# NY Gov Spitzer Admits Involvement in Prostitution Ring **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 10, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859 "2008-03-10T18:36:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/21 "2008-03-10T19:47:38Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] We labor long and hard for the few. Thanks šŸ™‚ [/QUOTE] Spitzer labored long and hard, too, but still was probably only one of the Single Diamond providers. ---
**Author:** ![Billdo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/billdo/32/315_2.png) [@Billdo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Billdo)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/22 "2008-03-10T19:49:20Z")
[QUOTE=Maeglin] As a New Yorker who gleefully voted for him and secretly hoped he would have presidential ambitions, all I can say is, what a fuckinā€™ disappointment. [/QUOTE] Ditto. I donā€™t think that thisā€™ll be a cause for resignation (if he was only a customer, that is), but it wounds him badly, particularly given his prior image as Mr. Squeeky Clean. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/23 "2008-03-10T19:49:59Z")
[QUOTE=Sophistry and Illusion] Resolved: Democrats are morally better than Republicans because at least they get caught in heterosexual sex scandals. šŸ˜‰ [/QUOTE] Thatā€™s a disturbing comment. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/24 "2008-03-10T19:54:17Z")
First McGrevey, now this. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/25 "2008-03-10T19:58:44Z")
[QUOTE=Wee Bairn] Prostitution being illegal is silly anway- why all these people in office who like whores donā€™t try and enact legislation to make it legal instead of pretending to be against it is beyond me. [/quote] Voters wouldnā€™t approve. > [@](#): > > Buy you and drinks and dinner and get sex = ok, give you cash in exchange for sex = not ok? šŸ˜• Yeah yeah, very world weary and clever. So say when you go on a date with a non-prostitute and give her some candy- after youā€™ve done the deed and left, does another guy come in, take 90 percent of the candy, slap the shit out of her and then make her go on another date to get some more chocolate? 'Cause if that doesnā€™t happen, I gotta say, I see a significant difference between dating and prostitution. Legalized prostitution might be different, but I see some daylight between buying a girl stuff in the hope sheā€™ll sleep with you, and paying a girl money to do it because itā€™s how she makes a living. For my next Great Debate, I will argue that the chicken didnā€™t actually cross the road to get to the other side. šŸ˜› ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/26 "2008-03-10T20:01:24Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] Heā€™s the Governor of _New York_, not a Bible Belt state. (Apologies for the stereotyping, but itā€™s hard not to respond in kind.) Pretending to get religion wonā€™t save Spitzerā€™s job, and he didnā€™t bother trying it at the press conference just now. People here donā€™t demand that stuff from their public officials, in my experience. He has not resigned so far, but heā€™s probably fucked. Which, of course, was the problem in the first place I guess. [/QUOTE] it doesnā€™t matter if NY isnā€™t in the Bible Belt. The requirements are as follows: stand up in front of camera with wife and apologize, perform an act of contrition, and then get absolution. It doesnā€™t have to be a religious blessing but it does have to be public. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/27 "2008-03-10T20:01:55Z")
[QUOTE=Billdo] Ditto. I donā€™t think that thisā€™ll be a cause for resignation (if he was only a customer, that is), but it wounds him badly, particularly given his prior image as Mr. Squeeky Clean. [/QUOTE] Heā€™ll resign. His approval ratings had already tanked, as Attorney General he prosecuted prostitution cases and heā€™s been portraying himsel as Mr. Clean. Thereā€™s no way he can portray it as a youthful indiscretion or ancient history, it just happened last month. He hasnā€™t had much luck getting his programs through before, how can he figure heā€™d ever be able to do accomplish anything now. And honestly I think his pride is just too big to day in fact people who he knows are snickering about him. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/28 "2008-03-10T20:05:07Z")
If [Sen. David Vitter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Vitter) didnā€™t resign despite having patronized prostitutes, why should Spitzer? I think Spitzer needs to stand up and show that he can brazen out a minor scandal just as well as any damned Republican can! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/29 "2008-03-10T20:06:00Z")
So does this crush the Dems hopes for November, or merely cripple? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/30 "2008-03-10T20:06:34Z")
I think itā€™s misleading to say that Spitzer was ā€œinvolved with the ring.ā€ It makes it sound like heā€™s a white slaver or something. He was apparently only a customer of consenting professionals so I donā€™t see what the big deal is. Is solicitation even a felony? Why are the feds even wasting valuable resources investigating this bullshit. I smell Rove. Itā€™s like Don Siegelman all over again. By no means should Spitzer resign or even apologize for anything. He did nothing wrong. He should tough it out and say, ā€œyeah, I did it. So what?ā€ What are they going to do, make him pay a fine? Big deal. Nobody with any sense should really have a problem with this. Prostutution should be legal anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/31 "2008-03-10T20:08:23Z")
