CNBC: Spitz quits at 11 a.m.; Update: Did Spitz use Congress as his cover story? Update: Is this “Kristen”?
posted at 10:08 am on March 12, 2008 by Allahpundit
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“[H]e could still pull back at the last minute pending a plea agreement” with the feds, the report claims, but the Lieutenant Governor’s already telling people he’s the new sheriff in town so things seem a bit more final than that. The AP says it’ll be effective Monday; is that to leave him some wriggle room, a la Larry Craig, to change his mind?
Got several tasty updates coming but wanted to get this out there. Stand by.
Update: Re: the Craig theory, never mind — according to the Post, Paterson asked him to hold off until Monday so that the transition would be smoother.
Update: I wonder how CNBC got such a juicy scoop. Hmm.
Update: What was it that finally convinced Spitz to quit? The Marist poll? Nah, it was two things: The fact that even the Democrats in the state legislature don’t like him and wouldn’t have gone to bat for him plus the fact that his appetite for hookers is looking more voracious by the hour. From the Sun:
Throughout the day yesterday, Mr. Spitzer, holed up in his Fifth Avenue high-rise apartment, teetered between surrender and defiance, with one of his closest associates pleading with him not to give up and with a large number of his aides urging him to protect his family and step down.
The argument in favor of resignation ultimately prevailed and Mr. Spitzer, 48, conceded that Monday’s stunning disclosure that he was a regular customer of a high-priced prostitution service, Emperors Club VIP, left him with no choice but to accept that his once-soaring political career had crashed, aides told The New York Sun under condition of anonymity.
How regular? According to the Times story linked above, half a dozen times in the past eight months, and “[o]n some trips of several days’ duration, Mr. Spitzer scheduled more than one visit with a prostitute, this person said.” Back to the Sun for the awful denouement:
A source close to the governor said Mr. Spitzer and his wife of 20 years, Silda Wall, have spent the day in separate rooms in their apartment. They have emerged from their locations to speak jointly with Mr. Spitzer’s lawyers.
“She doesn’t want to look at him, and he doesn’t want to bear the look that she gives when she does look at him,” the source said.
I thought Mrs. Spitz was the one who wanted him to fight on.
Update: Echoes of Giuliani’s Judi Nathan expense scandal in this WaPo story about Spitzer dragging along his police guard to stand watch during his assignations, one of which was staked out by the feds back in January. How much did the state pay for his security?
A team of agents from New York and Washington was hurriedly dispatched to the hotel after an escort service employee was heard on a wiretap calling the front desk to say that flowers were being sent to Spitzer and wanting to confirm that he would be there, said a source knowledgeable about the investigation who requested anonymity in order to speak freely.
Spitzer spent part of the day and evening at the hotel, but if he had a date from the escort service, the agents did not see her or she did not show up.
Spitzer was accompanied to Washington by members of his police detail, who were apparently unaware of the FBI surveillance even though an officer from the detail watched the governor’s room from across the hall, through a cracked door.
Update: Be careful what you wish for, New York conservatives.
Update: Someone just forwarded me a screencap of what’s supposed to be “Kristen’s” page at the Emperors Club website but I’m going to hold off on posting it until there’s more confirmation. If it’s the real deal, it’ll be all over the ‘Net soon anyway.
Update: Word is now that the resignation will come at 11:30.
Update: Too good to check: “Gov. Eliot Spitzer himself sought to testify before a congressional subcommittee that hadn’t invited him to appear - possibly to give him an excuse to be away from home and see a hooker, officials revealed yesterday.”
Update: If nothing else good comes of this, at least it’s made Letterman funny again:
Update: What’s funnier, the headline or the story details?
Shortly before his pre-Valentine Day’s Washington, DC, hotel tryst with the call girl now publicly known as “Kristen,” Spitzer asked his aides in the Mayflower Hotel if they had a classical-music CD he could bring to his room, a witness said…
“At the time, he claimed it was to help him focus and concentrate,” the source said of Spitzer. “He said he was going to work late into the night.”
Update: Page Six has the alleged screencap of “Kristen” that was forwarded to me earlier. The description matches.
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Dun dun Duuuun!
Asher on March 12, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Buh BYE!
j0 on March 12, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Learn a lesson from the Japanese.
maynila on March 12, 2008 at 10:11 AM
It’s up to you, New York, New Yorrrrrrrrrrrk!
