Gov. Eliot Spitzer involved in Prostitution Ring

[remingtonbo2001]

:lmao Just reported on Fox News.

Does it get any more wacky than this? Then again, it is New York.
He is expected to resign.

I don't feel like providing a link, so turn on your T.V.'s if you want an update.

[xrayzebra]

Resign, resign. You gotta be kidding me. It's not like he is a
Republican or something. He is a dimm-o-crap, it is expected
and not a blemish. Just another day in lala land.

[xrayzebra]

Well he didn't. But of course he didn't get caught tapping his
foot in a bathroom and be guilty of being a Republican.

[Nbadan]

Hillary Clinton : (-1) Super-delegate...

:lol

[xrayzebra]

Smoking gun link

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0306082emperor2.html

Would you pay this much?

[inconvertible]

.......and this is the dude that tried to break up huge insurance/mutual fund hidden fee scams. what a loser? I had no idea that he was their gov now.....lol.

[Yonivore]

:lmao

[xrayzebra]

How far do you think this thread will go. Not very far is my guess.
I mean what is really new. A dimm gets caught dipping his wick.
A man of the people having his way with a woman who charges
4 grand. Yeah!

You just gotta keep those home fires burning.

[clambake]

How far do you think this thread will go. Not very far is my guess.
I mean what is really new. A dimm gets caught dipping his wick.
A man of the people having his way with a woman who charges
4 grand. Yeah!

You just gotta keep those home fires burning.
i agree. not nearly as interesting as seeing a republican chasing cock.

[inconvertible]

http://i2.ebayimg.com/03/i/000/d9/e5/797b_1.JPG

[ChumpDumper]

He should resign.

In other news, Senator Larry Craig is looking for summer interns "to get a behind-the-scenes look at how our government functions."

Actual quote.

[clambake]

He should resign.

In other news, Senator Larry Craig is looking for summer interns "to get a behind-the-scenes look at how our government functions."

Actual quote.
yeah, i saw this. it would be like sending your kid to be an alter boy.

sounds like a job for msnbc.

[1369]

http://www.et20.com/photos/images/photo/05.jpg

Oh Eliot......

[1369]

i agree. not nearly as interesting as seeing a republican chasing cock.

http://www.lushtshirts.co.uk/images/products/know_your_gay.jpg

[2centsworth]

yeah, i saw this. it would be like sending your kid to be an alter boy.

sounds like a job for msnbc.


because we know all gay people are child molestors, right?

[Evan]

Hillary Clinton : (-1) Super-delegate...

:lol

Really? hahah...awesome :clap

[Extra Stout]

New York Times article (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/nyregion/10cnd-spitzer.html?em&ex=1205294400&en=d0917c3b73427b6a&ei=5087%0A)


ALBANY - Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a person briefed on the federal investigation.

An affidavit in the federal investigation into a prostitution ring said that a wiretap recording captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a hotel room. The person briefed on the case identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.

Mr. Spitzer today made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a “private matter.”

“I have acted in a way that violates my obligation to my family and violates my or any sense of right or wrong,” said Mr. Spitzer, who appeared with his wife Silda at his Manhattan office. “I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public to whom I promised better.”

“I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.”

Before speaking, Mr. Spitzer stood with his arm around his wife; the two nodded and then strode forward together to face more than 100 reporters. Both had glassy, tear-filled eyes, but they did not cry.

The governor spoke for perhaps a minute and did not address his political future.

He declined to take questions and promised to report back soon. As he went to leave, three reporters screamed out, "Are you resigning? Are you resigning?", and Mr. Spitzer charged out of the room, slamming the door.

The governor learned that he had been implicated in the prostitution inquiry when a federal official contacted his staff last Friday, according to the person briefed on the case.

The governor informed his top aides Sunday night and this morning of his involvement. He canceled his public events today and scheduled the announcement for this afternoon after inquiries from The Times.

The governor’s aides appeared shaken before he spoke, and one of them began to weep as they waited for him to make his statement at his Manhattan office.

The man described as Client 9 in court papers arranged to meet with a prostitute who was part of the ring, Emperors Club VIP, on the night of Feb. 13. Mr. Spitzer traveled to Washington that evening, according to a person told of his travel arrangements.

