Eliot Spitzer's Downfall, A Year Later
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<br/><a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/10/governor_spitze_1.php">Eliot Spitzer met the press</a>, 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." <br/><br/><center><div><iframe frameborder="0" height="339" scrolling="no" src="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22425001/vp/23593185#23593185" width="425"></iframe><style type="text/css">.msnbcLinks {font-size:11px; font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #999; margin-top: 5px; background: transparent; text-align: center; width: 425px;} .msnbcLinks a {text-decoration:none !important; border-bottom: 1px dotted #999 !important; font-weight:normal !important; height: 13px;} .msnbcLinks a:link, .msnbcLinks a:visited {color: #5799db !important;} .msnbcLinks a:hover, .msnbcLinks a:active {color:#CC0000 !important;} </style><p class="msnbcLinks">Visit msnbc.com for <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com">Breaking News</a>, <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032507">World News</a>, and <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3032072">News about the Economy</a></p></div></center><br/><br/>In the days following, there was talk of <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/10/client_9_paid_4.php">his habits</a>, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/11/spizter_not_lik.php">resignation</a>, and how the <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/spitzer_expecte.php">feds caught him</a>. Spitzer ultimately <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/spitzer_to_give.php">resigned on March 12</a>, retreating to work for his father's real estate company. Post-script: It turned out Spitzer <i>was</i> <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/24/spitzer_totally.php">involved with Troopergate</a> (his 2007 scandal), the feds <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/11/06/no_charges_will_be_filed_against_sp.php">didn't press charges</a> against him for being a john, and Spitzer <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/12/03/spitzer_new_gig_writing_for_slate.php">started writing for Slate</a>.
<p>On March 7, an international escort ring was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/07/international_e.php">busted by the federal authorities</a>. The Emperor's Club VIP offered escorts rated by diamond; on the lower end, a john could get a three-diamond lady for $1,000 an hour while seven-diamond pros cost $5,500 an hour and would be flown around the world.<br/><br/>It turned out that the feds caught wind of the ring because of <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/spitzer_expecte.php">suspicious wire transfers</a> from Spitzer's bank accounts to a shell company operated by the Emperor's Club. Mark Brener, 62, who headed the operation, <a href="http://www.nypost.com/seven/02062009/news/regionalnews/spitzer_hooker_ring_boss_gets_prison_153884.htm">was sentenced to prison</a>, as was his young girlfriend-turned-manager <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/01/30/emperors_club_vip_manager_gets_6_mo.php">Cecil Suwal</a>.</p>
<p>The other player in the Hookergate drama was someone referred to, by the prostitution service's booker, as "Kristen." When the booker told her Spitzer (aka Client No. 9) could be "difficult" suggesting he "<b>would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe - you know - I mean that ... very basic things</b>," to which Kristen replied, "I have a way of dealing with that ... I'd be like listen dude, you really want the sex?"<br/><br/>She turned out to be a <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/spitzers_kriste.php">NJ girl</a> with ambitions of a singing career and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/19/kristen_gone_wi.php">a Girls Gone Wild Past</a> named Ashley Alexandra Dupre. She became tabloid fodder, from rumored plans to <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/07/09/ashely_dupre_is_moving_to_la.php">move to LA</a> to <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/07/24/ashely_dupre_returns_to_nycwith_mar.php">stepping out with (another) married man</a>...or just <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/09/super_hot_ashle.php">hanging out at the beach</a>. More recently, she was interviewed <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/11/19/diane_sawyer_ashley_dupre.php">by Diane Sawyer</a> and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/02/16/kristen_at_fashion_week_ruffles_fea.php">went to Fashion Week</a>.</p>
