The Spitzer Scandal Explained by A Three-Year-Old

Posted by Michael Clancy at 1:25 PM, March 28, 2008

Very funny stuff via superdeluxe

Eliot Spitzer and Roger Stone

Posted by Heather Muse at 10:33 AM, March 24, 2008

Even though he's gone as governor, the Eliot Spitzer scandal shows no sign of dying down in tabloid land. Today we hear from the madam who spills "Spitzer's kinky sex secrets" (Post) and the "Man behind Spitz 'Hooker' letter" (News), and both are enough to knock your socks off (horrible pun totally intended).

The Post interviews madam Andreia Schwartz, who has been deported to her native Brazil. She claims that Spitzer paid to watch couples have sex, and that he had a penchant for brunettes. As with the baseball story, the Post hits it out of the park with clever wordplay:

Former law-and-order Gov. Eliot Spitzer took surveillance to a whole new level when he indulged in watching couples getting it on, a Brazilian madam said yesterday in an exclusive interview from her tropical hometown.

The News meanwhile, takes a look at Roger Stone, the GOP operative who told the FBI of Spitzer's hooker habit, including the detail that the former governor liked to keep his black socks on during his dalliances. Both papers had the story on Sunday, but the News uses this opportunity to delve deeper into the life and times of Stone, including a piece by Elizabeth Benjamin on how Stone is an equal-opportunity trickster, as he reportedly threatened Joe Bruno spokesman John McCardle.

The News is clearly having fun with Stone, as they include a "Let Ye Without Sin Cast First..." sidebar all about his "greatest hits and misses as a GOP operative," which include being a member of Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President (CREEP) and forming "an offensively titled group to attack Sen. Hillary Clinton." It's obvious that Stone is a character who loves the spotlight, and the tabs are more than willing to shine it on him.

Hail to the Chief: The New Era of David Paterson

Posted by Heather Muse at 11:14 AM, March 17, 2008

Since Jim McGreevey's reinvigorated scandal has bumped Eliot Spitzer and his massive downfall off the front page, you have dig a bit deeper into today's papers to find any coverage. The News puts Spitzer all the way back on page 20 with an "exclusive photo" of the almost-ex-governor in the driveway of his country house. It's really not that exciting, but we take what we can get. Columnist Elizabeth Benjamin notes that while Paterson is ushering a new era of hope to the state, his changes probably won't be felt for at least another year. The timing of this scandal is such that the budget is due in two weeks, and Paterson is going to have to go with Spitzer's plans because of the time crunch. The News also includes "Five things new gov MUST do!" in its coverage, which includes learning to say "no" and hiring the best people.

The Post, meanwhile, uses "'HEALER' REPLACES HEEL" as its headline for its coverage. The articles may almost all be about Paterson, but the photos are of Spitzer and Ashley Alexandra Dupre. We only see Paterson standing next to Spitzer in a file photo from Election Night 2006. The Post is a dog with a chew toy—it doesn't want to let this story go. We should see what tomorrow will bring: Do we hear more about the "new era," or will we get more blurry photos of Spitzer driving in his car?

The best way to illustrate the differences in coverage is by looking at the strip headlines for these stories. The News goes with "SPITZER FALLOUT" on page 20 and "A NEW BEGINNING" on page 21 (complete with giant photo of a dignified, strong-looking Paterson) while the Post uses SPITZER SEX SCANDAL on pages 10 and 11.

Speaking of the Post, a source tells us that Friday's front page of a topless "Kristen" was most unwelcome by the news dealers on Kingston Avenue in Crown Heights. They told the paper's delivery truck to keep on drivin'.

Take the Spitzer Sex Scandal Tour of New York City

Posted by Duncan Meisel at 1:55 PM, March 14, 2008

A new tour idea for those irritating double-decker tour buses: the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal NYC tour!

See exotic sites such as:

The roots of the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring, in an apartment rented by Mark Brener in Middle Village Queens.

‘Hooker Booker’ Tameka Lewis’ apartment in Clinton Hill.

New Gov David Paterson’s former nabe in Harlem .

Eliot Spitzer’s Upper East Side apartment (but don’t get caught in traffic!)

Then head to Chelsea to seek out ‘Kristen’ (aka Ashley Dupre)’s apartment.

Last, anyone with time and a mind sick enough can follow the story across the river to New Jersey and visit pimp Mark Brener’s current apartment in Cliffside Park

Sex and the City: The Wild Life of Ashley Alexandra Dupre

Posted by Tab Hunter at 9:01 AM, March 14, 2008

Now that we know who "Kristen" is, it's time for some more backstory to emerge from the woman who brought down the governor. The Post touts exclusive photos of the high-priced call girl, but the News has the more compelling story.

