New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has confirmed that he has been snared in a criminal investigation of a high-priced prostitution ring in Washington, D.C. Spitzer appears to have been “Client No. 9” in an investigation of the Emperors Club VIP, which hires out prostitutes for as much as $5,500 an hour. The question remains whether he will be indicted, which is more of a likelihood in high-profile cases. To make matters worse for Spitzer, he appears to have been caught on a wiretap.
The Times reported that a person with knowledge of the governor’s role believes the governor is identified as a client in court papers. Four people allegedly connected to a high-end prostitution ring called Emperors Club VIP were arrested last week.
The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of scantily clad women with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour, prosecutors said.
The New York Times reports:
The affidavit says that Client 9 met with the woman in hotel room 871 but does not identify the hotel. Mr. Spitzer stayed at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington on Feb. 13, according to a source who was told of his travel arrangements. Room 871 at the Mayflower Hotel that evening was registered under the another name.
In his brief statement today with his wife by his side, Spitzer was careful to avoid any incriminating statements beyond an apology:
“Good afternoon.
“For the past nine years, eight years as attorney general, and one as governor, I have tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that would rebuild New York and create opportunity for all. We sought to bring real change to New York and that will continue.
“Today I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong. I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public, whom I promised better.
“I do not believe that politics in the long run is about individuals. It is about ideas, the public good, and doing what is best for the state of New York. But I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.
“I will not be taking questions. Thank you very much. I will report back to you in short order. Thank you very much.”
Of course, it is hardly a private matter when you are on a police wiretap and may be indicted.
Such scandals come with a certain seasonal regularity with notables like Dick Morris and others getting caught in the process. The most recent, discussed here and here, snared ranking state.
Louisiana Sen. Vitter was recently disclosed as a client of a local high-priced call girl service.
“Bobby: the problem with PBS is they get all that public money and they STILL don’t get the facts right.”
Which part of the White-Slave Traffic Act did that copy incorrectly?
“bobby: Did you happen to catch this part of the post: Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking.”
Did ya happen to notice the date of the act; you juristic whiz?
Did ya happen to notice that the only explicit Federal Police Power is spelled out in the 13th Amendment??
To wit: Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment13/
Why else do you think there were so many damn tax acts during the early 1900’s? Because Congress has the specifically enumerated power to promulgate Federal Criminal Laws??
You said:
“garagos is another one just itching to defend him, even from the Mann Act, an act written to protect women.”
Like I said; thanks for playin’ anyway.
“Msnbc bs er”,
http://www.osc.gov/hatchact.htm
Don’t be using those RHOB computers, my lad.
Or Longworth or CB.
bobby: Did you happen to catch this part of the post:
Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking.
Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking.
Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking.
Bobby: the problem with PBS is they get all that public money and they STILL don’t get the facts right. Maybe SPitzer was getting a kickback from them, eh? Read below on the Mann Act:
The United States White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910 prohibited white slavery. It also banned the interstate transport of females for “immoral purposes.” Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking. The act is better known as the Mann Act, after James Robert Mann, an American lawmaker.
The first person prosecuted under the act was heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson, who had an affair with a prostitute named Lucille Cameron. Johnson married Cameron so that she couldn’t testify against him. Belle Schreiber, a prostitute that had at some point left a brothel and traveled with him to another state, was the next in line to testify against Johnson. He was eventually prosecuted and sentenced to the maximum penalty of a year and a day in prison.
“turley is probably itching to defend him and put the woman on the stand and rant about her exploiting him, right turley?”
Yeah, you wouldn’t want that seditious bastard anywhere near the sixth amendment (in a FEDERAL CASE); would ya?
“garagos is another one just itching to defend him, even from the Mann Act, an act written to protect women.”
Full text of the White-Slave Traffic Act, as passed by the Sixty-First Congress on June 25, 1910
http://www.pbs.org/unforgivableblackness/knockout/mannact_text.html
But thanks for playin’ anyway.
What’s so is so – everything else is just ‘the story’ about it.
You, MSNBC bs er, and the B.S. from which you evolved, are another entity, altogether.
