Dem. NY Governor Eliot Spitzer to resign over Sex Scandel LOL

[The Bar Keep]

Spitzer Allegations Send Wave of Shock

By JAMES BARRON
Published: March 11, 2008
The idea that Gov. Eliot Spitzer — the square-jawed clean crusader who promised to bring ethics to Albany, the former prosecutor who chased corruption on Wall Street so ferociously that people nicknamed him Eliot Ness — was somehow ensnared in a prostitution scandal was too much. New Yorkers who thought they had heard everything were, for a change, dumbfounded.

They had trouble folding their minds around what law enforcement officials said was contained in a federal affidavit — that Mr. Spitzer, identified only as Client 9, had arranged for a high-priced prostitute to meet him in Washington on the night before Valentine’s Day.

In political circles in Albany, on trading floors on Wall Street, they struggled to put their reaction into words. They said things like, “You’re not going to believe this,” and “stunning allegations” and, over and over, “unbelievable.”

And they said a governor who, only a year ago, had been quoted calling himself “the steamroller” — but with a vulgar flourish — had steamrolled his own career.


http://www.nytimes.com/20.../11reax.html?ref=nyregion

[The Bar Keep]

Scandal Puts Spitzer's Career in Danger

By AMY WESTFELDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Gov. Eliot Spitzer's political career teetered on the brink of collapse Monday after the corruption-fighting politician once known as "Mr. Clean" was accused of paying for a romp with a high-priced call girl.

The Democrat faced immediate calls to step down after a news conference in which a glassy-eyed Spitzer, his shellshocked wife at his side, apologized to his family and the people of New York.

"I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself," said the 48-year-old father of three teenage girls. "I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."

He did not discuss his political future and ignored shouted questions about whether he would resign. And he gave no details of what he was apologizing for.

But Spitzer was clearly examining his legal options; a spokesman said the governor had retained the Manhattan law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, one of the nation's biggest.


http://ap.google.com/arti...GyMHJCo51IdS-4twD8VAUFCG0

Democratic Lt. Gov. David Paterson would become New York's first black governor if Spitzer were to resign.

    See next quote from Wiki:

In accordance with New York law, if current Governor Eliot Spitzer resigns following the prostitution scandal, (first reported by the New York Times on March 10, 2008) Paterson would become the first black governor of New York and the first legally blind governor in the United States.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Paterson

[The Tavern Wench]

Interesting article on the subject:  Spitzer Scandal Sheds Light On Web Prostitution