After taking office, he held high the banner of safeguarding public rights and interests, attacked investment banks and securities companies on Wall Street, severely punished analysts who manipulated the market or harmed the interests of retail investors, and spared no effort to drive a few Wall Street tycoons out of the financial world to show his determination to "crack down on predators" and win himself the reputation of "Mr. Honesty". In 2004, his office also brought 18 criminals of a prostitution ring in new york to justice, and prosecuted some criminals engaged in sex tourism in Asia. With these achievements, Spitzer was elected governor of New York in 2006.
As an elected official, Spitzer has maintained a good external image for many years, but people who are familiar with his work style, especially those who have dealt with him or have been investigated by him, hold completely different views.
According to recent media reports, Spitzer is "super conceited" and doesn't care about others at all. He dares to use various means to investigate the people he wants to investigate, or deliberately bring down people. Threats, intimidation and personal attacks are common, even worse than "gangsters", which is quite rare in the judicial field. Some people think that Spitzer is full of confidence and puts himself above the law.
According to The Wall Street Journal, although Spitzer received an elite education from childhood and became a member of mainstream American society when he grew up, he revealed that he was a lone ranger and an outsider. Although his family is rich and can use his own money to run for public office, he wears the same pair of leather shoes all the year round, even when the soles burst into water. The exposure of the sex scandal showed that he was a complete hypocrite. On the surface, he led law enforcement officers to crack down on prostitution groups, but in private, he repeatedly went whoring and spent as much as $80,000.
For public figures, especially elected officials, prostitution will not only ruin the political future of the parties, but also create opportunities for criminals to extort money, making government departments under the jurisdiction of politicians potential targets for extortion. Just for this reason, new york voters have the right to ask Spitzer, a hypocrite with eccentric behavior and split personality, to resign as soon as possible, and judging from the current situation, his resignation should be inevitable.
Why did Spitzer have to resign? Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, is suspected of prostitution scandal. 90 minutes after the report was released, Spitzer, accompanied by his wife, held a press conference to apologize to the public. On March 12, Spitzer officially resigned and his resignation will take effect on March 17. He was governor for less than 15 months, and it was over in only three days.
Since Spitzer did not mention his resignation in his initial apology statement, the media speculated that he hoped to resign after the federal prosecutor promised not to pursue or mitigate any charges that might be against him. Some people even speculated that Spitzer might stick to power after the storm passed, but the dust settled in the blink of an eye. Even more surprising, the federal prosecutor denied any immunity agreement with Spitzer in a rare and clearly worded statement. As we all know, procuratorial organs generally do not comment on ongoing investigations. So why did Spitzer still resign?
After the scandal was exposed, the leader of the New York State Parliamentary Group said that if Spitzer did not resign within 24 to 48 hours, he would file an impeachment case to force Democratic Governor Spitzer to step down. However, the Republican Party is only a minority party in the state legislature. Traditionally, members of parliament will draw lines along party lines in impeachment cases, but in fact, Democratic Party members and officials have a relatively moderate attitude towards Spitzer incident or avoid direct criticism. In this way, Spitzer should not be afraid of impeachment. At this time, public opinion played a role. According to the opinion poll published by WNBC, 70% of the respondents think Spitzer should resign. Under the representative system, public opinion often brings pressure beyond party politics. This is a problem that Democrats have to consider, and Spitzer has to weigh the impeachment embarrassment that he has no chance of winning.
In fact, even from the perspective of party politics, Spitzer's resignation is not a bad thing for Democrats. According to the laws of New York State, Spitzer's position as governor will be taken over by David Paterson, the deputy governor, until his term of office in 20 10 expires. Getting rid of the negative impact of Spitzer scandal as soon as possible will not hinder the Democratic Party's administrative power in New York State, but it can effectively avoid and alleviate the efforts of * * * and Republicans who have been posing as moral guardians in the presidential election process and attacking Democrats' lack of family values and other American core values. Even Spitzer himself admitted in the apology statement on March 10: "My behavior violated my family obligations, violated myself or any concept of right and wrong." Therefore, although the internal power of the two major political parties in the United States is decentralized, organizations at all levels enjoy a great degree of independence, and the permanent body of the National Party has no right to dismiss its own officials and members of the Party committees elected by any lower-level party organizations, Spitzer has to face the pressure from heavyweights in the Democratic Party and grassroots party member.