The affidavit says that Client 9 met with the woman in hotel room 871 but does not identify the hotel. Mr. Spitzer stayed at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington on Feb. 13, according to a source who was told of his travel arrangements. Room 871 at the Mayflower Hotel that evening was registered under another name.

Federal prosecutors rarely charge clients in prostitution cases, which are generally seen as state crimes. But the Mann Act, passed by Congress in 1910 to address prostitution, human trafficking and what was viewed at the time as immorality in general, makes it a crime to transport someone between states for the purpose of prostitution. The four defendants charged in the case unsealed last week were all charged with that crime, along with several others.

Mr. Spitzer had a difficult first year in office, rocked by a mix of scandal and legislative setbacks. In recent weeks, however, Mr. Spitzer seemed to have rebounded, with his Democratic party poised to perhaps gain control of the state Senate for the first time in four decades.

Mr. Spitzer gained national attention when he served as attorney general with his relentless pursuit of Wall Street wrongdoing. As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”

Albany for months has been roiled by bitter fighting and accusations of dirty tricks. The Albany County district attorney is set to issue in the coming days the results of his investigation into Mr. Spitzer’s first scandal, his aides’ involvement in an effort to tarnish Majority Leader Joseph L. Bruno, the state’s top Republican.

[Evan]

http://www.foxnews.com/images/root_images/031008_newerspitzer.jpg

[ChumpDumper]

He looks like he's about to make that elephant sound with his mouth. That would be pretty cool to do at such a serious press conference.

[boutons_]

Feds chasing whores and their clients, as if the USA had any moral standards left.

Your tax $$ at Puritanical work against consensual sex between adults.

Eliot, next time try something the Feds aren't interested in: http://www.alternet.org/sex/77923/

Iraq is pornographic, not suitable viewing for adults, but the US govt keep it going.

[PixelPusher]

Warranted wiretaps? Heterosexual patronage of a prostitution ring? This scandal is sooooo pre-9/11.

[Extra Stout]

How the article would appear if Spitzer were a Republican:


ALBANY - Republican Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a person briefed on the federal investigation.

This comes despite Republicans' claims to be the party of traditional morality. Republican so-called moral leaders such as James Dobson and Pat Robertson were unavailable for comment, even after repeated calls.

An affidavit in the federal investigation into a prostitution ring said that a wiretap recording captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a hotel room. The person briefed on the case identified Mr. Spitzer, a Republican, as Client 9.

Mr. Spitzer today made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a “private matter.”

This incident follows a string of Republican political figures involved in sex scandals, including Idaho Sen. Larry Craig.

(attach photo of Spitzer with John McCain)

“I have acted in a way that violates my obligation to my family and violates my or any sense of right or wrong,” said Republican Mr. Spitzer, who appeared with his wife Silda at his Manhattan office. “I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public to whom I promised better.”

“I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself. I must now dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family.”

Republican Presidential candidate John McCain, a close personal friend of Spitzer, could not be reached for comment. In an article in the Times last week, it was reported that aides feared McCain might become involved in an inappropriate sexual relationship with a lobbyist.

Neither major Democratic Presidential candidate for the 2008 election has had any known involvement with prostitutes.

Before speaking, Republican Mr. Spitzer stood with his arm around his wife; the two nodded and then strode forward together to face more than 100 reporters. Both had glassy, tear-filled eyes, but they did not cry.

The Republican governor spoke for perhaps a minute and did not address his political future.

He declined to take questions and promised to report back soon. As he went to leave, three reporters screamed out, "Are you resigning? Are you resigning?", and Mr. Spitzer, who is a Republican, charged out of the room, slamming the door.

The Republican governor learned that he had been implicated in the prostitution inquiry when a federal official contacted his staff last Friday, according to the person briefed on the case.

The Republican governor informed his top Republican aides Sunday night and this morning of his involvement. He canceled his Republican events today and scheduled the announcement for this afternoon after inquiries from The Times.

