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In Eliot Spitzer; scandals
Chronicling the high cost of our legal system
Overlawyered
March 10th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Client 9 from outer space: Spitzer news open thread
In Eliot Spitzer; scandals
26
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- Around the web, December 4
- Volokh
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- Why Isn't Ohio's Indoor Smoking Ban Reducing Smoking?In 2006, Ohio voters approved a ban on smoking indoors, including bars and restaurants. The ban took effects in December 2006. One would think that the prohibition would reduce smoking...Jonathan Adler
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- NYU Law School's New Curve:
Best line heard so far, adapted from comment at Reason “Hit and Run”: “Hooker admits Spitzer link, quits escort service in disgrace”.
Daddy, that pretty lady isn’t Mrs. Spitzer.
I’ve been watching this from the beginning and I can’t find anyone who knows for sure that Spitzer is “Client #9.” They asked Greta Van Sustren how she knew this and her response was “I don’t. I only know that because that’s what our network has been reporting”
At first he was being indicted, then it turns out it was only a complaint and the governor’s name wasn’t even named. Then he had resigned, then they decided he hadn’t resigned. Then we find out rather than running the prostitution ring, he was a customer, merely a misdemeanor offense that typically carries a mere fine. After all this uncertainly, I don’t necessarily believe the news organizations reporting that he is “Customer #9″
I know no one ever accuses the NYT of media bias; they’ve cemented their reputation in objective journalism and live as standard bearer for future generations of reporters. But I found it odd that it was not until the last few paragraphs in which his party affiliation is presented, and it requires an inference (albeit a small one) to determine his line. Maybe it’s just me being hyper-vigilant. Yes, I believe that must be the case.
Jim, while he may not be Customer #9, he apparently was involved enough in some misdeeds to schedule a teary eyed new conference. I suggest you read the NYT article, it points out that co-ordinating prostitution across state lines carries some heavier fines.
What I’m hearing is that he thought he was going to be attending a small, exclusive seminar about effective campaigning techniques in the face of complete local media buy-in, and the associated ethical boundaries, but realized too late that what sounded like “snow job” was actually something else.
Either that, or his aides did it.
The taller you stand, the harder you fall.
Todd you piqued my curiosity and I checked the NY Times archives to see how they reported the Senator Craig incident and found they didn’t mention his party affiliation until the last paragraph as well - just kidding!! It is in the first line
“Senator Larry E. Craig, Republican of Idaho, was arrested…”
August 28, 2007 - By THE NEW YORK TIMES - U.S. - 465 words
For Reason H&R comments, I’m partial to “The only thing that could make this more scandalous would be if it was revealed that he enjoyed a cigarette afterwards.”
I’m also wondering what a $1300/hour prostitute would consider to be so sexually dangerous that she needed to be warned beforehand, but that’s just prurience.
Inasmuch as President Bush has been blamed for 9/11, Al Qaida in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, Global Warming and virtually every other ill in our world; doubtless the NYTimes will soon feature an article about the hazards of dispensing Viagra to seniors under the Bush-proposed prescription assistance plan - thereby linking President Bush to Spitzer’s urge to seek the company of prostitutes.
It’s the week of prostitution stings:
Former Judge Tills resigns amid FBI prostitution investigation.
http://www.buffalonews.com/home/story/294809.html
Not to mention the reported investigation of federal judge Nottingham, nicknamed “Naughty”, in Colorado.
Wish he had put some of that energy into getting more high tech jobs for the Capitol District Area. We should all sue for our lack of jobs up here… At least the hookers get paid…
Imagine that…. who can he find to blame - that’s the american way, isn’t it?
It will be amusing to watch which politicians call for his immediate resignation and which ones bite their tongue to avoid claims of future hypocrisy if they ever find themselves in the same position. It has been well-chronicled that prostitution is far more prevalent in Washington than one might be led to believe by the public outcry we will certainly see over the next few days.
My favorite line was “Spitzer vows not to rest until he puts self behind bars.”
Dealbreaker is running good stuff.
And on another blog, a commenter imagines the phone call Spitzer must have made to Hillary Clinton at 3 a.m.
Ironically, it appears that the feds found the prostitution service because they were suspicious of Spitzer’s large payments to their front.
I object to this trivial lawyer gotcha. This illegality where no harm occurs may even violate Lawrence v Texas.
He will not get charged for the damage done to the economy by his unjust attacks on productive sectors of the economy, as NY Attorney General.
This gotcha approach represents lawyer bad faith. The infraction is a pretext, a false use of a trivial infraction.
I suggest ending all immunities for the huge damage done in litigation.
On the other hand, he used pretextual gotchas. He deserves this fate.
It reminds me of Clinton. He was hated for raising taxes, but had immunity for that giant theft. His pals, the trial lawyers, hounded him on a trivial deposition misleading statement.
The public always pays. In the case of Clinton, gotcha consumed 100’s of hours of his time for his defense. The result? 9/11.
One wonders how the public will pay for this small minded lawyer persecution of Spitzer.
For the last 6 months, out of annoyance and distaste at his antics, I’ve been referring to him as “the one-term Governor of NY”…..but DAMN !!!…he’s not even going to make a full term !
Goodbye, Eliot. Go bully your dog, or browbeat the gardener. New York won’t miss you.
Rule #1 in Life:
Don’t have huge amounts of mysterious cash payments flowing interstate hither and yon from your financial accounts. The Feds pick up on this immediately, and you suddenly have a giant bullseye painted on your back for the FBI and IRS.
Spitzer is going to be living from this point forwsrd in a World of Pain.
America likes to build up its heroes so they can then tear them down. Such a pathetic fall from grace
You guys have all missed the positive side of this. You should note that Spitzer supported his state by importing a NY girl to Washington rather than using a local girl. Hence, he was able to support the NYS economy while out of state. Now, that certainly is commendable.
Rick
Stephen Colbert notifies the New York Post that he has dibs on “Elliot Mess.”
“…but political pundits who took to heart Spitzer’s promise that he’d keep corruption and scandal out of Albany were stunned to learn of the news.”
Maybe his high priced attorneys can spin this to show how dedicated he was to his duties as governor. He was so dedicated to the cause of removing prostitution from NY that he arranged to have a prostitute leave NY and come to Washington, thereby decreasing the number of prostitutes in NY by one. If only all politicians would show this level of dedication!!
Ara,
Elliot Mess is good.
The actual New York Post headline is good, too:
“Ho No”