Spitzer Involved in Prostitution Ring

03/10/08
Last Update: 8:27 pm

NEW YORK (AP) - The New York Times is reporting that Gov. Eliot Spitzer has told senior advisers that he had been involved in a prostitution ring.

Spitzer is scheduled to make an announcement this afternoon. Spitzer officials wouldn’t immediately comment on the story.

The 48-year-old Spitzer is married and has three daughters. Details about the prostitution ring were not immediately clear.

But last week, federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed conspiracy charges against four people accusing them of running a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes.

The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of the prostitutes’ bodies, 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.

Prosecutors say the most highly ranked prostitutes cost…

DiNapoli: Things could get worse

The potential state deficit may be worse that the $4.3 billion currently being projected by the Spitzer administration, the state’s chief fiscal officer said yesterday (1/15/08).

”$4.3 billion is a conservative estimate,’’ Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said in an interview on AM-1300 in Albany today. “The roller coaster of Wall Street is moving in the wrong direction.’’

GOv. Eliot Spitzer is due to present his budget plan for the fiscal year that starts April 1 to the Legislature a week from Today. His Budget Division placed the gap at $4.3 billion last fall, as tax revenues began to slip as Wall Street cooled. About 20 percent of state tax revenues are tied to the financial-services industry, by far the most volatile part of the state’s financial picture.

DiNapoli wouldn’t provide his own estimate, but said the state’s fiscal position could deteriorate.

Spitzer has pledged not to raise state taxes, but…

THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS RETURNING TROOPS ARE MURDERERS, but…: ”

THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS RETURNING TROOPS ARE MURDERERS, but Marc Danziger checks the math.

Bruce Kesler has more. ‘The few stories the NYT’€™s presents, however colored for effect, are tragedies. But the greater tragedy is that we have to suffer the NYT’s agenda of defamation of another generation of veterans.’

Democrats agree with governor

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver as expected liked what he heard from Governor Spitzer in his speech today.

Show me the pone democrat that woudl be willing to say to the Governor “Er, how about taking your head out of your ass”…That would be a democrat I could actually think about voting for.

Governor’s Vision For Upstate Will Benefit Elmira, Mayor Tonello Says

Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s plans to pump more than $1 billion into the Upstate economy, commit 200 state troopers to help local police fight crime, cut taxes, reduce state mandates for municipalities, and make New York a stronger draw for business and young people will benefit the City of Elmira in 2008 and beyond, Mayor John Tonello said today. “The governor’s vision is clear and his aim is true,” Tonello said. “He recognizes the problems upstate cities face, and his solutions provide relief and assistance where we need it most.” The mayor’s comments came after the governor delivered his State of the State address Wednesday afternoon in Albany. Click for the full release…

Clear vision? Aim is true? Sigh. Politicians sure do speak purty. How come there never is…

State clarifies stance on use of aircraft
The Commission on Public Integrity just issued an updated opinion on appropriate use of state aircraft, four months after its initial recommendations in response to the Troopergate/Spitzergate scandal. Aides to Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer were found to have compiled and released information, with help from the state police, about Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno’s use of aircraft in an attempt to damage the Rensselaer County Republican’s reputation.

The documents released by Spitzer’s staffers highlighted a few occasions last spring during which Bruno attended GOP fundraisers on the days he used a state helicopter. The practice was not in violation of ethics laws at the time, but the Commission on Public Integrity’s predecessor agency, the Ethics Commission, said officials should reimburse the state for parts of their trips that are not government business assuming that there is a bona fide state purpose for the travel.

The commission…

“MR. CLEAN:” “It’s difficult to believe the levels of incompetence coming out of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s office in his first year and to cap things off we now learn the computers in his office have been scrubbed free of possibly incriminating email files surrounding the dirty tricks campaign against State Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno. Can you imagine the howls coming from the mostly left-leaning New York media if a Republican did this? Yes, so can I.”

SPITZER cozies up to lobbyists.

You know it’s bad when even the people paid to like you, don’t.   Spitzer universally hated by 92% of NY’ers did fill all the seats at his fundraising dinner he held (At a cost of 25,000 / 50,000 and even 100,000 a plate)  But amazingly, those lobbyists did not want to meet and greet with the govenor, they skipped the flesh pressing, and concentrated on the aides.  I am waiting for the news story describing the cur dog walking across the street to avoid having to be petted by Spitzer.

WHo wants to bet me that he does get re-elected though?  I say he will.  I mean, NY re-elected Pataki for what, 23 terms?

VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: “How many more will die in ‘gun-free’ zones before the media start asking why?”

THIS WILL BE A BIGGER QUESTION in the general election:

The National Archives is withholding from the public about 2,600 pages of records at President Clinton’s direction, despite a public assurance by one of his top aides last month that Mr. Clinton “has not blocked the release of a single document.”

Perhaps someone can smuggle out the crucial documents in his/her socks. Apparently, security at the Archives is less than airtight.