In an interview with former pimp Jason Itzler (who himself pleaded guilty to running a prostitution ring back in 2006), we learn that Dupre was "probably the sexiest, hottest girl I had." Itzler claims Dupre was a customer favorite, and even once was dispatched with some of her colleagues to what the News calls "a night of role playing" with actor Charlie Sheen. The Sheen joke is too easy. Feel free to insert your own. Something seems a little off here, though. Even the News peppers in a few "Itzler claimed he met Dupre in the Gansevoort Hotel" (emphasis ours) and "Itzler…said he recognized Dupre after seeing her photo while appearing Wednesday on CNN." Could this be too good to be true? Is the self-proclaimed "King of All Pimps" angling for another 15 minutes in the spotlight? The News checked with the Manhattan DA's office and found that Dupre was not arrested when Itzler's operation was shuttered.

The Post tries to have it both ways in its coverage of Dupre today. They brag about the exclusive "glamour shots" of the most famous hooker in America, yet the coverage of Dupre has a whiff of righteous indignation about it. They did, after all, use "BAD GIRL" as the front-page headline. Andrea Peyser notes Dupre and Spitzer "deserve each other. One is mentally challenged by accident of birth. The other is that way by choice." Yeah, we don't really get who's supposed to be who either.

The Post is portraying Dupre as a spoiled brat looking to cash in on her newfound fame. The News is doing this too, but for some reason its coverage comes off as much more sympathetic. Maybe it's music critic Jim Farber's defense of Dupre's music. He admits it's not a groundbreaking achievement, but that the "cookie-cutter" track "may well say something worse about the state of dance-pop than it does about the quality of Dupre's talent." Or, it might just be that the News didn't splash the banner headline "OMG! I JUST DID THE GOVERNOR!" over pages 4 and 5. Good one, Post!

David Paterson Talks About Albany's 'Prostitutes'

Posted by Duncan Meisel at 4:00 PM, March 13, 2008

During Lt. Governor David Paterson's first press conference since Eliot Spitzer was revealed to be "Client 9" of a ring of high-end call girls, an intrepid reporter asked the question on everyone's mind: Did Paterson have any experiences with prostitutes that the press corps should know about now?

"Lobbyists," quipped Paterson who will be sworn to office on Monday as the first African-American and visually-impaired chief executive of the Empire State.

Paterson was met by applause from the press corps in his first press conference since Spitzer’s resignation.

“This has been a sad few days in the history of New York, and for me it has been sadder—my heart goes out to Eliot Spitzer, his wife Silda, his two three daughters, his parents” he began, calling Spitzer’s parents his “other family.”

His responses to questions seemed to occasionally trail into silence, and his legislative agenda remained somewhat vague, perhaps evidence of what has been a rollercoaster of a political week. He took questions in good humor, fielding questions with calm wit after turbulent times.

The conference made evident the stylistic differences between Paterson and Spitzer, with the Lt. Governor deferring to negotiation and further study to address several pressing statewide issues. He revealed that he asked Spitzer to delay his resignation so that Patterson may more quickly establish an agenda for the remaining legislative session.

"We cannot afford to waste another second, we have a budget that is due and we cannot waste another cent" he said.

When asked about congestion pricing, perhaps the most pressing New York City agenda item, he dodged the question, only saying that the plans have “evolved, changed and mutated at different points” and that he would be “taking a look at it.”

Rupert Murdoch to Troops: Get Me That Hooker!

Posted by Sean Gardiner at 3:50 PM, March 13, 2008

On Monday when the most staid newspaper in the city broke the most salacious story in recent memory — soon-to-be former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's undressed as "Client No. 9" of a high-priced prostitution ring — sources say media mogul Rupert Murdoch put out the word that heads will roll unless the New York Post was first interview to "Kristen," the hooker with whom Spitzer fucked himself right out of office.

As the Post chased a girl whose first name is actually "Kristen" in Connecticut and the Daily News dispatched people to Florida, the Old Gray Lady scooped the city's tabloids on the sensational sex scandal again today, tracking down and interviewing Ashley Alexandra Dupre, aka "Kristen" right in our backyard.

In fact, according to the story, Dupre, a 22-year-old Jersey girl whose real name is Ashley Youmans, was in U.S. District Court in Manhattan on Monday for a hearing on the case against her former employer Emperors Club VIP, at the same time everyone scrambled to match the Times' initial scoop published first on its web site.