The Republican governor’s Republican aides appeared shaken before he spoke, and one of them began to weep as they waited for him to make his Republican statement at his Republican Manhattan office.

The Republican man described as Client 9 in court papers arranged to meet with a prostitute who was part of the ring, Emperors Club VIP, on the night of Feb. 13. Mr. Spitzer, a Republican, traveled to Washington that evening, according to a person told of his travel arrangements.

The affidavit says that Client 9 met with the woman in hotel room 871 but does not identify the hotel. Republcian Mr. Spitzer stayed at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington on Feb. 13, according to a source who was told of his travel arrangements. Room 871 at the Mayflower Hotel that evening was registered under another name.

Federal prosecutors rarely charge clients in prostitution cases, which are generally seen as state crimes. But the Mann Act, passed by Congress in 1910 to address prostitution, human trafficking and what was viewed at the time as immorality in general, makes it a crime to transport someone between states for the purpose of prostitution. The four defendants charged in the case unsealed last week were all charged with that crime, along with several others.

Republican Mr. Spitzer had a difficult first year in office, rocked by a mix of scandal and legislative setbacks. In recent weeks, however, Mr. Spitzer seemed to have rebounded, with his Republican party hopeful to perhaps maintain control of the state Senate, despite a popular surge towards the Democratic Party.

Mr. Spitzer gained national attention when he served as attorney general with his relentless pursuit of Wall Street wrongdoing. As attorney general, he also had prosecuted at least two prostitution rings as head of the state’s organized crime task force.

In one such case in 2004, Mr. Spitzer spoke with revulsion and anger after announcing the arrest of 16 people for operating a high-end prostitution ring out of Staten Island.

“This was a sophisticated and lucrative operation with a multitiered management structure,” Mr. Spitzer said at the time. “It was, however, nothing more than a prostitution ring.”

Albany for months has been roiled by bitter fighting and accusations of dirty tricks under the leadership of Republicans. The Albany County district attorney is set to issue in the coming days the results of his investigation into Mr. Spitzer’s first scandal, his aides’ involvement in an effort to slander innocent Democrats.

[Evan]

He looks like he's about to make that elephant sound with his mouth. That would be pretty cool to do at such a serious press conference.

:lol

[Tippecanoe]

i cant believe how fast Spitzer has fallen out of favor. any new yorker would agree with me that when he was elected, he was supposed to be the second coming of nelson rockefeller (one of the greatest governors of New York ever).

but after his plans pushing for driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, bouts with Joe Bruno (powerful and extremely popular state senator majority leader), and just overall ineffectiveness as governor, i didnt think it would get any worse.

now this happens.

but dont expect the guy to resign. i'd be very surprised if that happened.

[Client 9]

what's everyone upset about?

[PixelPusher]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/10/emperors-club-all-about-_n_90768.html

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gen/14395/original.jpg

web design? professional photography? How the hell do you list this site on your resume?

[DarkReign]

What sleazy son of a bitch.

Not because he was invloved in a prostitution ring, but because hes the fucking governor running a prostitution ring.

Mo. Ron.

Everyone is thinking it, but I'll say it...

Prostitution should be legal anyway. But said functions should not be run by public officials. Asshole.

[Client 9]

What sleazy son of a bitch.

Not because he was invloved in a prostitution ring, but because hes the fucking governor running a prostitution ring.

Mo. Ron.

Everyone is thinking it, but I'll say it...

Prostitution should be legal anyway. But said functions should not be run by public officials. Asshole.

all of this is unsubstantiated. I was simply there undercover to truly and fully understand the battle that we have on our hands against these vile prostitutes.

[mikejones99]

MOST people pay for bitches one way or another. but 3500 is enough for a month of whores, what a dumb fuck wasting that cash he should be fired for being retarded

[George Gervin's Afro]

Prostitution should be legal..and Spitzer's a hypocrite.

[Galileo]

Spitzer is fucked!

[BonnerDynasty]

He looks like he's about to make that elephant sound with his mouth. That would be pretty cool to do at such a serious press conference.


:lol :lol :lol :lol :lol :lol

[spurster]

Spitzer is washed up.

[spurster]

Spitzer's in the grave.

