NEW YORK -- Federal prosecutors said Thursday that they will not bring criminal charges against Eliot Spitzer for his role in a prostitution scandal, removing a legal cloud that has surrounded the former governor since his epic downfall eight months ago.
U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia said investigators found no evidence that Spitzer or his office misused public or campaign funds for prostitution. Federal prosecutors typically do not prosecute clients of prostitution rings.
Understandable in a way if the johns are sufficiently humiliated otherwise. Still, we should make an exception and prosecute the wealthy and powerful, just as a reminder to them.
"In light of the policy of the Department of Justice with respect to prostitution offenses and the longstanding practice of this Office, as well as Mr. Spitzer's acceptance of responsibility for his conduct, we have concluded that the public interest would not be further advanced by filing criminal charges in this matter," Garcia said in a statement.
A remorseful Spitzer issued a statement in which he expressed relief that he will not face charges. "I appreciate the impartiality and thoroughness of the investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office, and I acknowledge and accept responsibility for the conduct it disclosed," he said. "I resigned my position as Governor because I recognized that conduct was unworthy of an elected official. I once again apologize for my actions." Spitzer was out of town and unavailable for further comment.
Four people pleaded guilty in recent months to running the prostitution operation that led to Spitzer's demise.
Spitzer resigned March 12 after it was disclosed he was referred to in court papers as "Client-9," a man who met a prostitute known in a Washington, D.C., hotel. Garcia said that Spitzer later revealed to investigators that on multiple occasions he arranged for women to travel from one state to another state to engage in prostitution. Federal law makes it a crime to induce someone to cross state lines for immoral purposes.
The scandal ruined a promising political career for Spitzer, who won a landslide election in 2006 with a vow to clean up corruption. Yeah. Corruption. I'll get right on that. As soon as I get off my paid for girlfriend here...
#1
Garcia said that Spitzer later revealed to investigators that on multiple occasions he arranged for women to travel from one state to another state to engage in prostitution.
Apparently US Attorney Michael Garcia is unaware of the Mann Act or that may just be a 'professional courtesy' thingy.
The Washington Independent reported before the election that John Kerry is a leading candidate for Barack Obama's Secretary of State:
Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the Democratic nominee for president in 2004, has emerged as a leading candidate for secretary of state -- should Sen. Barack Obama win the presidency Nov. 4.
So HuffPo is a couple days behind ...
Obama campaign advisers declined to comment on the record for this story. Nor would many Democratic foreign-policy experts who might join an Obama administration. But off the record, Obama aides made clear that Kerry's name is on a very short list of contenders to become the country's top diplomat. Another person talked up by the great mentioner is Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a Vietnam War veteran whose foreign-policy views align surprisingly well with Obama's.
Asked about the position, Kerry has refused to say much. "I have no job I'm looking for in the Cabinet at this point in time," Kerry told WCVB-TV just moments after he delivered his victory speech. "If the president talks to me, I'll listen to him and talk to him, but there's very little I would leave the U.S. Senate for." Then he stamped his hoof twice, bobbed his head and whinnied
Asked specifically about secretary of state, a position mentioned because of Kerry's interest in foreign affairs, the senator replied, "Well, I'd talk to the president if he called me and asked me about it. But I never heard anything. It's speculation. We don't have a president yet. Let's get down the road and see where we are."
#3
Couldn't be worse than Albright or Warren Christopher.
Personally I think it would be interesting for Obama to see if Powell could be talked into it again. Hell he should have picked Powell as VP, that would have removed a number of peoples assassination fears.
What's next - Ayers as FBI Director? Klonsky in charge of the new Civilian Security Force (Gestapo)? What about Wright in charge of the new cabinet post of Whitey Re-education?
Posted by: Jack is Back! ||
11/06/2008 9:58 Comments ||
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#6
He actually had to campaign up here this time and he hated it. Having to go out and glad hand the great unwashed looked like as much fun to him as getting root canal work.
Also, haven't seen the loony tunes old lady around much. Maybe he's got her locked up in the attic at the Louisburg Square mansion.