Spitzer's Resignation Means One Less Superdelegate

Posted by John DeSio at 2:15 PM, March 13, 2008

Looks like there's gonna be one less superdelegate for the Democratic candidates to fight over. As a Democratic governor, Eliot Spitzer was given “superdelegate” status, allowing him to pledge an independent vote at the Democratic National Convention, one that he had promised to Senator Clinton.

But with Spitzer’s resignation effective Monday the disgraced governor will also lose his superdelegate role, said Damien LaVera, spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee. Spitzer was one of 795 superdelegates, an exclusive group made up of Democratic members of Congress, party leaders and other elected officials such as governors. On Monday, Spitzer will officially no longer be New York’s governor, and typically his position as superdelegate would be passed to his Democratic successor.

But Lieutenant Governor David Paterson is already on that list, having been named a member of the Democratic National Committee by chairman Howard Dean. Through that position Paterson is already a superdelegate, and cannot be given a second identical spot. Therefore when Spitzer leaves, so goes his vote as superdelegate, and the total will drop to 794.

“Once Governor Spitzer steps down,” said LaVera, “there will be one fewer unpledged delegate.”

Who's That Girl? The Tabloids Meet "Kristen"

Posted by Tab Hunter at 10:00 AM, March 13, 2008

As reported yesterday, the New York Times found "Kristen," a runaway and aspiring singer named Ashley Alexandra Dupre (nee Ashley Youmans). Random aside: we were chatting with folks in a coffee shop this morning, and the general consensus was that "Ashley Alexandra Dupre" is a far better call-girl name than "Kristen."

Both the Post and the Daily News splash Dupre all over the front page. The News goes with "GOV'S GIRL," as its headline, while the Post continues its giddy righteous indignation with a banner "DISGRACE" and the subhed "And don't let the door hit you on the way out." The best headline of the day, however, comes from subway tab amNewYork which declares Spitzer "OUT WITH A BANG."

The Post's "Kristen" coverage features a full page of color and black-and-white photos from Dupre's MySpace page. (Does anyone else chuckle at the corporate synergy opportunities here, as News Corporation owns both the tabloid and the social networking site?) We also get another screenshot of the Emperor's Club website, which now must be the most famous escort service in America since Heidi Fleiss's downfall. Both papers quote liberally from the Times interview, as we're sure access to Dupre is severely limited right now. Friends from high school are coming out the woodwork to assure readers that Dupre was a nice girl, who was "never slutty" (a friend quoted in the Post) or tsk-tsking that she "was one of those girl" with a bad reputation (the Daily News).

News columnist Michael Daly has an insulting column in a condescending open letter format that infantilizes Dupre and "reassuringly" leads with "No, Ashley Alexandra Dupre, you are not a monster." It later includes the dismissive "Not that you aren't pretty. You just look much more like a young woman from the Jersey Shore than some five-diamond fantasy girl." Daly does note that Dupre should get some credit for not selling her story, but the digs at her background and profession come just a little too easy. The tabloid coverage of "Kristen" wavers between smug moral superiority and empathy with a dash of condescension.

Spitzapalooza! The Post's "Special Edition" on the Spitzer Resignation

Posted by Tab Hunter at 9:57 AM, March 13, 2008

Tabloids are usually supposed to have short, easily digestible stories that can be read while on the go. In New York, that usually means while wrangling one's way to work on the subway or bus. When a huge story breaks, however, that philosophy is long gone. Just look at page 2 of a tabloid in the days since the Spitzer scandal broke. It's one story with lots of text as opposed to the 2 or 3 stories and one picture with a longer caption that we usually see.

The Post today has gone all out with its coverage of the Spitzer resignation. They've even gone as far as to declare today's issue a "special edition." We have 15 pages in the front dedicated to the scandal and 3 pages in the Opinion section. Both editorials today focus on the soon-to-be-ex-governor: one declaring, "Good Riddance," while the other sympathizes with Silda Spitzer.

The sheer amount of glee emanating from the page is bordering on disturbing. The Post gets a chance to say "I told you so" after its constant criticism of the governor, and nowhere is that more apparent than in Frederic U. Dicker's column "I knew he was a fraud & a hypocrite from the day he swaggered into Capitol". The column runs across two pages with a photo array of front pages and stories attacking Spitzer. It's a trip down memory lane of the 437-day reign of Governor Client 9. We just hope that the Post doesn't pull something while patting its own back.

