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[Arachno-capitalist]

Is this just a big local story? http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/nyregion/12cnd-spitzer.html?hp

The man just needed some high priced pussy, I don't see how that affects his ability to run the state. No one seemed to have a problem with the job he was doing, he was one one of the most popular governors in new york. But now that it comes out that he wanted some Entertainment once in awhile, the people demand his impeachment and resignation. I mean, that guy who was picking up other men in airport bathrooms is still in office.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Oh no, not just a local story by any means.

It's hard to be a crusader against this and that, be a big-time prosecutor, and then get caught doing something illegal and (to many people) immoral. 

And not to say this excuses him, but I refuse to believe this investigation came up through routine means.  If your bank notices "unusual" cash transactions, who do they call first?  Usually you, right?  In this case, they went to the IRS or FBI or somebody, not to Spitzer.  And for somebody as rich as he is, I'm not sure transactions in the thousands are all that unusual.  Based on pure specultation, I'm guessing some high-ranking political enemy had an in at the bank, and told them "If you find ANYTHING we can get this guy on, let me know."

[Arachno-capitalist]

My understanding is that the shell company was being monitored as a result of the post 9/11 banking regulations that monitor large cash transactions. Spitzer himself wasn't being monitored so much as the money-laundering-company, thats why hes "Client #9" and the biggest charge against him is that he was "funding a criminal enterprise".
Whatever. Show me how this affected his ability to govern.

[CortJstr]

First I think prostitution should be legalized. I think it's safer for everybody involved if it's regulated plus also, it's just a bodily function.

That said the dude deserves this for his hypocrisy. He went after johns and prostitutes pretty vigorously back when he was attorney general. And people love it when "moral guardians" get caught doing whatever it is that they claim is so horrible. This isn't as good as catching a Leviticus-spouting hate-monger with come all over his face but it's still pretty satisfying.

I think I heard that the bank had to report his activity because of a money laundering law, but I'm not sure.

[littlefallsmets]

Dude got caught doing something wrong, no doubt.

Problem is that he got caught in a specific witchhunt against him for fighting corporate corruption.

Kinda sucks across the board.

[Doc]

First I think prostitution should be legalized. I think it's safer for everybody involved if it's regulated

This can go for most drugs as well while we're at it.
Dude wanted to buy hisself some 'tang, I ain't hating, so long as there was informed consent all round.

There was an interesting link off Fark I read earlier today that pointed out, as bad as this guy's day is, it's going to be even worse for 'Client 8' and so on down the line because there's no way they're going to get away with anything less the prosecution to the fullest extent of the law just because the governer was involved.

[wombat]

What was he thinking? He's famous for crusading against this sort of thing, did he not realize how it would look if he got caught?  Did he think it was so impossible that he would get caught?

People are astounding sometimes.

[melack]

The irony here is that Spitzer was one of the most vocal critics of sexual content in videogames. The focus of his scorn usually fell on the ability to pick up prostitutes in Grand Theft Auto games:

Media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based… Currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying… a game like ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute…

Fun stuff.

[Carlos del Vaca]

Did he think it was so impossible that he would get caught?

If you're paying $5500 an hour for a hooker, you expect it will be discreet.

Not that I've ever paid $5500 an hour for a hooker.

[theinevitable]

i have no sympathy for sleazeballs who pay for sex and cheat on their spouses. sorry.

[jaydub]

I mean, that guy who was picking up other men in airport bathrooms is still in office.

That's between him and his constituents, I imagine.  Also, politics.  HRC was pretty tight with this Spitzer guy, and having his stinking carcass to lug around for the next 6 weeks wouldn't do much for her chances in Pennsylvania.

[Doc]

Ah, I didn't realise that he was being such a hypocritical douchebag, or that he was married, that changes things somewhat. In general I still agree with A-CAP that sexual indescretions don't mean someone is unfit to govern, but in this specific instance he was obviously backing legislation he had no intent of following himself and that is some bullshit right there.

edited: because on reflection the fact that he was married doesn't make much difference to me either. People can have their marriage fall apart and still be good at their jobs. Hypocrisy still holds though.

Not that I've ever paid $5500 an hour for a hooker.

That we know of.
Because they're discreet.

[Lister]

Not only was he a crusader, he was famous for investigating the personal lives of the people involved in corporations he went after, and using anything he found as leverage to force resignations/dismissals even if he had no real case.  While ordinarily "a little something on the side" isn't enough for me to want to oust someone, this guy lived by the sword.

Questionable morals can be forgiven, but not in concert with hypocrisy and hubris.

[Pedro Picasso]

What was he thinking? He's famous for crusading against this sort of thing, did he not realize how it would look if he got caught?  Did he think it was so impossible that he would get caught?

People are astounding sometimes.

This article from a little while ago basically says "these men aren't squandering their careers on stupid affairs; subconsciously, stupid affairs are why they wanted powerful careers in the first place."

The question many asked in 1998—"Why on earth would the most powerful man in the world jeopardize his job for an affair with a young woman?"—is, from a Darwinian perspective, a silly one. Betzig's answer would be: "Why not?" Men strive to attain political power, consciously or unconsciously, in order to have reproductive access to a larger number of women. Reproductive access to women is the goal, political office but one means. To ask why the President of the United States would have a sexual encounter with a young woman is like asking why someone who worked very hard to earn a large sum of money would then spend it.

[wombat]

And there's one in the Washington Post today that says basically what's in that quote, but also that the personality characteristics of politicians and of people who cheat on their spouses are the same set of characteristics. Which is actually the explanation that has made the most sense to me so far.