other targets ranged from the music industry to major insurance carriers.
During that period, he also prosecuted at least two prostitution rings, and according to the New York Times, in 2004 spoke with revulsion after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating one high-end ring.
I know this is newsworthy - it's the governor of the state of NY....but, can you imagine all the high ranking officials who practice in these type of activities on the "norm" and who are hoping that the attention on Spitzer will soon be over, as not to shine any attention on them as well?...I'd like to be invisible in one of those elite country clubs right about now....I bet a bunch of 'em are shaking in their boots!
just saw this on i *** s i d e edition now & get your digits right will ya m.t.o??????...the rates ranged from $3,000 p/hr to $31,00 for a whole day...why am i not shocked tho??????..America is such a "wannabe conservative" country judging, pointing fingers on everyone else but most of it's political figures are down right freaks!...paying for ***, having *** redezvous or what not...the catholic church having some of it's leaders molest young children or have *** *** as well,please, what a joke!
come on nemesis, lets be real, there is something wrong with "gettin' a lil *** on the side" whats the point of getting married if all you gon do is get a lil *** on the side, family first!!! for $3000 an hour thats absurd, hookers are like gas, they prices inflate too huh?? the wife should have spotted that money missing!!! a "real" woman would have, a sister would have!!!! every industry has people who smoke crack, snort coke, and hit hookers, only few people get caught
No nemesis.... There isn't anything wrong with getting a little booty on the side, as long as your single & you AREN'T the GOVERNOR.
I can't believe this governor thinks he can just go out, sleep with a *** (or hookers-who knows) while married with 3 DAUGHTERS and remain governor. He'll never get the respect he once had. Imagine looking in his face & having to have a conversation with him, especially being a female. Females wont feel confortable around him, you never know what he's thinking while your walking away. Come on now, he can't be serious. He gives a 2 second press conference telling on himself & say's im not taking questions. AND HE THINKS THIS IS OK. His wife looked like she wanted to backhand his a$$.
Come on Spitzer it's time to get going...
Never amazed when they trott out the co-depend piece they call a wife for sympathy. These women get not so much as a sniffle from me. They turn their heads from this behavior as the cost of being the first lady. These men don't suddenly spring into perverts over ***. But for a lot of golddiggers, yes they come in all income brackets, it's all good as long as he doesn't embarrass her in public.
And yes it matters, because it speaks to his moral fiber and his character as someone who can be trusted and believed. Preaching against crime to you face but using you tax dollars to indulge in crime.
Whats really pathetic about most of these so called morally righteous polictians is that they hire hookers. I mean these fools aint got enough game to get a regular chick for a one *** stand or mistress. They gotta buy some azz. Did he really think he was going to keep gettin away with it. He's a idiot.
guys come on you know the republicans are hard up for any information about you they can get because when the shi- hits the fan they revert to name calling and jabs at character....like how people say to this day george w is a better president then clinton because at least he didnt cheat....first off HE DIDNT GET CAUGHT CHEATING when in fact george isthe worst leader of history besides a few..hitler but he isnt far down.He is the worst of the modern days....and the amazing thing is he never won an election but just said fcuk it im going to be president anyways and we just let it happen...
I don't see the big deal is, so what he paid for a prostitute, it happens all the time. Look on the brite side he could have been caught with an underage girl/boy or he could have said he was ***. Give it a rest people, prostitution is one of the oldest professions in the world, the reason our government is so hard on it is because it's one business that's not taxable.
What a hypocrite. When he was a NY attorney general, he prosecuted 2 prostitution rings. There is no excuse to ever cheat. If you are not going to be faithful, don't get in a relationship. I don't care how good looking a guy may be, what type of swagger he may have, or how tight his game is, if he is not my man, he gets ignored. Did he think about his wife, his 3 daughters, or his career? Why would he hire a ***, when he is married? Why would he risk catching HIV, Aids, herpes, hepatitis (all of which have no cures), or other STD's and possibly passing them on to his wife? He is an idiot. If he is stupid enough to cheat, he deserves every word of criticism and to lose his job.
And he got ripped off, too! $4300.00 for the p u s s y, a $500.00 a *** hotel suite PLUS travel expenses for the *** to come to D.C. to fcuck him....He could have saved a bunch if he just went to the 'hood and got a stunt! P u s s y in the 'hood is much cheaper ---- buy the *** a new weave from the 99 cent store and a pair of sneakers or Tim's and it's ON! If you layin' out cash, $20.00 will get you a knutt....
This guy needs to resign ASAP! WTH is wrong with these mayors, governors and other people in high positions? How many opportunities do they think they'll get in life?
Spitzer was always after somebody, escort services, all the while being a patron of some of them. Get rid of this guy. NY get yourselves a new governor.
The REAL story here is.....if Spitzer resigns (which is likely) New York will have its first legally blind and AFRICAN AMERICAN governor in David Paterson, who is now the Lieutenant Governor.
You know Lt. Gov. Paterson is somewhere very quietly singing the Jefferson's theme song.
*Well we're moving on up...* lol
Obama should demand that Hillary denounce Governor Eliot Spitzer (for prostitution, one of her delegates) like she demanded Obama denounce Farrakhan. ---- carrell
>>>>>>>> HEY PEOPLE HE IS A SUPER DELEGATE FROM HILLARY'S HOME STATE OF NY... WHERE'S THE OUTCRY TO DENOUNCE THIS MAN FROM THE OBAMA CAMP!<<<<<<<<
After that --- who cares about him anyway! I know that all of those folks that he slammed in NY and on Wall Street are throwin a BIG PArty ***!
and that's the REAL 411!
