# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/141 "2008-03-11T20:54:30Z")
As soon as Craig and Vitter quit, I think he should consider it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/142 "2008-03-11T21:03:37Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] What I want to know is, what can a prostitute possibly do that’s worth [$5,500 per hour](http://talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/182665.php)?? :eek: [/QUOTE] Just telling you that will cost you $2,000 an hour. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/143 "2008-03-11T21:34:02Z")
If he doesn’t resign, are there enough votes in the Assembly and the Senate to impeach and convict him? ---
**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 11, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/144 "2008-03-11T21:37:03Z")
[QUOTE=Lochdale] It was semantical and petty. It was no more a correction than his alleged victimless crime. So what, a lot of people do things and get away with it. Does that make it ok? It’s not a trivial offense because he compromised his position both morally and actually via the threat of blackmail. It’s not as simple as just “getting a hooker” and you know it. [/QUOTE] You coul argue that any elected official at all who cheats on his wife is opening himselfup to blackmail. Shoul any elected official who cheats on his wife be forced to resign? What difference does it make if they pay for it? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/145 "2008-03-11T21:51:33Z")
[QUOTE=jtgain] If he doesn’t resign, are there enough votes in the Assembly and the Senate to impeach and convict him? [/QUOTE] I don’t know how impeachment procedures work here, but the Assembly is controlled by Democrats and the Senate is controlled by the Republicans (by a single vote, as I recall). So I’d say it’s very hard to predict, but you’d probably need a large number of Democrats to vote to start proceedings and then vote to convict. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/146 "2008-03-11T21:58:28Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] You coul argue that any elected official at all who cheats on his wife is opening himselfup to blackmail. Shoul any elected official who cheats on his wife be forced to resign? What difference does it make if they pay for it? [/QUOTE] Because one is a criminal offense whereas the other isn’t (and where it still may be on the books it isn’t enforced the way prostitution is). An affair does leave one open to blackmail and it has resulted in political downfalls before. With prostitution, there is an additional criminal element that can be used for additional leverage against the politician. When there is money involved there can be potential allegations of misappropriations. So it’s an entirely different situation. Whether we like it or not, prostitution has a different stigma attached to it than an affair does. Lastly, as someone who prosecuted prostitution rings he should have been aware of the human cost involved. It isn’t always a “victimless” crime as you like to think. He is utterly compromised and should resign and possibly go to jail. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/147 "2008-03-11T22:03:19Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] He shook up wall street by prosecuting them. He is rich and they see him as a turncoat . He did a lot of good for the public.It came at the expense of the rich and powerful. They will not forgive or forget. [/QUOTE] Well, there you go. You make enemies of the rich and powerful–who do not forgive, neither do they forget–and then go visiting prostitutes and paying for them with secret bank accounts and see what happens. The same governor who visited the same prositutes, yet who hadn’t made enemies of the rich and powerful might have had the whole thing covered up. Eliot Spitzer wasn’t that guy. And the lesson there is, if you go around making enemies of the rich and powerful, it’s probably a good idea to avoid doing anything that could potentially destroy your career if it were made public. The rich and powerful didn’t force Eliot Spitzer to visit 5000 dollar hookers, he did that himself. Why he expected it to remain secret is beyond me. Now, as for the outrageous price tag. For some people, paying a high price for certain things is important. The higher the price tag the better they like it, because that proves that they’re the type of person who can afford the most expensive things. Plus, Spitzer probably imagined that paying outrageous prices bought him some discretion. And I imagine it usually does. But you can’t buy complete privacy. Think of it this way. Do you honestly think Monica was the only intern that Bill fooled around with? No, she’s the only one dumb enough to confide in someone like Linda Tripp. All the other interns Bill likely fooled around with kept their mouths shut, afterwards. So in 999 cases out of 1000, buying high end hookers is safe. Except when it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/148 "2008-03-11T22:05:12Z")
SO, DtC, are you saying that the Gov shouldn’t be prosecuted for any crimes? Or just that he should be able to stay Governeor until potentially conicted? ---
**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 11, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/149 "2008-03-11T22:25:56Z")
[QUOTE=Gangster Octopus] SO, DtC, are you saying that the Gov shouldn’t be prosecuted for any crimes? Or just that he should be able to stay Governeor until potentially conicted? [/QUOTE] I’m saying he should pay whatever chickenshit fine Washington DC imposes for misdemeanor solicitation and continue on in the job. It should basically be treated like a speeding ticket. A trivial offense of no consequence. We’ve had Congressmen and governors ticketed for DUI’s and speeding and they kept their jobs. We’ve had a Senator plead guilty to coming onto a cop in a public restroom and he keeps his job. I don’t see that a chickenshit misdemeanor (especially for an offense that involves no victim and shouldn’t even be illegal in the first place) should disqualify anybody from holding public office. If they try to impeach him, Spitzer should use his contacts to compile a list of every Republican in the NY State Legislature who cheats on his wife or patronizes call girls and send them all emails telling them he’ll bring them down with him. That should cool any ardor for impeachment. ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/150 "2008-03-11T22:48:50Z")