Hypocrisy is a theme that keeps coming up, and right now the focus is on Silda Spitzer. Andrea Peyser chastises her for becoming her husband's doormat, while an article by Jennifer Fermino notes that the almost-former First Lady scoffed at Hillary Clinton's "Stand By Your Man" routine 10 years ago. How this connects with the "sympathy for Silda" trope is unclear, but it sure smacks of "blame the victim."

Earlier: Who's That Girl? The Tabloids Meet "Kristen"

The Times Found Eliot 'Client 9' Spitzer's 'Kristen'

Posted by Michael Clancy at 7:00 PM, March 12, 2008

Score another one for the New York Times: The newspaper that broke the Spitzer Sex Scandal has also tracked down Ashley Youmans aka Ashley Alexandra Dupre aka "Kristen," the Emperors Club VIP prostitute whose dalliances with "Client 9" ended the governorship of Eliot Spitzer.

“I just don’t want to be thought of as a monster,” Dupre, a 22-year-old from New Jersey, told the New York Times. “This has been a very difficult time. It is complicated.”

On her MySpace profile, Dupre describes a hard journey from a "broken home" that she left at 17. She said she's been abused, abused drugs, and was even homeless for while. She's now living in a tony apartment in the Flatiron District, according to the Times.

You can still hear her song on her myspace and read blog posts from August of 2007.

This is how she describes herself:

"I am all about my music, and my music is all about me… It flows from what I’ve been through, what I’ve seen and how I feel. I live in New York and am on top of the world. Been here since 2004 and I love this city, I love my life here. But, my path has not been easy. When I was 17, I left home. It was my decision and I’ve never looked back. Left my hometown. Left a broken family. Left abuse. Left an older brother who had already split. Left and learned what it was like to have everything, and lose it, again and again. Learned what it was like to wake up one day and have the people you care about most gone. I have been alone. I have abused drugs. I have been broke and homeless. But, I survived, on my own. I am here, in NY because of my music. It started when I moved in with a musician during my odyssey to New York. One day, I was in the shower singing “respect.” He and his lead guitarist burst in, had me repeat it and it started. We wrote, rehearsed and toured. After recording a bit with them, I decided to move to Manhattan to pursue my music career. I spent the first two years getting to know the music scene, networking in clubs and connecting with the industry. Now, it’s all about my music. It’s all about expressing me. I can sit here now, and knowingly tell you that life’s hard sometimes. But, I made it. I’m still here and I love who I am. If I never went through the hard times, I would not be able to appreciate the good ones. Cliché, yes, but I know it’s true. I have experienced just how hard it can be. I can honestly tell you to never dwell on the past, but build from it and keep moving forward. Don’t let anyone hold you back or tell you that you can’t…because you can. I didn’t and here I am, just listen to it…. What we Want is my latest track. It’s really about trust, something my past has made very difficult for me to feel. This one was inspired by a guy, who taught me not to confuse my dreams with the sounds of the city…I hope you like it."

Inside Spitzer's Resignation Press Conference

Posted by Tom Robbins at 5:33 PM, March 12, 2008

Say this for Eliot Spitzer: Right up until the end the guy could draw a crowd.

A half-hour before the outgoing gov's scheduled 11:30 am announcement at his midtown offices on Third Avenue, a throng of some 200 reporters and camera people stood on the street, fighting to win entrance to the historic event. A pair of uniformed state troopers—Mountie hats atop their heads—helped a beleagured press aide handle her last— and her biggest—press conference.

For those who made it inside, the governor's conference room on the 38th floor was overflowing, with more than three dozen TV cameras in the back. Reporters filled every chair and stacked up three across in the aisles. Upfront, by the governor's podium, several rows of still photographers crouched and clicked.

Spitzer aides lined the walls. Some whispering amongst themselves, others looking forlornly at the crowd.

All talking ceased as Spitzer and his wife Silda strode into the room. The governor stood at the lectern. he took one quick look at the packed room before him, grimaced, and began to read his prepared statement. His wife, a bright gold and orange silk scarf around her neck, gazed confidently at the room and then glanced down at her husband's papers.

He was mercifully quick with his exit lines. He gave the right apologies, thanked his aides, and—strangely for a governor who managed to squander one of the biggest mandates in recent state history, credited his abbreviated administration with success: "As a public servant, I and the remarkable people with whom I worked, have accomplished a great deal," he said.

As expected the governor took no questions.

