This whole matter was taken too far. It wasnt illegal because he wasnt paying for sex... he was paying for her to leave.
What are you talking about? He made a lot of enemies taking some of them down and it wasn't cronyism. Handling Grasso? That wouldn't jive with what you say above. Didn't happen that way. Once Spitzer did his Mr. Clean act is where it got to be a problem - when he became governor. His hubris meter skyrocketed. That investigation is just that, not because of probability. Spitzer got caught by his own law to help find improper payments but it wasn't what you think. The disdain against him was his public arrogance. Fine, that should tick you off but you should get really angry at the few years some of these guys get from stealing money from you, not breaking the law that many laugh at and the technicality of doing so. Throw him in jail for his hubris? If this was Joe Citizen he'd get a slap on the wrist and done. There are much worse. McGrevey also got hell because of his sexuality. Nail the criminals. Look at whom Guiliani hired and what kind of shenanigans went on. I still cut him some slack because, for a time, he too really helped clean up NY. At least he did something to improve the value of life. Why aren't there arrests for the mortgage scandals? Our life earnings are at stake and now in a bunch of executives' pockets.
Ron Paul on Eliot Spitzer: He acted badly but didn't deserve this http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecr...r__He_acted_badly_but_didnt_deserve_this.html Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), he of the quixotic GOP presidential campaign and unique policy positions, is never one to be shy about his opinions. Take the case of fallen New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D), whose political career fell apart this week after his liaisons with high-priced call girls became public. Spitzer resigned his office effective Monday. Most politicians from both sides of the aisle publicly (at least) offered condolences for Spitzer and his poor family, including his three daughters, but didn't — of course — defend Spitzer's atrocious behavior. But for Paul, Spitzer's downfall at the hands of a Justice Dept. investigation shows government at its worst. Yes, Spitzer climbed to power on the backs of political enemies he destroyed, making him not a swell guy, but he didn't deserve what happened to him. The FBI should have never been allowed to listen in to his phone call in the first place, according to the Texas Republican. Here's the statement Paul made on the House floor last night. It's worth reading, at least for the enlightenment it gives into Paul's view of the world, which basically comes down to who controls the money: "Madam Speaker, it has been said that 'he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword.' And in the case of Eliot Spitzer, this couldn't be more true. In his case it's the political sword, as his enemies rejoice in his downfall. Most people, it seems, believe he got exactly what he deserved. "The illegal tools of the state brought Spitzer down, but think of all the harm done by Spitzer in using the same tools against so many other innocent people. He practiced what could be termed 'economic McCarthyism,' using illegitimate government power to build his political career on the ruined lives of others. "No matter how morally justified his comeuppance may be, his downfall demonstrates the worst of our society. The possibility of uncovering personal moral wrongdoing is never a justification for the government to spy on our every move and to participate in sting operations. "For government to entice a citizen to break a law with a sting operation — that is, engaging in activities that a private citizen is prohibited by law from doing — is unconscionable and should clearly be illegal. "Though Spitzer used the same tools to destroy individuals charged with economic crimes that ended up being used against him, gloating over his downfall should not divert our attention from the fact that the government spying on American citizens is unworthy of a country claiming respect for liberty and the Fourth Amendment. "Two wrongs do not make a right. Two wrongs make it doubly wrong. "Sacrifice of our personal privacy has been ongoing for decades but has rapidly accelerated since 9/11. Before 9/11, the unstated goal of collecting revenue was the real reason for the erosion of our financial privacy. When 19 suicidal maniacs attacked us on 9/11, our country became convinced that further sacrifice of personal and financial privacy was required for our security. "The driving force behind this ongoing sacrifice of our privacy has been fear and the emotional effect of war rhetoric — war on drugs, war against terrorism and the war against Third World nations in the Middle East who are claimed to be the equivalent to Hitler and Nazi Germany. "But the real reason for all this surveillance is to build the power of the state. It arises from a virulent dislike of free people running their own lives and spending their own money. Statists always demand control of the people and their money. "Recently we've been told that this increase in the already intolerable invasion of our privacy was justified because the purpose was to apprehend terrorists. We were told that the massive amounts of information being collected on Americans would only be used to root out terrorists. But as we can see today, this monitoring of private activities can also be used for political reasons. We should always be concerned when the government accumulates information on innocent citizens. "Spitzer was brought down because he legally withdrew cash from a bank — not because he committed a crime. This should prompt us to reassess and hopefully reverse this trend of pervasive government intrusion in our private lives. "We need no more Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act! No more Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Acts! No more torture! No more Military Commissions Act! No more secret prisons and extraordinary rendition! No more abuse of habeas corpus! No more Patriot Acts! "What we need is more government transparency and more privacy for the individual!"
Blabbity blah blah. He did far more good cleaning up the town than any other politician. You people are a bunch of idiots and don't even know who was on your side. If he was rubbing it in, he was doing so against people who committed crimes. Did he get too big for his britches? Way too big and he annoyed a lot of people. There is also some sense of justice when someone smug who preaches one thing doesn't quite fulfill what they preach. But considering his crime, it's VERY minor in contrast to the huge number of politicians pilfering from our own cookie jar. Why aren't you going after them with the same vitriol? I didn't see this much vitriol about the mortgage scandal that has plunged this country into a recession supposedly not seen since WWII - and it's getting worse. But there are no faces yet and no hookers and there isn't anybody to show how holy you are and how "justice is served." It makes me sick to see Grasso's HUGE check. It made me sick to watch Bear Stearns crumble and the other banks but NOBODY is accountable. Instead you're all dancing with the hooker who broke the law dozens and dozens of times. The Paris Hilton generation is revolting. I'm sure half of you would elect her as the next president if she was on the ballot because at least she didn't break the law... jeez....