Eliot Spitzer graphically details the dimensions of his member to the New York press corps.
The Smoking Gun: Eliot Spitzer
Right now Keith Olbermann is asking why Spitzer is still Governor of New York.
His guest, Wayne Barrett of the Village Voice, seems to think that violations of the Mann Act (transporting a woman across state lines for sex, carries a 20-year max fine) are making Spitzer try to cut a deal with the Feds that might offer his resignation in exchange for some leniency.
Barrett points out that Spitzer had a long and storied career as a prosecutor and tough law enforcer who had actually prosecuted high class call girl operations as well.
Also, Spitzer nailed people with e-mail chains and now has been undone in the same way. “It’s almost as though he wanted to get caught,” Barrett said.
So are we to expect that Spitzer will soon check into some kind of celebrity clinic for ’sex addiction?’
Perhaps, perhaps.
I have a theory that the higher men go in public life in America, the more kicks they seem to need to satisfy their egos or their ambitions. I can hardly say that Spitzer’s wife is anything to sneeze at but that misses the point. A man in his position can get easily bored or jaded and look for additional thrills and chills.
The question has always been asked - but is that the same for many if not most men?
Certainly not all men cheat but all men, at some time, are faced with the opportunity to cheat, as are many women - after all it takes two to tango.
But it beggars credulity that a man in Spitzer’s position would take such crazy chances - especially one who has been on the prosecuting end of such rackets.
Did he really want to get caught?
Perhaps he though that since he knew all the ins and outs he was too clever to get caught - or that his position and connections would protect him. It’s hard to say.
But The Smoking Gun provides details that perhaps it was, after all, a need for greater sexual thrills that drove Spitzer, or shall we say “Client 9,” to ruin:
Client-9 (clearly a repeat customer) apparently went to great lengths to arrange the illicit Washington encounter, choosing to mail money in advance to the ring, instead of using a credit card. Client-9, whose conversations were recorded by an FBI wiretap, would not do “traditional wire transferring,” the affidavit quotes one Emperors Club employee remarking. Additionally, the affidavit notes that after her appointment with Client-9 ended, “Kristen” spoke with a Emperors Club booker, who said that she had been told that Client-9 “would ask you to do things that, like, you might not think were safe…” “Kristen” responded by saying, essentially, that she could handle guys like that. (6 pages)
You can read the rest of the salacious details.
But it always amazes me how easily so many powerful and famous men slip into this trap of high end call girl rings. And how powerful men so easily fall prey to sexual traps, at least in the US.
In Europe, it is different.
I’m reminded of a story a teacher friend, a former Naval Intelligence operative, told me years ago when I was a student at Lake Catholic.
Seems this highly placed West German official had mistresses of sorts and a operative of the East German foreign intelligence service had obtained very compromising photos of the official with one of his mistrisses.
The East German spy, believing he was about to turn a very high ranking West German official and therefore make his career as a spy, strode confidently into the office of the West German official and presented him with several of the candid photographs and a offer to work for the communists.
The West German official looked at the photos with a critical and appreciative eye.
“These are great,” he reportedly said. “Do you have a set of extras? My wife would get such a kick out of these.”
The crestfallen East German spy left the office, his cover blown, his career kaput.
But in America, sex kills. And Spitzer can blame his hormones all he wants but his irresponsibility should at least cost him his office.
His wife can decide how much else he needs to pay.