#11
It really is going to be interesting to see who Obambi picks for his cabinet. That will be the biggest hint as to how he'll actually try to govern that we can have.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/06/2008 18:51 Comments ||
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#1
I saw these statistics reflected in the IDB/TIFF polls prior to the election. At the time, I thought what's the heck's the deal? I would have thought women would go with the party of Palin. So what's going on here? Do women not like a strong woman? Is it the "right to life" issue or is something else going on here?
#3
Unmarried women, especially those with children, have trended Dem.
But as for JohnQC's question....don't forget, a lot of the most vicious things aimed Palin's way (and Hillary's) were from other females, and sadly, they didn't need much if any prompting to do it from men. (These same broads will later whine about how they are underpaid, get no respect for all the hard work that they do, blah blah blah with absolutely no sense of irony, to boot.)
#4
I didn't vote for him. I even know guys who are half white/half black that are batter choices for President. I don't have great expectations for him.
But I hope the next eight years go so well they put his face on a coin a half century from now. Or the Credit card equivalent. Because that will mean Americans for the most part better off.
He should thank the fighting men and women of this country. The majority of us (and yes, including myself) thought Iraq was going to be a disaster, but low and behold. The American people want to talk about agents of change, David Petraeus is an agent of change.
#5
I would have thought women would go with the party of Palin. So what's going on here?
Unmarried women tend to be more concerned about abortion, etc., and Palin clearly is/was a threat to that. Married women moved some towards Palin, but the Dems did a pretty good job demonizing the governor.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/06/2008 17:36 Comments ||
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#6
In California Caucasians are currently the largest minority in the state (42-43%). In the not too distant future they will become the second largest minority after Hispanics(currently 36-37%), a 6-7% swing will do the trick.
This will hold up for a short time until Hispanics become the majority at which time Caucasians will again become the largest minority. So goes California, so goes the Nation.
McCain lost California by 2.5 million votes.
Solution: The Trunks need to find an unmarried mother of mixed race with a Hispanic name.
#7
I knew several of these bitter unmarried 40 somethings, all professionals, who said to my (male) face the absolute worst misogynistic things about Palin you can imagine. No man would ever say them about a woman.
Truly, I was so gob-smacked, all I could say was, "So Feminism is well and truly dead..." and walk away.
OTOH, real life hockey moms (my town's full of them) did like, respect, and relate to Palin. They just didn't have much use for McCain.
I chalk it up to Old Maid envy and jealousy of Todd, the First Dude. Seriously.
#8
JDB, my assertion is that unmarried older professional women and maybe even married childless women in their 30s/40s are somewhat jealous of Palin. I think she's a great role model for American girls to emulate.
A little late. But I wanted to see how bad she got beat.
LOS ANGELES--House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was easily re-elected Tuesday, overcoming a challenge from anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan. Pelosi was elected to a 12th House term representing San Francisco with 71.56 percent of the vote, compared to 17.19 percent for Sheehan, with 67 percent of precincts reporting. 71-17. Yeah, that's a blowout...
"Thank you San Francisco. I am grateful for your support and honored by your trust," she said in a statement after being declared the winner. "Working together, our new president and our new Congress will deliver a new direction for the American people." Now...begone peasants! And there'll be no hippies pissing on my lawn!
Sheehan became famous for camping outside President Bush's Texas ranch to demand an end to the war in Iraq after the death of her son, Casey. She accused Pelosi of failing to end the war and not allowing impeachment hearings against Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. ...and took some swell trips to Cuba and Venezuela and Europe and...all over. Thanks, Casey!
In an interview after polls closed, Sheehan didn't concede defeat but vowed to run again in 2010. Oh, goody...
She accused the media of ignoring her and criticized Pelosi for not debating her. "Just avoiding a debate shows a lot of disrespect for my campaign," she said. Ah, yes. The "Do not feed the loon" strategy. They fed the loon when doing so was useful ...
