Eliot Spitzer, Crook

Commentary ^ | 03.10.2008 - 18:32 | John Podhoretz

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The thing is, Eliot Spitzer is a crook. I’m not referring to the current prostitution scandal. I’m not referring to the scandal last year involving his senior aides and the leaking of confidential police information to the Albany Times Union. I’m not referring to the threatening phone call he made to the august John Whitehead, retired head of Goldman Sachs, who had the temerity to question a case Spitzer was building against an old friend of Whitehead’s. I’m referring to his conduct dating back to 1994, when he designed a complex scheme involving loans and real estate and collateralized apartments to evade campaign-finance laws so that his own father, Bernard Spitzer,  could pay for his campaign as attorney general of New York state. Millions of dollars. And then, in 1998, running for the same office, he did it again. It’s hard to explain, but basically, Spitzer’s father gave him a lot of real estate. He used it to secure loans totaling more than $8 million. Then his father paid back the loans. He was supposed to pay his father back. He said he did. Then he acknowledged he hadn’t. Then somehow it all went away. I’m not a big fan of campaign-finance laws, but they are laws, and they are supposed to apply to everybody.

The rules don’t apply to Eliot Spitzer, or at least, that’s how Eliot Spitzer has acted throughout his public life. Sic transit gloria mundi.

[MtnClimber]

What comes around goes around!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More stuff on the Spitzer...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

From the NY Times .... October 28, 1998:

THE 1998 CAMPAIGN: THE MONEY;
Spitzer Concedes That His Father Has Helped to Pay for Campaigns

***************************EXCERPT*********************

For months, Eliot L. Spitzer's political rivals in the race for state attorney general have attacked him by raising one essential question: who has paid for his campaigns?

After repeatedly contending that he alone paid his campaign bills this year and in 1994, Mr. Spitzer, the Democratic candidate, acknowledged in interviews with The New York Times this week that his father, a wealthy real estate developer, has played an extensive role in helping to finance his campaigns.

[Rome2000]

What bill is this I'm signing again?

David Alexander Paterson (born May 20, 1954) is an American politician and the current Lieutenant Governor of New York. He is the first African American and the first legally blind person to hold this position. He was selected as running mate by New York Attorney General and Democratic Party nominee Eliot Spitzer in the 2006 New York gubernatorial election.[1] With current news reports indicating that Governor Spitzer may resign as soon as the evening of March 11, 2008, Paterson could become the first African-American Governor of New York and the first legally blind governor in the nation.[2]

[goldstategop]

For someone above the law, he's finally been caught. Shakespeare talked about "ambition o'ervaulting itself" in Macbeth. Spitzer isn't even a likeable Shakespearean villain. He was just a ruthless thug who pushed too far and then found no safety net to stop his fall.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[bigbob]

Might we change his name to “Idiot Spitzer”?

[flying_bullet]

Indeed. Sic semper tyrannus!

[mc5cents]

Sic transit gloria mundi

Ah yes indeed. That Latin phrase that means "Thus passes the glory of the world" is so appropriate. How true, how true. So thus the mighty fall. Could not happen to a more deserving thug.

[Churchillspirit]

Wonder if he automatically becomes a super delegate and if so, will he support Hitlery - a NY senator or will he have the guts to support Obama?

[A_Former_Democrat]

Spitzer represents what’s exactly wrong with American politics. No wonder the country is so divided and so many people are put off by politicians and the process.

[mc5cents]

Sic semper tyrannus!

How about Sic semper Spitzer! LOL!

[TrebleRebel]

I’m not defending Spitzer but can someone explain to me how transferring $15K between your personal, private bank accounts consitutes activity that rises to the level of the bank reporting it to the IRS and a judge ordering a wiretap? I mean, shouldn’t there be millions of reports submitted to the IRS daily based on this criteria? And then millions of wiretaps? Pretty soon half the population will be employed by the FBI listening into wiretaps of the other half.

http://www.wnbc.com/politics/15562646/detail.html

Spitzer allegedly used the escort service for at least six months and paid more than $15,000 for numerous meetings, a source familiar with the case told WNBC.com.

The case started when banks noticed the frequent cash transfers from several accounts and filed suspicious activity reports with the Internal Revenue Service, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press Tuesday. The accounts were traced back to Spitzer, prompting public corruption investigators to open an inquiry.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Wow, Podhoretz is fast. Commentary is an excellent monthly (an AJC publication) to which I subscribe. I can't wait for the next issue (so to speak).

Good comments on their board, too.

[The KG9 Kid]

LOL. Yeah, I hear that NY state Democrats are enthusiastic about installing Paterson as their new governor just as soon as they can find a way to bust his eardrums.