[QUOTE=Magiver] it doesnā€™t matter if NY isnā€™t in the Bible Belt. The requirements are as follows: stand up in front of camera with wife and apologize, perform an act of contrition, and then get absolution. It doesnā€™t have to be a religious blessing but it does have to be public. [/QUOTE] I donā€™t think his one minute of contrition won over a whole lot of people. Granted, this is just beginning. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/32 "2008-03-10T20:09:22Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] If [Sen. David Vitter](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Vitter) didnā€™t resign despite having patronized prostitutes, why should Spitzer? I think Spitzer needs to stand up and show that he can brazen out a minor scandal just as well as any damned Republican can! [/QUOTE] ā€œI donā€™t care about motivation. I care about credibility.ā€ He lost his credibility, regardless of what another politician has done. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/33 "2008-03-10T20:10:46Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I think itā€™s misleading to say that Spitzer was ā€œinvolved with the ring.ā€ It makes it sound like heā€™s a white slaver or something. He was apparently only a customer of consenting professionals so I donā€™t see what the big deal is. Is solicitation even a felony? Why are the feds even wasting valuable resources investigating this bullshit. I smell Rove. Itā€™s like Don Siegelman all over again. By no means should Spitzer resign or even apologize for anything. He did nothing wrong. He should tough it out and say, ā€œyeah, I did it. So what?ā€ What are they going to do, make him pay a fine? Big deal. Nobody with any sense should really have a problem with this. Prostutution should be legal anyway. [/QUOTE] Thatā€™s the spirit! I wonder why he doesnā€™t take that approach? It seems to make tons of sense. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/34 "2008-03-10T20:12:16Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] I think itā€™s misleading to say that Spitzer was ā€œinvolved with the ring.ā€ It makes it sound like heā€™s a white slaver or something. He was apparently only a customer of consenting professionals so I donā€™t see what the big deal is. Is solicitation even a felony? Why are the feds even wasting valuable resources investigating this bullshit. I smell Rove. Itā€™s like Don Siegelman all over again. By no means should Spitzer resign or even apologize for anything. He did nothing wrong. He should tough it out and say, ā€œyeah, I did it. So what?ā€ What are they going to do, make him pay a fine? Big deal. Nobody with any sense should really have a problem with this. **Prostutution should be legal anyway**. [/QUOTE] \*bolding added I can agree with this, but Gov. Spitzer didnā€™t think so when he prosecuted prostitution rings. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/35 "2008-03-10T20:22:34Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] I donā€™t think his one minute of contrition won over a whole lot of people. Granted, this is just beginning. [/QUOTE] I didnā€™t see the press conference but the transcripts described both he and his wife as looking teary-eyed so this may have been the most camera time he could get out of his wife. Look at Craig. It takes awhile to get a humiliated mate to make an extended appearance. ---
**Author:** ![hopesperson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@hopesperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hopesperson)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/36 "2008-03-10T20:22:59Z")
[QUOTE=RyJae] \*bolding added I can agree with this, but Gov. Spitzer didnā€™t think so when he prosecuted prostitution rings. [/QUOTE] Iā€™m not sure how, but I can only assume that Karl Rove was somehow behind those prosecutions, all part of his evil scheme to set up Spitzer as a hypocrite years down the road. Heā€™s a clever one, that Rove. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/37 "2008-03-10T20:26:36Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] Thatā€™s the spirit! I wonder why he doesnā€™t take that approach? It seems to make tons of sense. [/QUOTE] Do I detect sarcasm? It may sound counterintuitive but I actually DO think it would work if any of these politicos had the balls to call this stiff for the salacious, hypocritical bullshit that it is and refuse to be apologetic (esoecially since no one ever believes their artificial contrition anyway). They should stop always acting like theyā€™ve been caught in some horrific crime and just shrug it off as a minor embarrassment. The crying routines just feed the false impression that this stuff has any credibility. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/38 "2008-03-10T20:29:02Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] For my next Great Debate, I will argue that the chicken didnā€™t actually cross the road to get to the other side. šŸ˜› [/QUOTE] Really? What did it do, go around? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/39 "2008-03-10T20:33:47Z")
[QUOTE=hopesperson] Iā€™m not sure how, but I can only assume that Karl Rove was somehow behind those prosecutions, all part of his evil scheme to set up Spitzer as a hypocrite years down the road. Heā€™s a clever one, that Rove. [/QUOTE] [Read this](http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/10/hbc-90001396). Tell me why a selective investigation of a Democratic governor is so crazy, when the exact same thing has already been done to at least one other Democratic governor? Why are the feds investigating this particular upscale escort service at all? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/40 "2008-03-10T20:37:21Z")
[QUOTE=RyJae] \*bolding added I can agree with this, but Gov. Spitzer didnā€™t think so when he prosecuted prostitution rings. [/QUOTE] Well, that was his job. His job was to prosecute the law, he didnā€™t write it. I doubt that every DA whoā€™s ever prosecuted a marijuana charge or a prostitution charge necessarily agrees with the law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859.md?page=3)