"We tried very hard to get our message out, but it is very hard when the media does not listen to your message." ...14:59:57...14:59:58...14:59:59...15:00:00
Pelosi, who has easily fended off past challenges from the left, said she respected Sheehan's right to run. But for the most part she ignored her during the campaign. Good policy.
#2
The level of moonbattery is amazing!!! She actually got 17% I mean, HOLY S&*T 17%!! Thats amazing, I know that district is the dumbest in the nation but good god, no wonder McCain lost. The American public have drawn the stupid card!
Posted by: 49 Pan ||
11/06/2008 15:45 Comments ||
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#3
71-17, a certain symmetry in that, almost, like Halliburtian/Diebold/NeoCon..-ish.
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/06/2008 19:52 Comments ||
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#4
Damn. I was so hoping for 19 and 81%. Then we could have so much fun with Farrakhan numerology.
Posted by: ed ||
11/06/2008 20:48 Comments ||
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#2
The aides are scum, and their reward is that they'll never be trusted in a campaign ever again by anyone. They might as well become Democrats, and even the Democrats won't ever trust them.
Posted by: Steve White ||
11/06/2008 11:41 Comments ||
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#5
Just the first battle between the country club Repubs and conservatives over the future direction of the party. Country clubbers are thinking: Must crush Palin now. She is too popular among conservatives.
The nastiness doesn't speak well for what a McCain administration would hve been like. Then again, I'm sure the infighting within Barack's camp over whether to go left or centrist will be 10 times worse, but we won't hear about it.
Posted by: a person ||
11/06/2008 12:10 Comments ||
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#6
So she doesn't speak the GOP party 'lingo'?
That's not really a drawback to most people.
It sounds like McCain may have had a VERY old timey, out of touch campaign staff. She has massive appeal, if she can get the right people around her.
#7
Some of this is the herd mentality among the media elite: All the cool kids like Obama. All the cool kids hate Sarah. Note to self: must trash Sarah so I can be thought of as cool.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/06/2008 12:22 Comments ||
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#8
She vigorously defended the Second Amendment and the sanctity of life more eloquently in practice than any of the educated conservative aristocracy. -- From the link to Malkin provided by anonymous 5089
I find it highly ironic that people who oppose gun control are also opposed to abortion. Could it be there is such a thing as a responsible, law abiding gun owner who holds that all life is sacred? And how, if you are afraid of guns, can you then turn around and be so callous about the life of the unborn?
But more to the point of this thread, the reason we love Palin is exactly because she is an outsider. Maybe she can't recite all the arcane details of NAFTA. But even if she could does that mean we can trust her with it? Who can we trust on that issue? Not some fast talking lawyer from Chicago. What we're looking for is an honest, fresh, common sense approach with a conservative grounding. We want someone who hasn't had time to be corrupted by the Chicago Machine, the PACs, or the country club RINOs.
#10
People are getting a little overwrought over nothing. McCain was not the greatest candidate, but he lost mainly because he was outspent 8 to 1 - Obama had $650m whereas McCain only had $80m. Reagan would have lost if he had been outspent like this. It's that simple. Obama was able to do press-the-flesh retail politics with huge numbers of hired hands whereas McCain had to do wholesale.
#11
The real lesson of this campaign is that being outspent by your opponent 8 to 1 is a recipe for crushing electoral defeat. The next GOP candidate needs to deal with the hard work of fundraising and not assume that it will materialize like manna from heaven, just like McCain did.
#12
Reminds me of a debate we had around the office a few years back. We had a staff person who was very good at her job, but was also a backstabbing ratfink. A few of us came to the conclusion that we'd rather have a decent person with a weak skills set than a super-competent ratweasel with lots of pretty certifications. Skills can be developed easier than bad morals can be unlearned.
Posted by: Mike ||
11/06/2008 12:56 Comments ||
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#13
Who are these staffers? Is Michelle Malkin taking names?
Frankly I do see it as a chance to kneecap a vastly popular conservative now to clear the road in 2012 for an "Our Kind, Dear" candidate, whomever that might be in the minds of the GOP's "Wizards of Smart". (It's a Rushism, and I love it.)
