ELIOT SPITZER : WAS HE TARGETED BY HIS ADVERSARIES? Political Opinion / Ed's Opinion Date: Mar 24, 2008 - 01:29 AM |http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c120/edsopinion/EliotSpitzer211.jpg| EXACTLY WHO WINS AND LOSES? THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone…” Jesus Christ. It seems Eliot Spitzer may be sinner but he was not offered forgiveness or succor by the flacks and mob that relished the downfall of such and able and powerful man. Many of those who condemned him were guilty of their own sexual misadventures like Bill O’Reilly at Fox News. He was one of the loudest and longest to condemn. Spitzer had been a very effective Attorney General who brought many suits against the powerful. These included actions against fraudulent practices in the banking, securities and insurance communities. As a result billions of dollars were returned to average citizens and small investors or paid as fines. Thus he had many powerful enemies. Then he ran as the Democratic candidate for the Governor of New York and won by sixty-nine percent of the vote. This win and his past work as a hard charging Attorney General against the misdeeds of the rich and powerful made him a contender for higher political office such as Vice President or possibly President. One wonders why a bank would find cash transactions over a number of years allegedly totaling $80,000.00 so unusual in a place like New York, the financial capital of the world. The exception here being that the account belonged to a man they knew to be an adversary to unlawful and fraudulent banking practices. The bank's questions were not bought to his attention for an explanation like any good bank would do with a valued customer. Instead it was turned over the Internal Revenue Service for investigation. The IRS finding no violation passed it on to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York. The result: 6000 wire taped conversations on an escort service that received about $16000 of Spitzer’s money. The taps allegedly revealed some of the money was used by Spitzer to pay for an escort. This service was naïve enough in these days of the Patriot Act to require clients to transfer money to an offshore bank account. A complaint was filed against the escort service referring to a client number nine. Spitzer’s identity as client number nine was leaked to the NY Times and later the escort’s name came out as she was compelled to testify in court. No one has identified the leaker. Strangely, no other client’s name has been revealed or leaked and there must be hundreds if not thousands of them. One wonders what all the 6000 wire taped conversations revealed, not just the ones related to Spitzer which found there way so easily into the press. Was Spitzer targeted as a strong democrat to be destroyed by the Bush appointed U.S. Attorney? That office was upstaged and embarrassed by the work of Spitzer as the State Attorney General. Many of the actions could have been bought by the SEC or the U.S. Attorneys office if the Bush Justice Department was interested in protecting the public. There was a score to settle here as well as the opportunity to cripple a strong democratic candidate. EXACTLY WHO WINS AND LOSES? THE COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS. So who benefited by the fall of Eliot Spitzer. Obviously those banks, securities purveyors, insurance companies and other powerful entities who he made his name prosecuting, and whom he pledged to protect the average citizen from as Governor. The Republican Party by eliminating a strong democrat. The republican dominated U. S. Attorney’s Office in New York by eliminating the man that made them look weak and ineffectual and all those who fear a strong democrat in political office in New York or nationally. Who loses? Obliviously the people of the State of New York, Spitzer’s wife and three teenage daughters, the Democratic Party and of course Eliot Spitzer. Ashley Alexandra Dupre, the woman involved, comes out on top with million dollar offers to pose for Penthouse or Hustler. Also her music career has been furthered by sales on itunes and viewings of her music video on YouTube. Two other recent incidents involving sexual transgression are the cases of Larry (wide stance) Craig R (ID) who is still a Senator after being arrested for privacy invasion and disorderly conduct in a men’s room and pleading guilty to disorderly conduct. Also there was David Vetter R (LA) who is still a Senator after confessing to using the services of Deborah Palfrey the DC Madam. The list of people guilty of adultery or sexual transgressions who are or were in public life could fill a book the size of the New York telephone directory. One must consider the productivity of the amount of investigatory resources expended on these matters in these times of terrorist bombings and threats (Spitzer: IRS, FBI, US Attorney, Federal District Court, 6000 tapped conversations) and Craig (Police Detective David Karsnia’s stake out in an airport men’s room cubicle playing eyeses with passersby for the purposes of entrapment, County Prosecutor). It is Obvious that the time and talent of the investigatory and prosecutorial departments involved could be better spent on crimes with a victim, violent crimes or protecting the public from terrorists. What happens between consenting adults should be decriminalized as the public resources for these witch hunts could be better spent on the prevention or prosecution of real crimes where there are real victims. Using the services of a prostitute is a misdemeanor like reckless driving and not the type of conduct that makes a public official incompetent to do his job like say passing bad checks, embezzlement or taking a bribe. Spitzer may be a sinner but the penalties levied on him are politically motivated and too draconian. This is a matter better left between him and his wife not New York State or the Federal Government. Spitzer by the way has yet to be charged with a crime. The US Attorneys office is not interested in crimes of prostitution but does seem to be interested in leaking information on these matters. Spitzer is being punished for being an effective Attorney General and a successful politician winning the Governorship of New York with a bright future. The hypocrisy should end as it is a waste of public resources and the Publics time. This article comes from EdsOpinion.com http://www.mechanic-al.org/Ed/ The URL for this story is: http://www.mechanic-al.org/Ed/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=131