I think you are missing the foreast for the trees. This wasn’t just one speeding ticket or even a DUI but felonius inter-state solicitation over a period of six years. It utterly compromises him as a govenor in a variety of ways and I think you know this but you’re letting your dislike of the criminalization of prostitution get the better of your judgment. Of course Larry Craig should have resigned but solicitation in a bathroom is a little different from participating in a large, well-organized criminal enterprise. ---
**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 11, 2008, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/151 "2008-03-11T23:07:13Z")
[QUOTE=Lochdale] I think you are missing the foreast for the trees. This wasn’t just one speeding ticket or even a DUI but felonius inter-state solicitation over a period of six years. It utterly compromises him as a govenor in a variety of ways and I think you know this but you’re letting your dislike of the criminalization of prostitution get the better of your judgment. Of course Larry Craig should have resigned but solicitation in a bathroom is a little different from participating in a large, well-organized criminal enterprise. [/QUOTE] He was just a John. Let’s not exaggerate. The bottom line is that all he did was order a hooker. It’s a trivial misdemeanor and it really isn’t even anyone else’s business. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/152 "2008-03-11T23:30:58Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] If they try to impeach him, Spitzer should use his contacts to compile a list of every Republican in the NY State Legislature who cheats on his wife or patronizes call girls and send them all emails telling them he’ll bring them down with him. That should cool any ardor for impeachment. [/QUOTE] You do know that blackmail is a felony, right? ---
**Author:** ![accidentalyuppie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@accidentalyuppie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/accidentalyuppie)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/153 "2008-03-11T23:31:28Z")
Apparently he’s been doing hookers for about 6 years now and I bet he’s really praying about now that he didn’t inadvertently tap anything underaged. And I’ve always found it particularly skeevy when guys with teenaged daughters pull this stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/154 "2008-03-11T23:36:22Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] You do know that blackmail is a felony, right? [/QUOTE] Being a victim of it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2008, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/155 "2008-03-11T23:40:12Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] The bottom line is that all he did was order a hooker. It’s a trivial misdemeanor and it really isn’t even anyone else’s business. [/QUOTE] There are stories he could be charged with “structuring” - paying by multiple \<$10K amounts to avoid IRS reporting requirements. And, trivial or not, misdemeanors are still criminal offenses, and those do make it difficult for a public servant to get the job done. ---
**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 11, 2008, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/156 "2008-03-11T23:45:19Z")
[QUOTE=Lemur866] You do know that blackmail is a felony, right? [/QUOTE] It’s not blackmail if he doesn’t ask for anything. ---
**Author:** ![RyJae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9d8465/32.png) [@RyJae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RyJae)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/157 "2008-03-12T00:04:54Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] It’s not blackmail if he doesn’t ask for anything. [/QUOTE] He’s “asking” them not to impeach him according to your own post. > [@](#): > > a threat for purposes of compelling a person to do an act against his or her will > [@](#): > > Originally Posted by **Diogenes the Cynic** > If they try to impeach him, Spitzer should use his contacts to compile a list of every Republican in the NY State Legislature who cheats on his wife or patronizes call girls and send them all emails telling them he’ll bring them down with him. That should cool any ardor for impeachment. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2008, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/158 "2008-03-12T00:08:44Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] He was just a John. Let’s not exaggerate. The bottom line is that all he did was order a hooker. It’s a trivial misdemeanor and it really isn’t even anyone else’s business. [/QUOTE] > [@18 USC § 2421](#): > > Whoever knowingly transports any individual in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or Possession of the United States, with intent that such individual engage in prostitution, or in any sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense, or attempts to do so, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both. Hell of a trivial misdemeanor, eh? ---
**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 12, 2008, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/159 "2008-03-12T00:16:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] Hell of a trivial misdemeanor, eh? [/QUOTE] He didn’t transport her. I wonder if Rudy ever brought his mistress out of New York with him before he married her. Would you support a federal prosecution if he did? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2008, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859/160 "2008-03-12T00:32:20Z")
[QUOTE=Diogenes the Cynic] He didn’t transport her. [/QUOTE] Well, for that kind of money, I hope she at least let him **think** so! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ny-gov-spitzer-admits-involvement-in-prostitution-ring/440859.md?page=9)