pathetic, Dear Leader gets to leave office with blood dripping from his hands but Spitzer has to resign for paying for sex

but then in the last days of the Roman Republic it was common to use the legal system to destroy a political opponent

What a bunch of cr*p Turkana. The guy does this junk and it's the governments fault he got caught. Just feeding any fever out there for politics? (You well now?) This wasn't about Spitzer, it was about movement of monies. He just got caught up in it. His choice or choices got him here, not a government vendeta to 'get' the opposition. Again, get yourself well, then come back and we can face off. This stuff is below you.

heh. thanks for the laugh, peter. i'll stick with scott horton.

Maybe, we should be glad this came out now. If he had followed his political asperations and made it into the WH, how much would this activity been held against him in the form of some type of blackmail later. The price the Democratic Party would have faced later????

No street smarts...using credit...

Glenn Greenwald wants to know who cares if Eliot Spitzer hires prostitutes?

For starters, Spitzer's wife and teenage daughters.

The case is about financial crimes, not prostitutes. Spitzer knows a helluva lot about financial crimes. He evidently took the same steps to try to avoid triggering fraud inquiries (breaking up large money transfers, say) that other fraudsters take.

very good, joel. yes- spitzer's family has valid cause to care. are you a member of spitzer's family?

Now, if I was looking at politics, I would have located this closer to the GE. The party could have made big news about this and held it up against the Democrats running then. 70% of those polled were for impeachment...think how that could have affected the GE with the image of Democrats nationally. His association with this...

If anyone thinks this was random, they're nuts. This was clearly pursued because of Spitzer's political affiliation.

Now, why haven't Vitter and Craig resigned in disgrace yet? Isn't solicting gay sex in a public restroom more icky than hiring a prostitute? Isn't wanting to be diapered more icky than hiring a prostitute?

As long as it was Spitzer's money and not the taxpayer's, I don't really care.

And if transfering money to an offshore entity is illegal, we better start looking into KBR's offshore holdings.

For grins

Take a look at this from the Twin Cities...

More cr*p.

Spitzer was jackass and deserves all the pain and condemnation that's coming.

The reason he was caught was because this government is actively monitoring members of the opposition party for political purposes.

This was like Gary Hart daring the press to come after him in 1984.

holier than thou Republican Congressmen caught doing the same stuff as Spitzer, but with guys, get off scott free.

I get what you're doing...trying to devert attention away from the dilema of Obama/Clinton. Anything to keep from facing the 8400 pound donkey in the room.

Let's flame the fires some...

The reason he was caught was because this government is actively monitoring members of the opposition party for political purposes.

Succinct and to the point!

pants pissing petie..if there is any 8400 lb jackass in here it's you with your constant whining and fascist asslicking....

Folks, Spitzer made many enemies and perhaps broke some of the same laws he nailed others for. He is a chief executive charged with enforcing the laws of the land, and yet he spent thousands on hookers over a period of time, committing possible felonies. He was stupid and reckless, and should be taken out. Even worse, he disgraced his family so any "consenting adults" defense rings hollow with me.

Yes, the Bush DOJ is a political wrecking ball and yes, they handle GOP cases differently than Democratic ones - we all knew that. But since Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid don't have the balls to confront this directly, and since Spitzer is not worthy of a defense here, he and his behavior aren't really worth a lot of ink or teeth-gnashing.

I agree with Peter on this: if the White House and Mukasey wanted to inflict maximum political damage, they would have waited until later in the election cycle and especially if Hillary were the nominee, given Spitzer's support of her. But since she won't be the nominee and since there seems to be significant and ongoing movements of money here, there was no good justification to wait any longer, because they had already indicted the four principals and attention now would certainly turn towards the johns anyway.

As Taegan Goddard said, Spitzer brought this upon himself. He should be bounced for it.

ann: "...Isn't wanting to be diapered more icky than hiring a prostitute?...."

Vitter did both, but he's a ReThug so it's OK with the party of personal responsibility/TM

Thanks Steve!

Hey, she loses nothing here, Paterson is also a Clinton supporter. He's a much fresher governor with an outstanding reputation and character.

Spitzer was grossly irresponsible.

i doubt we'll ever know who or how..but someone got spitzer..he himself yes..but someone else as well

Hey, she loses nothing here, Paterson is also a Clinton supporter. He's a much fresher governor with an outstanding reputation and character.