[ChuckD]

Resign, resign. You gotta be kidding me. It's not like he is a
Republican or something. He is a dimm-o-crap, it is expected
and not a blemish. Just another day in lala land.
This is actually well covered territory, but we'll go over it again, for the "hard of thinking".

Democrats don't present themselves as the party of values. When they fuck up, they're stupid. When a GOP fucks up, they're stupid and hypocritical.

[Yonivore]

This is actually well covered territory, but we'll go over it again, for the "hard of thinking".

Democrats don't present themselves as the party of values. When they fuck up, they're stupid. When a GOP fucks up, they're stupid and hypocritical.
Won't fly with Spitzer...he's an ex-prosecutor that prided himself on busting prostitution rings in NY. He's stupid and hypocritical.

[j-6]

Somewhere in Nashville, Pacman sits in awe.

[Trainwreck2100]

Won't fly with Spitzer...he's an ex-prosecutor that prided himself on busting prostitution rings in NY. He's stupid and hypocritical.

That;s capitalism, the less competition the more you can charge. Simple supply and demand

[efrem1]

i cant believe how fast Spitzer has fallen out of favor. any new yorker would agree with me that when he was elected, he was supposed to be the second coming of nelson rockefeller (one of the greatest governors of New York ever).

but after his plans pushing for driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, bouts with Joe Bruno (powerful and extremely popular state senator majority leader), and just overall ineffectiveness as governor, i didnt think it would get any worse.

now this happens.

but dont expect the guy to resign. i'd be very surprised if that happened.

If Gov. McGreevy of NJ can resign, so can he. He was supposed to be the epitome of ethics when he went to Albany. Rockefeller was never a great governor, Tom Dewey, Hebert Lehman were much better. Rock help enact John Lindsay's notorious city income tax that nearly bankrupt the City.

[George Gervin's Afro]

This is actually well covered territory, but we'll go over it again, for the "hard of thinking".

Democrats don't present themselves as the party of values. When they fuck up, they're stupid. When a GOP fucks up, they're stupid and hypocritical.


No your wrong... Democrats don't try and legislate morality while republicans do..don't play stupid.

[spurster]

Spitzer was undercover.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Dems are pimps, Repubs are simps

[DarkReign]

Seems I misunderstood (ie jumped to conclusions) what the Governor did.

He wasnt "running" the ring...he was just a client.

Still not good, but a whole helluva lot different than "running the show".

[Yonivore]

Seems I misunderstood (ie jumped to conclusions) what the Governor did.

He wasnt "running" the ring...he was just a client.

Still not good, but a whole helluva lot different than "running the show".
Read closer...this only came to light because he was already under investigation for corruption...of the Wall Street variety.

So, no only was he enjoying the wares of an industry he persecuted during his tenure as a prosecutor he was also exploiting another industry he persecuted as a prosecutor.

Yes, folks, Spitzer was fucking hookers and dealing under the table in the financial district. The two areas upon which he made his name as a prosecutor.

[Client 9]

Spitzer was undercover.

that's absolutely what i was doing. thank you for your support.

[DarkReign]

Read closer...this only came to light because he was already under investigation for corruption...of the Wall Street variety.

So, no only was he enjoying the wares of an industry he persecuted during his tenure as a prosecutor he was also exploiting another industry he persecuted as a prosecutor.

Yes, folks, Spitzer was fucking hookers and dealing under the table in the financial district. The two areas upon which he made his name as a prosecutor.

By no means am I trying to...mitigate the severity of what he has been accused of doing.

But in my previous post, I basically called him out (as if he reads ST, lol) as the Grand Pimp of some hooker hotline.

When that just sint the case. I completely realize he made a name for himself based almost entirely on "ethics" law prosecution. Namely, business and prostitution.

So hes definately a hypocrite of political proportion, and the conflict of interest is apparent. Dude should be the good soldier and resign.

But alas, this is politics. Politicians are only subject to the judgement of their constituents. Constituents medically diagnosed and currently being treated for adult ADD. So depressed about the toils of life, there isnt enough Prozac/Valium/Lithium being produced to meet the demand. Yet unequivocally concerned with the moral compass of society at large that some douchebag with an agenda can become governor of a state based on nothing but ethics prosecution.

