"I'm not only the Governor, i'm also a client!"

As I'm sure most of you have heard already, our embattled Governor Eliot Spitzer has been linked to a high-cost prostitution ring by a Federal wiretap. According to the New York Times:

"...has been 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.

The wiretap captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a hotel room, according to an affidavit filed in federal court in Manhattan. The person briefed on the case and the law enforcement official identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.

Mr. Spitzer, a first term Democrat, today made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a “private matter.” He did not address his political future."

Spitzer, who as Attorney General had been praised for his investigations to fight fraud, has now himself become a fraud. To say that his first year in office has been rough would be an understatement. His handling of Troopergate, his failed driver'a license plan, and now this situation have far outweighed the bits and pieces of good that he may have done.

There are many issues the Governor has left unresolved after today's press conference. This announcement certainly has come as a shock to me and probably most other people in the state. Now we have to see whether or not charges will be brought against him, whether it be under the Mann Act or if he used the prostitutes while on government time. This all remains to be seen.

My favorite quote from the NY Times article was :

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”

I can picutre was Spitzer was actually thinking:

"pffft! Just a small prostitution ring! I use bigger ones with more complex management structures! You should see the client list!"

And we have Mr. Governor. And it is a doozy.

I believe the Governor needs to step down immediately. This is just the final straw in a laundry list of failures for Mr. Spitzer. I am interested to see your opinions on this matter.