Gawd forbid if this man has "HOPE"!

spitzer resigned...

i wonder if the msm will echo this for craig and vitter???

those size banking activities would never ever raise an eyebrow..they were looking pretty closely...and i am not defending..nor am i religious..but let he who is without sin..cast the first stone...and i don't wish on my worst enemy his last few days...he took it like a man at least...not like a lot of others...

Look!

Up above!

Black helicopters!

Don't you know it bagless!

Steve,

I'm very sorry to see you agreeing with that non-entity who wishes you harm and misery, as I've said many times before, it doesn't matter what that loser says, his ill will towards human beings makes him pointless and irrelevent.

And as for Spitzer, I'd say the message is a poignant reminder of what all that illegal wire tapping can do for the GOP thugs and thieves.

Did you watch any of the business shows Tuesday? CNBC, they were dancing in the isles, just like the Palestinians did on 9/11. They hated Spitzer, and why? Because he busted their chops for their unconscionable greed and their endless corruption. "We did nothing wrong with Dick Grasso's compensation" said the Goldman Sacs (?) honcho. No, nothing illegal, just grotesque and unjustifiable.

This subprime, mortgage bundling, offshore account chicanery that is the Banking/Mortgage Crisis, does anyone think that there's no fraud and corruption feeding it? Combined with the questionable activities of the Stock and Bond Rating agencies, can anybody think that Wall Steet is anything but everything Spitzer exposed?

The Corporate Media and the Feds are spending a lot of time explaining in detail they never cough up in Congressional Testimony how Spitzer was caught.

I submit that this is the typical MO of the GOP thugs, they make it all seem reasonable and logical and plausable, when in reality, as idio says, [t]he reason he was caught was because this government is actively monitoring members of the opposition party for political purposes. Not to mention reporters, activists, bloggers, artists, labor leaders, college professors, MoveOn, people who write anti bush letters to the editor, members of the military, members of their own party, anyone and everyone who they might need to try to "influence" in their favor.

In a way Spitzer must be happy to be rid of politics and the ungrateful people of New York State. He can now use his wealth to enjoy his life. I wish him the best, and if now and then he wants to enjoy a shiksa on the side, good for him.

BUT...

IOKIYAR

Yes, IOKIYAR is the law of the land these days and you, Eliot Spitzer, of all people should know that. Damn you for being an irresponsible jackass, damn your eyes. Just like Bill C. back in 1994, when you know they're looking to nail you for anything they can and will use any/all tactics to nail you as well, you better be damned certain to keep your nose clean - what is so hard about that? Are you stupid, or is it just the hubris of the powerful?

Ha! 'Financial crime’ investigations? Spitzer vs. Halliburton, Blackwater, KBR, Iraq, Katrina and Homeland InSecurity? Banks investing in subprimes without proper reserves. What a laugh at ‘financial crime’.

Should he have quit? Why? The GOP guys -Vetter and Craig- are still ‘representing’ their constitutes in the Senate last I checked. I do not see anyone investigating who they paid for sex. In July 2007, Vitter was identified as a client of "D.C. Madam" Deborah Jeane Palfrey's escort service in Washington, D.C. How is that 'investigation' doing? Compare Spitzer to that investigation into outing a CIA agent named Plame, what about that? Lose a few million e-mails, no prob for the GOP, just a simple mistake I'm sure. Which is the real crime again?

The poor daughters- yes, I am sure they are much happier now. Private life is no longer private, just like impeaching Clinton. This is not even close to a real crime compared to Bush/Cheney. Oh, Cheney shot a guy in the face --and got away with it. Bush guts the EPA rules on smog yesterday- that will only cost a few thousand people their lives over the next few years. But Spitzer committed a 'crime' and is hounded out of office? Get real..

Did they really find Spitzer by 'accident?' There is a big article in the LA times on how rare they even find these prostitute rings- let alone investigate the johns. What is the odds on that? Fifty million johns to one Spitzer? On the other hand, did Rove and the always-evenhanded Justice Department and FBI target Democrats again, like many other states we know about?

Did they use data from illegal or legal domestic spying --that was to be used only to fight terrorism? And how would we ever know - with the present war criminals in charge?

This is just like Obama vs. Clinton. The GOP and right-wing protect each other; Dems tear each other apart over trivialities.