Posted by: Grenter, Protector of the Geats ||
11/06/2008 13:19 Comments ||
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#14
I think the principal lesson we must learn from this debacle is that money matters. You can't get outspent $650m to $80m and still win an election. 8 times the money could mean 8 times the audience. And in this case, it meant Obama got the additional 5 percentage points he needed to seal the deal. 5 points the other way, and McCain would have won.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda - the point is that you can't ignore money. And that means cultivating the base, instead of ignoring and insulting it as McCain did. What McCain failed to realize was that the money for political donations comes out from hard-earned cash. This is money people can use for other things - rent, car payments and repairs, college tuition, gasoline, food, and so on. By insulting high-profile supporters who made controversial statements, he was basically saying that their concerns did not matter. Well, if their concerns don't matter to him, then McCain's political ambition doesn't matter to them. At least not to the extent of shelling out hard-earned cash to hand over to his campaign. He thought he would flip them the bird by going to Federal financing. Instead, it was Obama's cash pile that flipped him the bird by handing McCain a landslide electoral defeat.
#15
In the reorganization that the Republicans undergo i would suggest one huge change. Do not give out lists of doners to any and every cause and do not hammer away at doners monthly. The Republicans have spent far more money sending me stuff than I ever donated to them. It makes them appear fiscally irresponsible.
The whole thing reminded me of the scam mails sent to my grandfather.
#16
There is no such thing as one mistake. There are several issues starting with credibility. If a party that says defends fiscal restrain and acountability don't enforces it then they liars. What appeal to newcomers will have a party like that?
#17
Every time she opens her mouth i like what she has to say; if not for the content, which sometimes is bit ragged, but the sincerity. The GOP heavies need to really think about what they want to do; if they stay on the same track in 2010 or 12, there will be more blue Crayolas coming out to color the map.
#18
The GOP heavies need to really think about what they want to do; if they stay on the same track in 2010 or 12, there will be more blue Crayolas coming out to color the map.
The next GOP presidential candidate will know something about fund-raising, and not be outspent 8 to 1. I think the primary system has eliminated any possibility of candidates being completely dysfunctional. McCain's unique problem was the sin of pride. He thought his biography and ideas sell themselves. Being outspent 8 to 1 wouldn't be a problem. Not so. In politics, as in life, ou never get everything you pay for, but you never get what you don't pay for.
#19
If the trunk party goes with the Country Club Republicans they will lose again. Country Club Republicans are basically Democrats with a different name. So what do they have to offer? The campaign really did not get any life breathed into it until Palin came in. The Republicans have to offer something different than Democrats. They need to stay with their conservative principles.
#23
Money is not the issue. Ideas are. After ideas came money. What McCain bring to the table of ideas?
" The Republicans have to offer something different than Democrats. They need to stay with their conservative principles."
Only if they abide by them when in office isn't it?
The testimony of lack of ideas and principles in Republican side was also the resort here in Rantburg to talking about Hussein being a closet Muslim, or not born in US soil. At this game level that kind of things only work if there is clear evidence and don't advance your cause. Everytime someone sends dirt to the other part is not advancing their side ideas so better be sure there is evidence to back it up and that the issue has a reasonable chance of being an effective game changer.
#25
McCain's principle feature was that he was Not Obama. He was the worst of the Republican candidates, more like a Dem than any other repub. To the CC Repubs however, that was his most attractive feature. The CC Repubs are not conservative, they are just concerned with conserving their status and position.
The Repub party needs to be rebuilt. This time, let's leave out the termites that infest the structure.
Posted by: Whiskey Mike ||
11/06/2008 16:58 Comments ||
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#26
What vermin, disloyal, panic-stricken rats jumping off a sinking ship.
The joke's on them though: This ship won't sink but the rats will be left to drown.
#27
Why don't you say "8 to 1" one more time, Zhang? That way, you can make it an even half-dozen.