A solitary reporter, a woman unseen to those of us stuck in the back, shouted one out anyway as governor and wife left the room: "Will you leave him, Silda?"

Feds: We Cut No Deal With Eliot Spitzer

Posted by Michael Clancy at 12:25 PM, March 12, 2008

Michael Garcia, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York issued a brief statement denying that his office has cut any deal with Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

In the days since the prostitution scandal broke, speculation abounded that the governor would seek a deal with federal prosecutors: He would resign immediately if the feds assured him that he would not face charges as a john or for the shady financial transactions he used to cover his tracks.

"There is no agreement between this Office and Governor Eliot Spitzer, relating to his resignation or any other matter," Garcia said in a statement.

David Paterson's Statement on Spitzer's Resignation

Posted by Michael Clancy at 12:03 PM, March 12, 2008

Lt. Gov. David A. Paterson released the following statement minutes after Spitzer's resignation:

"Like all New Yorkers I am saddened by what we have learned over the past several days. On a personal level Governor Spitzer and Silda have been close and steadfast friends. As an elected official the Governor has worked hard for the people of New York.

My heart goes out to him and to his family at this difficult and painful time. I ask all New Yorkers to join Michelle and me in prayer for them.

It is now time for Albany to get back to work as the people of this state expect from us."

SPITZER RESIGNS AMID PROSTITUTION SCANDAL

Posted by Michael Clancy at 11:42 AM, March 12, 2008

Devastated by his involvement with an international high-end prostitution ring, Gov. Eliot Spitzer announced his resignation on Wednesday morning during a brief press conference at his Manhattan office. The resignation will take effect on Monday when Lt. Gov. David Paterson will assume of the office of governor of the state of New York.

"In the past few days I have begun to atone for my private failings..." Spitzer said in a short statement as his wife, Silda, stood by his side. "...I am deeply sorry that I did not live up to what was expected of me."

Spitzer apologized to his family and to "every New Yorker," adding "I look at my time as governor with a sense of what might have been."

There is still no word as to whether the governor will face any criminal charges for using the prostitutes or for the shady financial transaction he used to cover his tracks.

The Greatest Day the Post Has Ever Known: Spitzer the "Sex Addict"

Posted by Tab Hunter at 9:41 AM, March 12, 2008

Just when you think the Spitzer Sex Scandal couldn't get any better (or worse, depending on how you look at it), there comes the revelation that the soon-to-be-ex-gov has spent upwards of $80,000 on hookers in the past 10 years. "HOOKED!" is the Post's headline today, and they brag about an interview with "Sienna," a call girl who claims Spitzer was a "big tipper." The News goes with "HOOKER HAPPY" and instead of using the now-iconic photo of Client-9 pursing his lips, the paper goes with one of Spitzer with his tongue hanging out. The implication is that he's licking his lips at the prospect of sleeping with some high-class hookers. The subhed mentions the "SEX SHAME OF ELIOT SPITZER."

But the most outrageous, insane, jaw-dropping part of the coverage today is in the Post. As we mentioned yesterday, we imagined there was all kinds of hooting and hollering and general merriment at the tab when this story broke. The Post actually included this illustration in the paper today, but with the profanity blurred out. This display of "Spitzenfreude" was all over Wall Street, according to the paper. It just smacks of "Nyah nyah nyah: you're resigning!"

Also emerging from this coverage is the entrance of the term "hooker booker" into the vernacular. And alleged madam Tanya Hollander is on her way to be a rising tabloid star. If her list of clients becomes public, we might be looking at Heidi Fleiss 2.0. Both papers look at this angle, but the News makes it over-the-top with its cheeseball photo collage of Spitzer, a champagne glass, menu and USA Today from the Mayflower hotel and photos of Los Angeles, Miami and Paris. Add in a photo of the mysterious "Kristen," and you have a typical Daily News layout.

The coverage is overwhelming, and might be for at least another day, but you know that everyone is having a blast. Stories like this come along only once in a while. This is time for the tabs to shine.

Spitzer Sex Scandal and YOU: How Prostitutes Impact Congestion Pricing and More

Posted by Michael Clancy at 3:50 PM, March 11, 2008

Congestion pricing for downtown Manhattan, already nearing the "endgame" now looks more at risk than before, according to Second Avenue Sagas. The Wonkster took the pulse of City Council members and found support fading fast for the deal. Mayor Bloomberg, the plan’s biggest proponent, did himself no favors by donating 500,000 dollars to the New York State Republican party when he needs the support of state Dems. Teetering on the edge of collapse, an ongoing Spitzer scandal and possible resignation could be enough to deep-six the proposal for good.