Apologies to Frank.
rightside on March 12, 2008 at 10:13 AM
His forehead is shiny.
Asher on March 12, 2008 at 10:13 AM
Hard to believe. Every minute extra he stays in office and in the limelight is bad for the state and bad for the Democrats.
JiangxiDad on March 12, 2008 at 10:13 AM
New revealing photo of Spitzer just released.
The Zoo Keeper on March 12, 2008 at 10:14 AM
True, but don’t forget about 9/11. Being the Governor of New York is a very serious job.
Buy Danish on March 12, 2008 at 10:16 AM
See Ya! Wouldn’t want to be Ya!
Good to get that out of my system!!!!
It will be interesting to hear the tone of Spitzer’s resignation. Will he be contrite? Will he use his kids as political props again? Certainly “the family” is going to be given as the reason he can’t continue on in public life.
In short, Spitzer is a rabid liberal. I wonder who is going to be cast in the role of aggressor that makes him the victim. Or perhaps he’ll take the lead of Detroit’s mayor whose own scandal resulted in a Rodney King like moment of “can’t we all forget the past and just get along?”
highhopes on March 12, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Yeah, I saw Cramer nearly blubbering on Today this AM. Dude, it wasn’t your family destroyed. He’s one unstable guy.
Cuffy Meigs on March 12, 2008 at 10:18 AM
So who replaces the Lt. Gube if Spitzer steps down?
Bob's Kid on March 12, 2008 at 10:22 AM
I said this on the other tread, but I guess its more appropriate here:
AverageJoe on March 12, 2008 at 10:23 AM
Cramer is a fan and a friend, from what I understand. So it makes sense.
But yeah, he’s unstable.
Asher on March 12, 2008 at 10:24 AM
apparently 11:30 at his office in midtown NYC?
Branch Rickey on March 12, 2008 at 10:24 AM
So Spitzer is finally Pulling Out.
faraway on March 12, 2008 at 10:25 AM
I wonder exactly what he is using to “bargain with”. Sounds to me the only thing he has to bargain is his elected office.
tarpon on March 12, 2008 at 10:25 AM
You are a bad, bad boy.
Or girl.
/mad I didn’t think of it first
Bob's Kid on March 12, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Laura Ingraham is chuckling why Bill Clinton is nowhere to be found with a comment on Spitzer.
TOO OBVIOUS, Clinton’s on the E.C. VIP client list. That would also explain how Spitzer expects to get off the hook somehow, democratically spread the joy of misery.
maverick muse on March 12, 2008 at 10:29 AM
I’m not a Jim Cramer hater. I kinda like the guy. But where are the interviews of “good friends” of conservatives when they are in trouble? This is oh-so-heartbreaking on so many levels… right? Funny how it’s only heartbreaking when the person in trouble has a D next to their name. Check that. It’s when there is NO letter next to their name because the MSM doesn’t think it necessary to identify a wrong doer as a Democrat.
Sugar Land on March 12, 2008 at 10:29 AM
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would think this may have been Obama’s superdelegate strategy. I hear the Lt Gov is an Obama maniac.
faraway on March 12, 2008 at 10:32 AM
I just lost what little respect I had for Kramer.
Lance Murdock on March 12, 2008 at 10:34 AM
He was supposed to quit at 9:00 a.m. according to the Post and that Monday date was for the Lt Gov to get ready.
I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m more interested in the charges or lack of.
Pam on March 12, 2008 at 10:34 AM
The timing of the mob bought NY Gov. exposure coinciding with the former CIA Director now Secretary of Defense acceptance of Afgan/Iraqi Commander’s resignation PRE-Iranian invasion–the new guard of politicians and military commanders, unsettling.
maverick muse on March 12, 2008 at 10:37 AM
You mean the argument that stalling the inevitable will be evidence of his lack of remorse at an early stage and be used against him at his sentencing?
Blake on March 12, 2008 at 10:38 AM
The resignation isn’t enough. I would like to know if any state money was used to pay for the hookers and if so, that he is prosecuted accordingly.
Bishop on March 12, 2008 at 10:40 AM
That’s no bargaining chip. Yes the feds want him out. But refusing to resign will only weigh against him at sentencing. He’s like many defendants who believe they have an unlimited number of choices when there are only two: plead guilty or go to trial. I assume Spitzer is disparate for some guarantee that the AG will not recommend a jail sentence. Even if they don’t, the judge is not required to follow it. He just needs some time to get use to the fact that he is probably is going to prison.