[SierraWasp]

Spitler’s (thanks Liz) hipocrisy is second only to our CA Republican Governor’s constant hipocrisy on a much wider range of issues!!!

[colorado tanker]

Did Daddy also pay for Elliott’s hooker habit?

[SierraWasp]

Spitler’s (thanks Liz) hipocrisy is second only to our CA Republican Governor’s constant hipocrisy on a much wider range of issues!!!

[goldstategop]

Any transfer of funds above 10K gets reported to the IRS. If you haven't committed a crime, you have nothing to worry about. But if you intend to wire money to commit a crime, then the Feds will come after you hard.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[meandog]

Move along here, nothing to see it’s just about sex, nothing else.

[oldbill]

Spitzer - proof there is a God.

[jabonz08]

This is the same idiot that foisted leglisation that would mandate police not to shoot to kill criminals when they get into a gunfight. We got a real winner here. NOT!

[Miss Didi]

He already is a Super D and is voting for Mrs. C. Thus, Mrs. C. is short one Super D.

[Rome2000]

[cartoonistx]

[Uncle Hal]

Legally Blind!!! Obviously no body thought this guy would ever be governor.

[Cyber Liberty]

This is silly. He didn't have to pay then, and he won't have to pay now, either.

It's simple: He's a Dem, and they're expected to lie, cheat and steal.

[TrebleRebel]

I’m assuming Spitzer knew about the $10K deposit threshold - hence he probably kept all transfers under $10K - but even if he didn’t - then he made ONE that was above $10K - so they investigated him for ONE above $10K? I find that difficult to believe. How many deposits above $10K do you suppose are made every day in America?

I’m just saying - the money transfers as the only red flag make no sense. Something else raised a red flag.

[DoughtyOne]

If our current governor is doing things that are illegal, I sure wish they’d hurry up and prosecute. It does appears Spitzer is getting something that is long overdue right now.

[NormsRevenge]

Spitler’s (thanks Liz) hipocrisy is second only to our CA Republican Governor’s constant hipocrisy on a much wider range of issues!!!

—

Oh that Spitz is nasty,, bad bad bad.. and so cooked.

aRnie’s a B grade offender of late at best..

the best we got is the latest press brouhaha about flying nightly aRnie and his buying carbion offsets to cover his travel from stinkymento and hollywood.. I guess he just has a hankering for Maria’s home cooking..

[Sammy67]

Here Is Bill Clintons Hand Written Message To Spitzer,

“Keep up the good work, and do not fret, Eliot. From personal experience, I can tell you that a former governor with morals problems can become president someday, if he plays his cards right”

[Revolting cat!]

the first legally blind person to hold this position

Can one be illegally blind?!

[Liz]

Eliot Spitzer-—while under oath as the Attorney General of New York——falsely claimed during the 1988 campaign that he secured the $5 million campaign loan by mortgaging eight apartments his developer-father had given him. But as then-AG Spitzer’s election challenge to then-Attorney General Dennis Vacco (a top notch pro-life Repub) neared the end, Spitzer admitted that his father was actually paying off the loans and, therefore, financing his campaign - a possible election-law violation. “I didn’t realize how necessary it was to be transparent about every personal financial transaction,” Spitzer was quoted as saying in a magazine article.

---

The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust Inc.
(Formerly: The Bernard & Anne Spitzer Foundation Inc.)
730 5th Ave——Suite 2202
New York, NY 10019-4105
Telephone: (212) 765-5170

Bernard Spitzer, President; Anne Spitzer, Treasurer. Board members—Eliot and his brother Dr Daniel Spitzer.

Type of foundation: Independent Fiscal Date: 12/31/05
Assets: $35,115,418 Total Giving: $578,663
EIN:137298842

Most Recent IRS Filing: View 0990 FORM
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:l2QSwTcRe2YJ:foundationcenter.org/cgi-bin/ffindershow.cgi%3Fid%3DSPIT004

0990 FORM FINDER
http://dynamodata.foundationcenter.org/990s/f990_pdf?idx=13&ein=137298842&fd=123105&fn=The%20Bernard%20%26amp%3B%20Anne%20Spitzer%20Charitable%20Trust%20Inc.%3Cbr%3E730%205th%20Ave.%2C%20Ste.%202202%3CBR%3ENew%20York%2C%20NY%2010019-4105%3CBR%3E&a.pdf

[Rome2000]

This guy has the perfect excuse for doing a horrible job from day 1.

Anytime something goes wrong he can say he didn't see it coming.

[Grampa Dave]

We need a graphic art with Spritxer waving his arms and shouting, “I’m not a crook nor a John!”.