Here are more ways how the Spitzer Sex Scandal could affect local politics:

Brooklyn’s Brownstoner kicks off the speculation on what a Spitzer-less NY State government could mean for NY City.

Atlantic Yards Report gives a thorough rundown of how Spitzer’s downfall could impact Forest City Ratner and the Atlantic Yards project.

LGBT rights could get an even higher profile supporter should David Patterson step up to the Governor’s position — from Towleroad

Bloomberg might shift gears from the Presidental race to Gubernatorial — from the Daily News.

Spitzer just threw his support behind Moynihan Station — could the project head the way of the Gov?

Some folks smell another potential Justice Department legal problem in the winds of scandal: from the Daily Gotham and the Albany Project.

Most important, we have a new icon for New York State politics: “The Pucker”

Spitzer Must Have Taken a Wrong Turn at Integrity Lane

Posted by Michael Clancy at 3:29 PM, March 11, 2008

On a more serious note, the Citizen Union, an influential good government group, added to the chorus of those calling on Spitzer to resign:

"Citizens Union is deeply saddened and extremely troubled by yesterday's news involving Governor Eliot Spitzer.

Eliot Spitzer stated yesterday that he has acted in a way that violates his, or any, sense of right and wrong and apologized to the public to whom he promised better. Particularly because of the reform platform on which he was elected Governor, his ability to govern the state of New York and execute his duties as Governor have been irreparably damaged."

"Mr. Spitzer made his career as a crusader fighting corruption and pursuing wrongdoing. He campaigned on a theme of changing the way business is done in Albany and pledged to conduct himself according to a higher set of ethical standards. Eliot Spitzer has now lost the credibility to continue to serve as an effective Governor and a believable agent for reform.

Citizens Union in 2006 was pleased to support Eliot Spitzer in his efforts to be elected Governor because of the promises he made to New Yorkers to bring about much needed change to state government. In light of his new circumstances, it is our strong belief that it is now impossible for him to fulfill his responsibilities as Governor. Accordingly, Citizens Union urges him to resign as Governor.

Citizens Union strongly believes that the campaign to reform state government must continue apace. State political reform is about more than the political fortunes of one person. It is about the needs of all New Yorkers for open, honest and accountable government. We call upon our state leaders to rise to the occasion and continue the fight for reform."

Could “Client 9” be Steamrolled By His Own Legislation?

Posted by Candice M. Giove at 2:35 PM, March 11, 2008

The human trafficking bill that Governor Eliot Spitzer signed into law in 2007 must have been the last thing going through his mind inside of room 871 in Washington D.C.’s Mayflower Hotel on Valentine's Day Eve.

The legislation not only cracks down on sex traffickers, but it also stiffens the penalties for johns. When he signed it into law in 2007, Spitzer offered some harsh words for those involved in the prostitution trade.

“Human trafficking is modern day slavery and among the most repugnant crimes,” Spitzer said. “Today we have given law enforcement the ability to adequately prosecute perpetrators, and have provided meaningful assistance for the unfortunate victims of these egregious crimes. Today’s signing also demonstrates what we can accomplish in Albany when we work together for the public good.”

Could “Client 9” be steamrolled by his own legislation?

“If there were any state charges it would certainly appear that if he did what was alleged that the law we passed last year would impact him, in the sense that one of the provisions of the law was that we raised the penalty for patronizing a prostitute,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, a Bronx Democrat, who authored the legislation.

“There are other provisions in my bill, I’m not sure they would necessarily apply to him, dealing with the issue of what’s called sex tourism. I don’t think it would, but we haven’t really gotten all the details of what’s going on,” he added.

The very talk of possible, if improbable, state charges made Dinowitz uncomfortable.

“I’m always very reluctant to talk in the theoretical, hypothetical I guess, because all we are seeing are TV reports,” he said.

Spitzer's Flings Could Be Hillary's Superdelegate Problem

Posted by Duncan Meisel at 2:20 PM, March 11, 2008

One more upshot from Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s lady-problems: Should he resign, Hillary Clinton is down one superdelegate, according to [WSJ ] and [Newsday].

Another strange irony: despite former President Clinton's Spitzer-like indiscretion, he'll still be able to vote as a superdelegate.

Albany's Reaction to Spitzer Scandal: 'What the Fuck?'

Posted by Michael Clancy at 1:57 PM, March 11, 2008

Leave it to the governor getting caught with hookers to inject some real candor into the political discourse in Albany.