Blake on March 12, 2008 at 10:42 AM
How is the idiotic liberalism of the Dem Lt. Gov a problem for conservatives? It should be a warning to liberal voters that they should be careful who they elect; he may have to govern.
This moonbat will have New Yorkers begging for someone more conservative very quickly, unless he reigns in his Moonbatness.
Jaibones on March 12, 2008 at 10:42 AM
I hope the Mrs. volunteers to testify against him if it goes to trial.
That might be unsettling to Queen Hillary ….. watching a wife stomp on her cheating man rather than standing by him like a political whore.
fogw on March 12, 2008 at 10:46 AM
Unfortunately the NY Republicans and NY Conservatives (two seperate parties in the state) can’t get their collective acts togehter to stop the libs.
Iblis on March 12, 2008 at 10:49 AM
The NY Post said yesterday that he may have been doing this for the last six to ten years. Geez.
someguy on March 12, 2008 at 10:49 AM
Don’t worry, Elliot - President Hillary will pardon you.
sgt_rich on March 12, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Crash and burn.
WisCon on March 12, 2008 at 10:54 AM
Wouldn’t it be funny if Spitzer showed up at his press conference looking like this guy?
fogw on March 12, 2008 at 10:56 AM
It’s virtually impossible for his closest aid-de-camps not to have know. It’s also very likely that his wife knew too. It’s just my experience, take it for what it’s worth.
TheBigOldDog on March 12, 2008 at 10:56 AM
does NY have the ‘recall’ option like California?
jp on March 12, 2008 at 10:57 AM
“Does Piano Concerto #3 turn you on? Does it?”
Pasalubong on March 12, 2008 at 10:59 AM
His hell is just beginning. Imagine what his daughters have said to him.
a capella on March 12, 2008 at 11:01 AM
Thankfully, NB had the courtesy to link the Cramer Bernanke meltdown along with the Today video.
Kid from Brooklyn on March 12, 2008 at 11:01 AM
His fetish was to have two hookers polish his bare scalp with vials of Jim Cramer’s tears.
saint kansas on March 12, 2008 at 11:01 AM
True, but whatever Paterson the ultra-iberal does will reflect back on Obama, and Paterson lacks experience.
Paterson is described as a nice guy and a great orator, but more than that is required to govern.
Buy Danish on March 12, 2008 at 11:03 AM
The headline definitely. The details are just disgusting. Making sure he had enough on account at “Whores R’ Us,” prepping the hotel room, etc… The single sentence that sums it all up, however, is this:
Sometime between wiring money, looking for mood music, and sneaking around a hotel, Spitzer should have been asking himself what the f**k he was doing! And not just because of the infidelity. He was also screwing around with his career should he get caught.
highhopes on March 12, 2008 at 11:08 AM
Fox just made a great slip-up: “His lawyers have been advising him for the last three deals…er, days…”
eeyore on March 12, 2008 at 11:08 AM
As you watch the statement remember this:
Eliot Spitzer’s not really resigning and leaving public life. This is merely a early sneak peak at next season’s Dancing with the Stars
highhopes on March 12, 2008 at 11:11 AM
Fox announcing resignation
Jaibones on March 12, 2008 at 11:12 AM
The headline! Hands down.
txsurveyor on March 12, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Or not said. Imagine the pain of having your three teenage daughters lose every shred of respect for you.
Jaibones on March 12, 2008 at 11:13 AM
I’d buy that for a dollar!
lorien1973 on March 12, 2008 at 11:17 AM
Once the Feds and his wife’s lawyers are finished with him, there will be nothing left of him… except for himself in a suit, teaching some esoteric class at some public university or “traveling the world” in order to “find himself”.
I know exactly what you’re saying. I was totally disappointed at my own father. That didn’t mean I stopped loving him, though.
newton on March 12, 2008 at 11:19 AM
So that’s the girl, eh? Well, she seems cute enough…. but a bit trashy. Of course, that’s to be expected. Is she $4300 worth of cute? Heck no (but then, I get married in a few weeks, so my mind is probably not on straight right now anyway. :D)
Vanceone on March 12, 2008 at 11:19 AM
Naah, wouldn’t happen….he has to have some sense of honour.
dmh0667 on March 12, 2008 at 11:26 AM
So Client #9 was a High-Heel Man. Or just a heel.