Why the heck not. 8 to 1 is why McCain lost. You can go on and on about the power of good ideas. But the fact is - you don't win unless your ideas get traction. That's where TV ads and paid staff come in - and they don't work for free. Next thing you're gonna tell me is that we could have 1/8 the Taliban's defense budget and still win - because of our clean living and pure hearts. If the power of conservative ideas was self-evident, the Democratic party would have been extinct a long time ago, and Communism would have aborted before it ever took hold in a single country. Show me a guy who gets outspent 8 to 1 and I'll show you a loser. Nobody wants to hear it - not the media, who think the Messiah's message sold itself or conservatives, who think McCain's message was horrible because they disagree with it - but I'll say it anyway - 8 to 1.
#30
"Why the heck not. 8 to 1 is why McCain lost."
I guess you heard about diminishing returns.... Second it is ideas/dreams/wishes and finding the best way to explain them that brings donors. When the main message is: i am an honorable person and i am an hero, well that is noble and fine but not enough.
#32
I think it's about time to either flush the Repuglicons and create a new party, or to flush 80% of the Repuglycon "leadership" and bring in someone fresh. The current group just doesn't seem to understand about real life. Sarah does. I'm thinking of moving to Alaska, just so I can vote for her whether she runs in '12 or not.
Posted by: Old Patriot ||
11/06/2008 19:14 Comments ||
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#33
How about this novel idea...
NO Yale or Harvard folk permitted in power positions in the New Republican Party.
#35
"I find it highly ironic that people who oppose gun control are also opposed to abortion."
Nothing strange about it: You can't have shotgun weddings without shotguns. :-)
"And how, if you are afraid of guns, can you then turn around and be so callous about the life of the unborn?"
The problem I have with treating abortion as murder, is that you must then treat all women that committed abortion as murderers.
Think through the consequences of that: With more than 1 million abortions per year in the USA, are you willing to arrest and potentially convict and execute as infanticide murderers 1 million women every year?
And if not, why not, if they indeed committed murder via abortion?
#36
our little forkbeard troll makes a word-gaffe the ultimate denier of competence. Should I note Mr. "all 57 states", or our "smile while you embarrass yourself and everyone associated with you daily" VP-elect. Eat sh*t and die.
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/06/2008 20:00 Comments ||
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#37
The only thing about higher education in Harvard and Yale is the word "higher".
Their shit stinks to high heavens.
MacNamara was a good initial proof of that.
Harvard biz theory has gutted the nation's factories and biz to the delight of China and India.
They miss the point that Americans without jobs can't buy that crap now made in China... Just as well as the latests poison scares show...
Hell they can't even make heart medicine (nie rat poison) properly....
Enough of the country club.
Enough!
No rhinos either.
#38
I hear ya. The real difference a professor of mine found between Harvard and the University of Illinois was that the cheaters at Harvard went to much greater and more creative lengths.
But as Sarah Palin herself said: it isn't where you went to school that's the issue, it's about the "I'm better than you" attitude.
#39
This is all about class - the Palins are not members of the coastal elite classes. And the McCain aides that anonymously slimed her have no class at all.
#40
Love it when the party of the "Peepul" defend their little ivy league oligarchy factory. The great unwashed need not apply or speak out.
Posted by: ed ||
11/06/2008 20:44 Comments ||
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#41
I personally think that these 'campaign aides' are trying to divert attention from the fact that they ran a half-assed campaign in general, and doubly half-assed when compared to O's ground ops. Money explains a little of it, but they deserve a lions share of any blame that's going around. The candidate can't do everything.
#42
ur little forkbeard troll makes a word-gaffe the ultimate denier of competence. Should I note Mr. "all 57 states", or our "smile while you embarrass yourself and everyone associated with you daily" VP-elect. Eat sh*t and die.
Frank,
I don't troll, I post just as much as anyone.
A gaffe in public is different than actual lacking of knowledge on such a 4th grade topic, when your own advisors and aids give you a quiz and are shocked by how little you know before the debate or interview. Africa is a continent by the way.
