Spitzer, with wife Silda Wall Spitzer, announcing his resignation on March 12, 2008
Eliot Spitzer met the press, with wife Silda Wall Spitzer at his side, saying, "I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family, that 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."
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In the days following, there was talk of his habits, resignation, and how the feds caught him. Spitzer ultimately resigned on March 12, retreating to work for his father's real estate company. Post-script: It turned out Spitzer was involved with Troopergate (his 2007 scandal), the feds didn't press charges against him for being a john, and Spitzer started writing for Slate.
A year ago today, the NY Times published a story on its website saying that Governor Eliot Spitzer, the crusading former NY State Attorney General who was elected with 69% of the vote in 2006, was "caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a law enforcement official and a person briefed on the investigation." And that sent off a chain of events amongst a motley group of famous (in political circles) and suddenly infamous characters. Click through for trip down Memory Lane.






I still think that as morally reprehensible as Spitzer's conduct was, it shouldn't have ended his career as governor.
He was correct in resigning. He knew the jig was up. There was no way anyone could have takem him seriously as a leader of this state, much less a purveyor of justice. When you know that a dude keeps his socks on and likes to go bareback with a whore, you cannot possibly you can look at him with a straight face.
I can't look at that asshole Patterson with a straight face either-a cheating cokehead is now in office...
Gotta disagree. The executive simply can't have such a disrespect for the law. A simple affair would have been a completely different story.
He was facing federal charges when he resigned. Sending money across state lines for an illegal purpose is a federal felony. Staying in office could have meant years in prison. The smart thing to do was resign. The stupid thing to do is what ex-gov, future convict Blagojevich did.
It would have made Head Start ribbon-cutting ceremonies...awkward.