[aculeus]

The man is a thug.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Don't know...but from the Blogosphere ( Strata Sphere):

Spitzer The Pimp? Or Just Another John? Where Did He Get The Money?

**********************From the commentary*****************

On Spitzer, fom a Kos Klown:
My theory
is that the Bush administration caught this through their wiretaps of Democratic politicians. Yes, tinfoil hat territory, but I’m throwing it out there.

[Grampa Dave]

Spitzer is not a man.

He is an elite liberal deviate bully thug!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks....

[meandog]

For Silda:

Sometimes its hard to be a woman
Giving all your love to just one man
You’ll have bad times
And he’ll have good times
Doing things that you don’t understand
But if you love him you’ll forgive him
Even though he’s hard to understand
And if you love him
Oh be proud of him
‘Cause after all he’s just a man
Stand by your man
Give him two arms to cling to
And something warm to come to
When nights are cold and lonely
Stand by your man
And tell the world you love him
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your man
Stand by your man
And show the world you love him
Keep giving all the love you can
Stand by your man

[TeleStraightShooter]

WHERE did this not-so-humble servant get the money to be a pardon of $5,000 call girls for six years?

Is Spitzer a shakedown artist?
Could it be he threaten prosecutions of wall street firms unless they donated to a favorite "charity" of his?

[JudgemAll]

Wow, indeed, he is quite a specimen of attorney thuggish idiocy and paper rage.

[colorado tanker]

I wonder about the money too. It may be it's family money he has stashed. Or it might be a friendly donor passing him cash?

The public reports say this was caught because banks filed suspicious activity reports. That probably won't pierce the tinfoil on the Kossacks, though.

[colorado tanker]

His family has a lot of money. OTOH, it’s kinda tough to ask dad for a hooker allowance. Who knows? Maybe a donor was passing him cash?

[mulligan]

Perhaps, but remember he is an arrogant liberal Democrat and that is their nature.

[TeleStraightShooter]

Once you start breaking laws then all become fair game.

I'm guessing client9 broke a bunch of RICO laws whilst NY AG.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

....Interesting photos at huffington Post:

Emperors Club: All About Eliot Spitzer's Alleged Prostitution Ring

[sitetest]

Dear TrebleRebel,

It's not illegal to make large cash transactions. But if you make cash transactions of $10,000, you have to fill out a government form to report the transaction to the government. The government wants to know what you're up to if you're moving that much cash around.

What's illegal is if you structure your cash transactions in such a way as to avoid meeting the $10,000 threshold, to avoid filling out the form. If you make cash transactions in the thousands of dollars, and in a relatively short period of time, they meet or exceed $10,000, the financial institution is obligated to report your activity to the government.

sitetest

[SierraWasp]

"aRnie’s a B grade offender of late at best.."

I was talkin hipocrisy only!

Maybe some immorality too, in that how can it be moral to lock up 25 million acres of CA (much in private ownership) in an entirely new GovernMental Land Use Control Agency while talking loudly about "blowing up those boxes" on a CA GovernMental organizational chart???

"Legal" is lightyears away from "Moral!" "Moral," basically means good!!! Plus "Legal" means nothing to a scoff-law and even less to prosecuters who've enjoyed god-like powers over enforcement/non-enforcement or even "selecitve enforcement!!! (See Lundgren, Giuliani and especially Democrat Spitler)(thanks Liz)

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

More...

Ex-NYSE Director Langone on Spitzer:

**************

"We All Have Our Own Private Hells. I Hope His Private Hell Is Hotter Than Anybody Else's."

Huffington Post | Rachel Sklar | March 11, 2008 09:21 AM

Video at the link

********************EXCERPT***************************

The revelations about Eliot Spitzer's illegal dalliances with a high-priced prostitute have got plenty of his former targets coming out of the woodwork to wish him, er, not well. Last night CNBC found ex-NYSE director Ken Langone — a former Spitz target in the matter of Dick Grasso's giant pay package, for which Spitzer blamed Langone for greasing it through and Langone vowed eternal enmity on Spitzer — and got a few of his thoughts on the matter. The interview aired this morning on Squawk Box, and it's a doozy — not only does Langone call Spitzer a "hypocrite" who "destroyed reputations" and should resign,

but he also claims to know someone who stood behind Spitzer in line at the post office and saw him purchase $2,800 worth of mail orders (for purposes unknown, obviously, but Langone has an idea).

Interview below:

CNBC: Do you think that he should resign?

KEN LANGONE: Absolutely.

**************************************

Standing in Line at the Post Office to purchase $2800 worth of Mail Orders.....totally wierd....