Spitzer's prostitution behavior was exposed this time because his bank, new york North Fogg Bank, reported to the State Taxation Bureau of the Ministry of Finance that there was suspicious fund flow in Spitzer's personal account: his large transfer may escape supervision in the form of split parts. According to the regulations, when the customer's transfer exceeds 1 10,000 USD, the bank is obliged to notify the regulatory authorities so that the latter can grasp the illegal acts such as money laundering and drug trading in time. Spitzer's call for prostitutes was accidentally discovered by the personnel of the Ministry of Finance, the State Taxation Bureau and the Federal Bureau of Investigation who had already monitored the prostitution gang "Emperor Club".
Of course, Spitzer, who graduated from Harvard Law School and worked as a lawyer, has been the Attorney General of new york for a long time, knowing the law and breaking the law. As a public official, he should have higher moral and behavioral standards, which will inevitably make it difficult for him to face public doubts. Previously, he has been committed to cracking down on the illegal activities of big Wall Street companies for a long time, which seems to be the embodiment of protecting the justice and morality of ordinary investors. He was even selected as the "Reform Fighter of the Year" by Time magazine. Ironically, Spitzer "eliminated" at least two prostitution rings when he was the state attorney general, and the first bill he signed after he became governor was to increase the punishment for prostitutes and clients, and increase the prison term from three months to one year at most. This scandal shows that he has called prostitutes at least eight times. Whether he is a hypocritical hypocrite, an arrogant fanatic or a patient with a split personality, there is no doubt that he is definitely no longer suitable for the post of governor. Even more deadly, Time magazine directly quoted a former adviser of Spitzer as saying, "He has no friends." "I don't want to hit someone when he's down, but Spitzer thinks he is very moral and unforgivable. He has to step down, and no one will stand with him, "said new york Rep. Kim from Long Island Constituency. Everything is like Senator McCarthy. He was in power for a period of time in the 1950s, and he accused others of being spies for no reason, but was finally spurned by all Americans.
However, after Spitzer announced his resignation, the name no longer appeared in the headlines of major media in the United States, and the New York State Assembly and the state government also called on everyone to turn their attention back to the state annual budget that must be passed before March 3 1. Although the Spitzer incident was shocking, the mature system effectively absorbed most of the shock waves and brought political life back to normal quickly. The whole system will not be questioned because of the individual remarks or actions of authoritarian leaders or powerful people. The reason why people can calmly respond and remain calm is not because they feel numb or even indifferent because of frequent scandals, but because they believe in the efficiency and credibility of the whole political operation mechanism.
Under the comprehensive supervision of media supervision, bipartisan politics, separation of powers, public opinion, strict financial supervision mechanism and the moral standards that an official must have, Spitzer really had to resign.
Spitzer, Hillary's "disaster"?
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's prostitute scandal was exposed on 10, and many American media rushed to report it, and many details gradually surfaced. Democrats Spitzer and Hillary Clinton have always been political allies. For Hillary Clinton, who is currently at a disadvantage in the election, the Spitzer scandal is undoubtedly a big blow.
According to American media reports, some of Hillary's campaign advisers believe that Spitzer "contributed" to her falling behind Obama in the Democratic presidential primary.
There are a large number of immigrants and new immigrants in New York State, and the election situation is particularly complicated. Based on election considerations, Spitzer proposed a policy of allowing illegal immigrants to apply for driver's licenses in order to win the votes of the vast number of immigrants. The proposal was publicly supported by Hillary Clinton, but severely criticized by the Democratic Party and some people of insight in the party, and the current mayor of new york, Bloomberg, also held a strong opposition.