RushBaby on March 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM
you’d think one of these high priced ho’s that is working for famous pols like this, would set them up and sell their story with all the details to the media and cash out of that line of work, or atleast attempt to.
jp on March 12, 2008 at 11:30 AM
Never listen to the little Spitzer when money is involved.
profitsbeard on March 12, 2008 at 11:40 AM
Just ruminating on your opening paragraph here, AP, mostly because the lurid and humorous aspects of Spitzer’s predicament is much more fun, and it’s distracting from it.
It’s kind of like your standard exit question: Why are the Fed’s negotiating anything with Spitzer at this point in time? Have the Fed’s charged him with anything yet? Have they developed a list of charges. Is the investigation complete (I saw a suggestion somewhere, maybe on Monday, that the Fed send a notice to someone that they are being investigated on bank irregularities. If it is true, I can’t believe the Feds are anywhere near a complete investigation.
I can understand why Spitzer might be pushing for some overarching plea deal, but why would the Fed be doing so, especially if they come to find the prostitution scandal is not the whole enchilada? I certainly hope the Feds don’t rush into something that puts more than the egg on their face they received from rushing through the Sandy Burglar fiasco.
Dusty on March 12, 2008 at 11:41 AM
Kristen’s career just took a leap forward. A book, Playboy spread,..who plays her role in the movie? No. Eliot, it won’t go away soon.
a capella on March 12, 2008 at 11:44 AM
Guy looks like an actual rat.
j0 on March 12, 2008 at 11:45 AM
And he’s gone! (Well, effective next Monday.)
Huzzah!
Enoxo on March 12, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Kristen is one letter swap from Kirsten and the latter’s profession isn’t much different than the brunette’s. In the mens’ world, it doesn’t matter what you do, it’s how you look while you’re doing it. If HRC was a looker she’d have the nomination by now.
I heard that Spritzer has a helicopter on his SUV. Thankfully, murder isn’t part of this story.
Ah…the great Spitsonya is speaking!
I need a new bucket already.
Christine on March 12, 2008 at 11:48 AM
The sweet, sweet justice of this is almost enough to make me believe there is a god…and he is very, very good.
winewife on March 12, 2008 at 11:48 AM
He twice mentioned his “private failings.” How about that minor detail about breaking the law, hypocrite?
raben on March 12, 2008 at 11:50 AM
Just long enough to have a document shredding fest, and call in all his remaining political favors to keep the lid clamped down on whatever other cauldrons he had boiling.
RushBaby on March 12, 2008 at 11:53 AM
At least she’s smokin’.
Meanwhile, seems we’re about an hour past due.
Blacklake on March 12, 2008 at 11:55 AM
This story suggests that according to aides of the governor, his wife was urging him to stay on.
someguy on March 12, 2008 at 11:56 AM
If only every other elected Democrat could resign as well, it would be really be groovy.
Imagine all the people. Living life as one. You can say I’m a dreamer. But I’m not the only one. I hope some day you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.
NoDonkey on March 12, 2008 at 11:56 AM
Kristen looks older than 24.
Blake on March 12, 2008 at 12:06 PM
So long, Governor Putzhead!
Lest we forget: here’s Chef from South Park singing about prostitutes. Scroll down to “Prostitute Defined”.
Spanglemaker on March 12, 2008 at 12:06 PM
One more comment like that and you’re banned. Test me.
Allahpundit on March 12, 2008 at 12:07 PM
Spitzer reminds everyone just how far the Democrats are mired in sleaze, from hookers to fraud to slum landlords. Obama’s close ties with Rezko, Clinton’s connections to Hsu, Spitzer’s gluttony for hookers - this all paints a very sorry picture of the Democratic party.
We need to hammer this home until November - return the GOP to Congress and the White House! Keep the Democratic sleazeballs out!
Pax americana on March 12, 2008 at 12:08 PM
So he approached his criminal friends begging for a leg up and they spurned him with a warning to quit or sleep with the fish.
His wife deserves nothing since she supported his grasping for money and power, “standing by his side”, more like leading him by the nose. Considering her effort to cover his sins against the state, there must be dirt on her. It wasn’t for the children that she played his prop. If it were the kids that took her center stage, she’d have stayed behind the curtains with them until cutting herself clean from him.