I've voted for the GOP before plenty. I really don't want some cornbread folksy republican or some stiff prosecutor type to vote for, which has been the trend. I want someone who can demand authority and respect but also show wisdom and kindness, like Reagan mainly. I'd vote for Reagan again.
Sure, people are angry GOP lost, but to exclude college educated people from you're own party, that's suicide and pretty dumb.
#43
I get it, I've been reading more post and I guess anything bad against Sarah Palin causes a reaction. I'll let it be.
I really blame the republican party and maybe a lack of early GOP voter wisdom in the republican primaries. I was also surprised that Mitt Romney quit so early.
Maybe it was meant to be, there was a different feeling before, GW was a big gripe and everyone had different mindsets early this year. I think the GOP believe they were going against Hillary.
However for the most recently GW has been AWOL from TV and the economy took a dive.
I would imagined a Romney/Palin or Romney/McCain ticket would have been better to make economic arguments against the Dems.
The GOP just got dealt a bad set of cards.
If anything, I'm just glad Hillary got rejected from the office.
#44
SF, you're NOT helping and no one said to exclude college-educated people from the GOP. What Frank intended, and I thought clearly explained, is that the GOP does not need any indoctrinated liberals from the Ivy schools. He's right about that. Liberal indoctrination is what students get there. Don't believe it? Check out the ratios of conservatives to libs on their faculties. Conservatives are about as common as unicorns and hen's teeth. Oh, and they're hated, too. Make no mistake about that.
Don't be an ass and deliberately misunderstand what is being said. That's what trolls do and you're skating right on the edge of trollery.
#45
You're kidding, right? Not going to Yale or Harvard means some is not "college educated people"? How remarkably elitist and ... dumb.
Here we are talking about two schools where the oligarchy sends their spawn to learn oligarchin'. Can you name the last president who wasn't a graduate of Yale or Harvard? And you denigrate the ~1.5 million new college graduates each year to favor the 5-6000 scions of the Masters of the Universe who instead of using the sweat of their brows to extract the riches of the earth, use their tight connections and secret handshakes to extract riches from the sweat of our brows. No thanks. You can take your elitist crap and shove it back up your ...
Posted by: ed ||
11/06/2008 22:24 Comments ||
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#46
your anon name, is OK the first couple posts, after that, it indicates lack of courage for your positions and their consistency. I've seen yours and they don't stand up
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/06/2008 22:24 Comments ||
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#47
The way I see it.
Liberals are loose, want orgies and no rules.
Conservatives are tight, want order and prosperity.
Far Left Liberals get hijacked by communist dictators, religious cults, or anarchist.
Far Right Conservatives get hijacked by nationalist, fascist, religious groups, or robber barons.
And we have to choose between them and most people want someone who will keep harmony most of all and will be on their side.
If you had cool Ivy League republicans on your side, like many officers during WW2, you'd want them on your team.
Get the best people into your party, that should be the idea.
Figure out what those characteristics are and improve.
#51
the fact that there are some competent people coming from two colleges which were pre-eminent in their time is no confirmation that their successors are advantaged or positively capable for the government positions they've been overly-harvested-for. I give you: Our glorious State Dept.
My point, which you've ignored, is that there is an enormous country that has REAL skills, REAL jobs, makes REAL industries work, and you're so wrapped up in fan-boy love for Yale/Harvard, you won't acknowledge it. Pick a real nym, stick with it, so I can tell you how much I value your consistent, logical, well-thought-out, arguments. If you don't, I remain a skeptic, troll
Posted by: Frank G ||
11/06/2008 22:53 Comments ||
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#52
If you had cool Ivy League republicans on your side, like many officers during WW2, you'd want them on your team.
I very much doubt that the current crop of graduates would have survived the 1930's or 40's curriculum at Harvard or Yale.
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
NEW YORK -- Federal prosecutors said Thursday that they will not bring criminal charges against Eliot Spitzer for his role in a prostitution scandal, removing a legal cloud that has surrounded the former governor since his epic downfall eight months ago.
The Washington Independent reported before the election that John Kerry is a leading candidate for Barack Obama's Secretary of State: 