When New York Observer's Azi Paybarah asked Assemblyman Richard Brodsky about whether Eliot should stay or go, the Westchester Democrat predictably punted. But when asked about the mood in Albany, Brodsky was a bit more forthright:

I asked him what the general mood is in Albany.

“The mood?" he said. "The mood is, ‘What the fuck.’

"I mean, what? What? Could you have seen this coming?”

Eliot Spitzer: Love Client Number 9

Posted by Michael Clancy at 1:51 PM, March 11, 2008

Great art is often born out of great tragedy. That's not the case with this YouTube video, yet it still offers a great recap of the Spitzer Sex Scandal.

The Spitzer Sex Scandal in the Papers

Posted by Tab Hunter at 11:23 AM, March 11, 2008

Thank God for the tabloids. Thank God New York is not just a single newspaper town like most American cities. And when the Governor of the State of New York gets caught up with prostitutes, the tabloids shine on like the crazy finger-staining diamonds that they are.

What a day it must have been for Rupert Murdoch's paper, their No. 2 enemy was served up on a platter by their No. 1 enemy, the New York Times. The “HO NO!” headline is good, but ultimately a little anti-climactic after considering all the possibilities bandied about on the web and in office chatter. But it beats the News' “PAY FOR LUV GOV.” In any event, there must have been no question in either newsroom yesterday: Eliot Spitzer was “the wood,” which is tabloidspeak for the frontpage (because the type used to be set with, you guessed it, wood blocks.)

But where the Post really shines is photo selection. Most papers splashed Eliot across the frontpage with a tightly cropped photo of the governor biting his lip, looking contrite and most Golummesque.




The Post went with the wider shot which included his wife Silda looking icy and a little dead on the inside. After all the indignity she must be suffering, she then has to appear on the front page of the Post with a giant “HO” emblazoned right below her face.

It's a classic story-telling technique similar to describing the victim's family's reaction instead of focusing on the person on trial when the verdict is read. And it's used to great effect. Here is the family drama laid bare, and for all of the apologizing that Spitzer must do, it's his wife and daughters that deserve the biggest.
Inside the papers, both use photos of Spitzer lovely young daughters— Jenna, Elyssa and Sarabeth— to illustrate columns. The Post's Andrea Peyser is predictably outraged concluding her column: “A word of advice to Silda: Get out as fast as your attractive legs can carry you. A guy like this will wear you down.”

Truth be told, we expected a little more. But perhaps Peyser is at her finest when no one else is outraged, when she is the only one who can summon enough anger to rage at a situation or person when no one can find it inside them to do it. That's when Peyser shines.

Spitzer, Silda and their three daughters smile brightly in a photo from a happier time that runs above Michael Goodwin's column, which pulls no punches:

Eliot Spitzer's enormous failure is not political, nor simply personal. He suffers from a character flaw that defeated his better angels. He simply couldn't tell the truth, even when a lie wasn't needed. It's as though he didn't know the difference.

It's now obvious his whole life was a lie. This is a man who thundered against illegality and prosecuted prostitution rings, and now has been caught patronizing one.

He needs help. New York does not need him.

Goodwin's certainly got it right about Eliot Spitzer needing help. There's a couple of ways of looking at it: Spitzer was so arrogant that he'd thought he's never get caught. Or maybe on some weird level he wanted to get caught. How else to describe how a man who is a former prosecutor and a eight-year veteran of the state's top law enforcement post could get caught up in this mess.

Spitzer knows how financial transactions can be tracked, how wire-tapping works, how criminal enterprises that are much more sophisticated than Emperors Club VIP get taken down regularly. Yet he did what he did. Why?

Is it about sex and power or something more? That's what makes it all the more astounding.

The Post's Fredric Dicker, who has dogged Spitzer his entire time in office, offers some insight into the personality behind Eliot Spitzer:

A disgraced Gov. Spitzer has been publicly and privately described for more than a year by New York's top political figures as a ruthless, sanctimonious, amoral man whose righteous public persona was regularly contradicted by the realities of how he conducted his political life.

Talk about confirmation!

But what about "Kristen"? We're trying to figure out how long it will be until the mysterious call girl is outed. All we know is that she's "an American, petite, very pretty brunette, 5-foot-5 inches and 105 pounds." A hundred-and-five pounds?

The "what's going to happen to Silda" narrative is also a fascinating one. We get the News' Jane Ridley musing about the "Stand By Your Man" suit, the aforementioned Peyser telling Mrs. Spitzer to run away as fast as she can and the classic, "won't anyone think of the children?" issues.