It wasn’t just the very stupid prostitution, it was MONEY LAUNDERING and tax evasion that by standing with him she was perceptively in on. No telling what kind of sex games she had going on, since she stood by his side giving him a way out of condemnation, civic, public and private.
maverick muse on March 12, 2008 at 12:09 PM
105 lbs!!?? On a 5′5″ frame there must be a lot of fluff. Looks like pretty solid stuff to me. My guess is she will now make a whole lot more than the hourly rate she commanded previously.
While she may be extremely attractive, the price paid for a few hours with her is incalculable in terms of sustained human emotional pain and torment and damage to the state of NY and the US political process. As was stated in a lovely garden long ago, the fruit is pleasing to the eye, God doesn’t know what He’s talking about, partake of it, you will not surely die!
wepeople on March 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
I think one possibility as to why he didn’t apply the Clinton stick-it-out strategy was that he got a call from the Glacier herself, who told him - “You think you’re being hounded now - - wait’ll your story starts affecting MY run - you don’t KNOW hounded !!”
eeyore on March 12, 2008 at 12:11 PM
a high and mighty heel with steel spiked toes
maverick muse on March 12, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Damn him for how he hurt his family.
amerpundit on March 12, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Kristen’s Playboy offer will be a half million to a million.
Too bad Larry Flynt’s not looking for currupt public official with his million dollar reward anymore. But I think Larry’s offer only applied to congressmen.
Marc01 on March 12, 2008 at 12:17 PM
Evidently he preferred to use the back door.
there it is on March 12, 2008 at 12:20 PM
Every married man has had that look from the wife when she thinks you’ve spent a little too much on tools, a tv or whatever.
Now multiply that by a factor of 80,000 or whatever he spent on hookers.
moxie_neanderthal on March 12, 2008 at 12:20 PM
wepeople on March 12, 2008 at 12:10 PM
His eyes were opened only after being caught wearing the fig apron that didn’t cover his public nakedness and now he’ll try hiding in the bushes in shame. Adam had to contend with an all-seeing all-knowing God of communication. Spitzer has 21st century technology and free-press to contend with, so the parallels run on as he provides a modern metaphor.
There are those who say to be good whether or not there is a God, to be good for one’s well being as well as for its own sake. Better to learn sooner than later, but better late than never.
maverick muse on March 12, 2008 at 12:22 PM
STRUCTURING!!!!
The Emperor Has No Clothes? BWAHAHAHAHAHA
DfDeportation on March 12, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Um, yeah. Kristen. Hot. Lana zug zug! I wonder how
many diamonds she was rated. But c’mon… $5,500 an hour?
I wonder if she’ll get her 15 minutes of fame and make the
talk shows. If she does, I hope it’s Letterman. I want to see him ask her, “Wanna pet my monkey?”
SilverStar830 on March 12, 2008 at 1:10 PM
So who replaces the Lt. Gube if Spitzer steps down?
Bob’s Kid on March 12, 2008 at 10:22 AM
AZCoyote on March 12, 2008 at 1:11 PM
She’s cute, but she’s not worth a couple of mortgage payments.
Mortis on March 12, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Yeah, she’s hot, but no woman is worth that much.
conservnut on March 12, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Please, let’s bring some order to the blogs.
It’s not “Spitzer”, its “Disgraced Former Democrat Governor Spitzer”.
Thank you.
faraway on March 12, 2008 at 1:42 PM
It is just a matter of time before some of these women (and others) come forward.
He’s getting a divorce….he sought unprotected sex with a hooker
moxie_neanderthal on March 12, 2008 at 2:00 PM
Did New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer have to drag his wife, Silda Wall Spitzer, up there, in her pearls and powder blue Chanel jacket like some prop to be shamed?
Did he have to parade her before the cameras, so lovely and tired, disgraced and betrayed, for all to see?
And Silda stood beside him mute, like one of those people who crawl out of burning cars, make it to the side of the road and stare at what brought them there.
- John Kass
MB4 on March 12, 2008 at 2:22 PM
It is not whether she is worth the money or not…it wasn’t his money, he is paid by the people. So the question is, was she worth our money? To any liberal (actually most politicians) the answer is…yes…always will be worth our money for their pleasure.
That is what we are there for, and that is why they feel they are elected, for us to pay them to be served by others.
right2bright on March 12, 2008 at 3:47 PM
coitus interruptus.. eh. >:D
Chakra Hammer on March 12, 2008 at 10:44 PM