B’bye now…
turley is probably itching to defend him and put the woman on the stand and rant about her exploiting him, right turley? garagos is another one just itching to defend him, even from the Mann Act, an act written to protect women.
arebella: spitzer’s old man is a multi millionaire real estate mogul. He probably has been doing this his whole life with his old man’s money. Spitzer is apparently one real sick person engaging in ruining the lives of women that fall in with a mob. Typical liberal.
Arabella:
He actually paid about $4300 for about 2 hours according to the affidavit because he wanted a “credit” to avoid the hassle of a 55% deposit in the future. Sounds like a vet to me.
Anyone who can pay $5500 for an HOUR of these kinds of professional services is getting paid too much as a public servant. Or perhaps he has some additional revenue….
msnbc bs er: Why limit it to one party, there’s enough hypocrisy for say two parties!
Yeesh! I just read the redacted affidavit in support of the arrest and seizure warrants. If Spitzer is really Client-9, as he appears to be, I would be boning up on the federal sentencing guidelines, advisory though they may be.
Spitzer is the stupidest man around. Wiring money and making phone calls to a prostitution ring run by a mob. Makes you glad he is going to the slammer. Typical Democrat hypocrite.
“Good afternoon.
“For the past nine years, eight years as attorney general, and one as governor [8=1=9 ], I have tried to uphold a vision of progressive politics that would rebuild New York and create opportunity for all. We sought to bring real change to New York and that will continue…”
—
“… The New York Democrat, identified in legal papers as
“Client 9,” [9 ]met last month with at least one woman in a Washington hotel, the law enforcement official said.
Law enforcement officials who have been briefed on the case tell CBS News the Washington rendezvous captured by a federal wiretap happened in Room 871 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington.”
To me, the obvious number missing from the Room number at the Mayflower is likewise, nine [9 ] , as in the number of ‘o’s I insist upon displaying in playful, albeit, mostly blatent disregard of the “JT-made-up” Federal Rules of Evidence – every time I get a chance
when exclaiming ‘Wooooooooohooooooooo’, in full appreciation
-Whewwwwwwwww!
So, who/what (else) happened in 1978 – that was twisted/backwards and/or really got somebody’s Jockey’s in a bunch?
My bad.
Passive voice found here:
Section 2422. Coercion and Enticement
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts/i/chapters/117/sections/section_2422.html
How does the Mann Act apply here? It appears that the amended statute is inapplicable.
Original Act Language (circa 1910):
SEC. 2. That any person who shall knowingly transport OR CAUSE TO BE TRANSPORTED, or aid or assist in obtaining transportation for, or in transporting, in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or in the District of Columbia, any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose, or with the intent and purpose to induce, entice, or compel such woman or girl to become a prostitute or to give herself up to debauchery, or to engage in any other immoral practice; or who shall knowingly procure or obtain, or cause to be procured or obtained, or aid or assist in procuring or obtaining, any ticket or tickets, or any form of transportation or evidence of the right thereto, to be used by any woman or girl in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, in going to any place for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose, or with the intent or purpose on the part of such person to induce, entice, or compel her to give herself up to the practice of prostitution, or to give herself up to the practice of debauchery, or any other immoral practice, whereby any such woman or girl shall be transported in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or the District of Columbia, shall be deemed guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment of not more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment, in the discretion of the court.
Compare to the current language; omitting the passive voice entirely:
http://wise.fau.edu/~tunick/courses/conlaw/mann.html
“Incredibly well set-up”
One wonders how the federal wiretap got started. Are we seeing another disguised DOJ political persecution a la Alabama?
I know absolutely nothing about New York politics, city or state, but it seems that Gov. Spitzer was incredibly, outrageously, naive to think that he wasn’t under the watchful eyes of unfriendly forces since assuming office.
Not to mention faithless, false, and hypocritical.
In the end, my sympathy is with Spitzer’s wife and to some degree with the voters of that state.
Succession in the New York State Constitution
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/succession-in-the-new-york-state-constitution/
This very serious indeed, and sounds either incredibly well set up, or unbelievably stupid.
My heart goes out to his lovely wife, as it does to all who stand by their partners steadfastly.
Almost makes you wonder if there was a behind the scenes ‘FISA silver platter doctrine’ in the works before the investigation.