This is an incredibly gendered story, and we wonder how this will affect Hillary Clinton. You can almost imagine the first drafts of stories that mentioned how she stood by her man 10 years ago.

Because, to mix metaphors, this wood has legs. You'd think it was a pirate convention.

Verdict: Post. They won with the graphics, and with the outrage.

How the Spitzer Sex Scandal Could Help Joe Bruno

Posted by John DeSio at 7:45 PM, March 10, 2008

The resignation of Governor Eliot Spitzer could be the best thing that ever happened to Joe Bruno.

Bruno, the Republican State Senate majority leader, is hanging on to his lead over the Democrats in that body by just one vote, having just recently seen his candidate defeated in an upstate special election. Democrats have been counting on taking over the State Senate this year, and they expected to need only one seat to do so. Any ties in the State Senate would be broken by the lieutenant governor, in this case Democrat David Paterson.

Should Spitzer resign over his involvement in the Emperor’s Club prostitution scandal Paterson would be appointed as his replacement. That would leave Bruno to serve in the capacity of lieutenant governor, and the New York State constitution offers no mechanism to appoint any replacement. In effect the tie-breaker would be gone, and Democrats would face the more daunting task of taking over two seats to achieve a State Senate majority before 2011.

“In case of vacancy in the office of lieutenant-governor alone, or if the lieutenant-governor shall be impeached, absent from the state or otherwise unable to discharge the duties of office, the temporary president of the senate shall perform all the duties of lieutenant governor during such vacancy or inability,” reads the provision in the State Constitution regarding vacancies for lieutenant governor.

There is no way to replace the lieutenant governor in New York, and Paterson’s ascension would give Bruno more breathing room to hold his fading majority, said Alan Chartock, professor emeritus at University of Albany and a noted commentator on New York State government. Chartock said that he had once asked Paterson if he would be interested in taking Senator Hillary Clinton’s seat in Washington should she be elected president, and Paterson referenced the loss of his tie-breaking vote.

“He said, ‘not if we’re ahead by one vote,’ for exactly that reason,” said Chartock.

Spitzer's Short and Unsatisfying Statement on Prostitution Scandal

Posted at 4:36 PM, March 10, 2008

Will Spitzer Get a Refund?

Posted at 4:30 PM, March 10, 2008

Client 9 — identified as Gov. Eliot Spitzer by the New York Times — was a regular customer of the Emperor’s Club VIP, according to the criminal complaint in the prostitution case.

We’ll skip all the legal mumbo jumbo and get to the point: Spitzer was jonesin’ for some high-priced lovin’ the night before Valentine’s Day.

He had sent over a large deposit of money by mail, but the package was taking its time to get through the US mail. Meanwhile, Spitzer was trying to arrange for “Kristen” to take the train down from NY and meet him at a hotel in DC.

As the time for the appointment neared, the cash still hadn’t arrived. But the Emerald Club’s operators noted that the governor had some credit in his account: $400. Now, that would buy you a real good time in our neighborhood, but Eliot was looking for the royal treatment, and it was going to cost him $2,600.

Hey, why don’t you hit the ATM, Spitzer was told, and not only pull out enough to cover Kristen’s $2,600, but give her an additional $1,500 so that he’d have some cash on the books and this wouldn’t happen next time.

Sheesh, he was a governor, after all.

Eventually, Eliot’s total for the night came to $2,721.41 (Huh? Sales tax? Extras?), and he generously turned over $4,300, which put him in good stead for his next time.

So does that mean he has a refund coming?

SPITZER EMBROILED IN PROSTITUTION SCANDAL

Posted by Michael Clancy at 3:43 PM, March 10, 2008

Embroiled in a prostitution scandal, Gov. Eliot Spitzer said he needed time to dedicate himself to his family, but the first-term Democrat did not indicate that he would resign amids reports linking him to a high-end prostitution ring.

"I have acted in a way that violates my obligation to my family and violates mine or any sense of right and wrong. I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public, to whom I promised better..." Spitzer said in a hastily called press conference in Manhattan. "I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."

Spitzer made announcement after the New York Times reported his involvement with a prostitution ring on its web site. The Times is reporting that Spitzer is one of the men named in court papers made public last week when authorities busted a international prostitution ring.

Last week, authorities charged four people for their connection to the Emperors Club VIP prostitution ring that charged wealthy men as much as $5,500 an-hour for trysts with high-end hookers. According to the Times, Spitzer is the person named in court documents as "client 9."