<p>Before Spitzer was embroiled in Hookergate, he was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/07/24/spitzers_bullyi.php">in Troopergate</a>, a battle of wills and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/07/26/bruno_wants_tru.php" monitoring="" police=""> between him and State Senate Majority Joseph Bruno. Bruno, an upstate career politician, managed to paint himself </a><a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/08/07/spitzers_scanda.php">as the victim</a> who pulled himself up from his boot straps while Spitzer was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. <br/><br/>It turned out that Spitzer was involved with <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/24/spitzer_totally.php">trying to smear Bruno</a>, but that was less dramatic than the hooker scandal. Bruno <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/24/spitzer_totally.php">took the high road</a>, saying it was "time to move on" and that his "heart goes out to his wife and his family at this time." <br/><br/>Bruno stepped down from the State Senate <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/06/23/state_senate_majority_leader_joseph.php">last year</a>, became an executive in the private sector and was <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/01/24/indicted_bruno_says_feds_investigat.php">indicted on federal corruption charges</a> this year. Oh, and it turns out he had a <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/02/12/brunomobile_secret_tv_studio_and_ma.php">Brunomobile</a>.</p>
<p>With Spitzer's resignation, the spotlight shifted to his lieutenant governor, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/meet_your_futur.php">David Paterson</a>. A legally blind, popular State Senator from Harlem, Paterson was thrust into the spotlight and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/17/governor_david.php">said at his inauguration</a>, "I can believe we can weather the storm, I've worked for New Yorkers my whole life. I don't know the path yet because we haven't blazed the trail, and I think you all know I know a little something about finding my way in the dark." <br/><br/>Then, in apparent pre-emptive strikes against the media, he and his wife revealed they each had <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/19/the_neverending.php">extra-marital affairs</a> and Paterson <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/25/paterson_did_a.php">admitted to using cocaine</a>. The "accidental governor" warned about the state's economic situation months before the financial industry's collapse and offered his austere <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/12/16/patersons_new_budget_reflects_new_f.php">take on a budget</a>, which proved unpopular. He even inspired SNL to satirize him, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/12/15/gov_paterson_annoyed_by_snl_skit.php">to his dismay</a>.<br/><br/>The circus around the appointment of someone to fill Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, with a spectacular low point with <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/01/21/reports_caroline_kennedy_drops_out.php">Caroline Kennedy dropping out</a> and Paterson's staff <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/02/04/more_analysis_of_patersons_senate_a.php">retaliating by spreading rumors</a>. Now Pateron's future is in jeopardy, as his ratings are <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/03/03/governor_paterson_hits_bottom_in_ma.php">currently even lower</a> that Spitzer's were during his hooker scandal.</p>
<p>Other notables:<br/><br/>The <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/10/client_9_paid_4.php">Mayflower Hotel's Room 871</a> in Washington D.C., where Spitzer planned his night with "Kristen": Spitzer used his good friend George Fox's name to check in and sneaked away from his security detail to head to the suite. Of course, the 871 number plate <a href="http://www.abovethelaw.com/2008/03/atl_field_trip_room_871_of_the.php">has been removed</a> from the <a href="http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wassh-renaissance-mayflower-hotel/">luxury hotel</a>. As it happen, Spitzer, working for his father's real estate business, <a href="http://gothamist.com/2009/03/09/spitzer_call_girl_coughs_up_details.php">purchased an office building</a> not too far from the hotel.<br/><br/>Media field day/ week/ month: Besides <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/11/covered_spitzer.php">newspapers</a> using <i>the</i> defining photo of Spitzer with his mouth impossibly pursued into a frown the day after the scandal broke, New York magazine went cheeky with a Barbara Kruger cover that said it all. Plus, the NY Times got the big scoop and the Post got to continues ridiculing Spitzer. <br/><br/>Humor: What's a better target than an Ivy League-educated crusader-type in politics who gets caught in a sex scandal? Blago aside, Spitzer provided fodder for <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/10/spitzer_photosh.php">Photoshop enthusiasts</a> and <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/12/spitzer_video_o.php">comedians</a> alike (one fave: Amy and Seth's <a href="http://www.hulu.com/watch/13828/saturday-night-live-really-with-seth-and-amy">Really on SNL</a>).<br/><br/>Roger Stone, GOP operative: Though Stone was fired by the State GOP after allegedly leaving an <a href="http://gothamist.com/2007/08/23/a_funny_thing_h_3.php">insane phone message on Spitzer's father's voicemail</a>, he apparently got the last laugh with Spitzer's demise. While it's unclear whether Stone actually had a role in bringing Spitzer downâStone <a href="http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/06/02/080602fa_fact_toobin">claims he met a prostitute</a> who "almost had a date" with SpitzerâStone had a good time showing off his Nixon tattoo. <br/><br/>Socks on: A detail that Stone reportedly included in an email to the FBIâthat <a href="http://gothamist.com/2008/03/23/spitzer_reporte.php">Spitzer was a socks-on john</a>. Enough said.</p>