In a TV debate that ended last year 10, Hillary was accused by her Democratic opponent on this issue. Since then, Hillary kept the lead of 10 months and began to lose. This forced Hillary to change her position.
After winning the crucial three-game winning streak on the 4th of this month, Hillary originally tried to regain the leading position. It happened that the weather was bad, and Spitzer broke out a sex scandal at this time. For Hillary Clinton, who looks strong, Spitzer's prostitute scandal not only distracts her energy, but also reminds her of Clinton's sex scandal. These two days, people once again saw photos of Clinton and Lewinsky snuggling together on major American TV screens.
In any case, the Spitzer scandal was unexpected by Hillary's campaign team, and Hillary obviously did not formulate a corresponding strategy.
The CBS chat program 1 1 lists 10 reasons for forgiving Spitzer. The first reason is that "Clinton legalized such incidents several years ago".
Of course, it is hard to say how much Spitzer's sex scandal has affected Hillary. Spitzer has no intention to resign at present, which is quite similar to Clinton's performance in that year.
For voters, some people may give up their support for Hillary because of Clinton's sex scandal that year; However, some people think that the Spitzer scandal has nothing to do with Hillary's ability to serve as president. If Spitzer finally resigns, he will lose his position as a super representative. At present, every party representative vote is precious and will affect Hillary's election to a certain extent.
Previously, she lost her leading position because she publicly supported Spitzer's suggestion. Now that Hillary's election campaign has improved slightly, Spitzer has started a sex scandal again. It can be said that "the sky is not as good as people." Hillary's only strategy now can only be to change with the same.
In any case, Spitzer seems to be Hillary's "disaster"
New york prostitute governor Spitzer announced his resignation, and Wall Street cheered.
Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York State who was involved in the prostitution scandal, announced his resignation on June 5438+02, local time. Spitzer, 48, became the first New York governor to be forced to resign in nearly a century.
David Paterson, the deputy governor of new york, will succeed Spitzer as governor on June 5438+07, making him the eighth black governor in the United States and the first black governor in new york.
After The New York Times disclosed Spitzer's involvement in the prostitution scandal on June 5438+00, the call for Spitzer's resignation from the outside world rose. Spitzer immediately held a press conference to apologize to the public.
Since then, Spitzer has been staying at his home on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, new york City, to avoid the media. His assistant revealed that he and his family discussed what kind of legal action should be taken and whether to resign. It is reported that his wife Hilda encouraged him not to resign.
At noon 12 EST, Spitzer finally walked out of the house. He and his wife got on a black multi-purpose station wagon and went to the governor's office on Third Avenue. Along the way, several American media interview helicopters shot synchronously in the sky.
The governor's office is already crowded with reporters. Spitzer later walked into the meeting with his wife, assistant, lawyer and others. He took out a statement and officially announced his resignation.
"I'm sorry I failed people's expectations," Spitzer said. "I am deeply sorry for everyone in new york and everyone who once trusted me."
"In the process of becoming a public figure, I always believe that everyone, no matter where he is or how powerful he is, must be responsible for his actions ... I can't and won't go easy on myself. Because of this, I will resign as governor. "
The New York Times said that Spitzer would become the first New York governor to be forced to resign in nearly a century. 19 13, William Sulzer, then governor of New York, was impeached by the parliament for being involved in the political donation scandal and was forced to resign.
In addition to appeasing his wife and three children, Spitzer will face possible legal sanctions. According to American media reports, Spitzer's funds with prostitution groups are tricky. He is suspected of a federal felony and can be sentenced to up to five years in prison after conviction.
According to the American Consumer News and Business Channel TV 12, Spitzer spent as much as $80,000 on prostitutes.
Spitzer doesn't really want to leave.
The New York Times reported that Spitzer didn't really want to resign, but was forced to leave because of "helplessness".
After the scandal was exposed, New York State and party members urged Spitzer to resign immediately or he would be impeached in Congress. Spitzer is a Democrat, and the House and Senate of the state legislature are controlled by Democrats and Republicans respectively. According to the American law of impeaching government officials, the House of Representatives is responsible for impeachment and the Senate is responsible for examination.
According to the report, Spitzer sent a senior assistant to contact the assistant of sheldon silver, Speaker of the House of Representatives and Democrat, to see if he could escape the impeachment vote, but was told that there was little hope. Because * * * and the party only need the consent of 34 Democrats, it is expected to pass the impeachment case, and a thorough investigation shows that more than 34 Democrats in 100 are ready to vote against Spitzer.
Once the impeachment is passed, the state Senate controlled by * * * and the party will certainly not leave Spitzer with any face. A veteran of the Democratic Party told The New York Times that if the impeachment procedure is entered, the Democratic Party will be forced to give up or defend Spitzer, "they will choose to give up".
(Xinhua News Agency)
Why is she still with him?
Since Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, was caught in a prostitute scandal on June 5438+00, his wife Hilda Wall Spitzer has been with him all the time, showing her support for her husband.
In the past few days, although Hilda said nothing, it caused a lot of discussion. Faced with the exposure of her husband's infidelity, people can't help asking: Why is she still with him?
This kind of scene is not uncommon in American politics. Whenever the husband has an affair, the wife will accompany him. For example, former President Bill Clinton suffered a Lewinsky sex scandal and his wife Hillary Clinton supported her husband. Jim McGregor, the former governor of New Jersey, admitted that he was gay and announced his resignation on the grounds of "homosexuality" and "extramarital affairs". His wife Dina matos stood beside him. Senator Larry Craig announced his resignation after the bathroom scandal, and his wife Susan stood beside him.
Many women expressed their understanding of Hilda's pain. Donna Webster, director of product research and development, believes that Spitzer should take everything on his own, not let his wife stand up. She also thinks Hilda chose to do this for her three daughters.
The strongest voice of support came from Dina matos, who had a similar experience. "I want to hug her and say,' Be strong and you will succeed,'" she told the Associated Press.
Joanna Coles, editor-in-chief of Women magazine, believes that at least for now, Hilda, 50, has no choice but to stand with her husband because she gave up her well-paid job as a company lawyer for Spitzer.
Spitzer, 48, comes from a wealthy family and is the son of a real estate developer in new york. He studied at Princeton University and served as the president of the Student Union, and then entered Harvard Law School.
Hilda attended Meredith College and entered Harvard Law School.
Hilda also has a proud professional background and once worked in the famous Shida Law Firm.
Hilda married Spitzer in 1987 and has three daughters, the oldest of whom is 17 years old. Hilda has been a housewife and politician's wife since the mid-1990s.
Xinhua News Agency reported today that when Eliot Spitzer, the governor of New York, who was once known as "the sheriff of Wall Street", announced his resignation on June 5438+02 because of the prostitute scandal, traders on Wall Street stopped their work and talked excitedly about the incident.
Spitzer 12 read the resignation statement in the governor's office at noon, which was broadcast live by major American television stations. Even on Wall Street where "time is money", traders will stop their work and watch TV.
American mergers and acquisitions; Brian Taylor, a foreign exchange trader at T Bank, told Reuters: "This matter is more important than Bernanke, more important than oil, and even more important than the Super Bowl."
"No one has more enemies on Wall Street than Spitzer. When he stepped down, it is not surprising that the trading room cheered. " Tyler's not finished.
During his tenure as Attorney General of New York State, Spitzer took a tough stance in cracking down on the illegal activities of big Wall Street companies. So after his prostitute scandal was exposed, many people on Wall Street took a gloating attitude.