This country is fucked. The sooner the better I say.

[Yonivore]

...a hypocrite of political proportion...
:lmao

[Heath Ledger]

Dark Rein,
Your writings remind me of Dennis Miller.

[DarkReign]

Dark Rein,
Your writings remind me of Dennis Miller.

I dont know if thats a good thing. Do I base my brand of humor on obscure references to secondary characters in historical literary works and how their influential entanglements correlate to current events?

I fucking hope not.

[Yonivore]

I dont know if thats a good thing. Do I base my brand of humor on obscure references to secondary characters in historical literary works and how their influential entanglements correlate to current events?

I fucking hope not.
But, you do say fuck like Dennis Miller.

[DarkReign]

But, you do say fuck like Dennis Miller.

Yeah, I do say fuck...I see the similarity now.

Now I just have to nail down the whole "17th century poetry" references, and I'll have his job in the bag.

Shit, I am on my way!

[Yonivore]

Yeah, I do say fuck...I see the similarity now.

Now I just have to nail down the whole "17th century poetry" references, and I'll have his job in the bag.

Shit, I am on my way!
You gotta be ugly...are you ugly?

[DarkReign]

You gotta be ugly...are you ugly?

Oh yeah, silly ugly. Half bald and under 30 ugly.

[Yonivore]

Oh yeah, silly ugly. Half bald and under 30 ugly.
You've clinched it then...Leno is probably calling.

[mikejones99]

Pictures? I would love to see what $4000 a night girl looks like.

[BradLohaus]

Pictures? I would love to see what $4000 a night girl looks like.

Here she is

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/nyregion/12cnd-kristen.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

[clambake]

Here she is

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/13/nyregion/12cnd-kristen.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
wow. can i borrow some money?

[ChumpDumper]

myspace profile views: 314926

[smeagol]

My wife would kill me, not because of the infidelity, but because I blew $80K in the process . . .

[Cant_Be_Faded]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/13/AR2008021302783.html?nav=hcmodule

Predatory Lenders' Partner in Crime
How the Bush Administration Stopped the States From Stepping In to Help Consumers

By Eliot Spitzer
Thursday, February 14, 2008; Page A25

Several years ago, state attorneys general and others involved in consumer protection began to notice a marked increase in a range of predatory lending practices by mortgage lenders. Some were misrepresenting the terms of loans, making loans without regard to consumers' ability to repay, making loans with deceptive "teaser" rates that later ballooned astronomically, packing loans with undisclosed charges and fees, or even paying illegal kickbacks. These and other practices, we noticed, were having a devastating effect on home buyers. In addition, the widespread nature of these practices, if left unchecked, threatened our financial markets.

Even though predatory lending was becoming a national problem, the Bush administration looked the other way and did nothing to protect American homeowners. In fact, the government chose instead to align itself with the banks that were victimizing consumers.

Predatory lending was widely understood to present a looming national crisis. This threat was so clear that as New York attorney general, I joined with colleagues in the other 49 states in attempting to fill the void left by the federal government. Individually, and together, state attorneys general of both parties brought litigation or entered into settlements with many subprime lenders that were engaged in predatory lending practices. Several state legislatures, including New York's, enacted laws aimed at curbing such practices.

What did the Bush administration do in response? Did it reverse course and decide to take action to halt this burgeoning scourge? As Americans are now painfully aware, with hundreds of thousands of homeowners facing foreclosure and our markets reeling, the answer is a resounding no.

Not only did the Bush administration do nothing to protect consumers, it embarked on an aggressive and unprecedented campaign to prevent states from protecting their residents from the very problems to which the federal government was turning a blind eye.

Let me explain: The administration accomplished this feat through an obscure federal agency called the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC). The OCC has been in existence since the Civil War. Its mission is to ensure the fiscal soundness of national banks. For 140 years, the OCC examined the books of national banks to make sure they were balanced, an important but uncontroversial function. But a few years ago, for the first time in its history, the OCC was used as a tool against consumers.

In 2003, during the height of the predatory lending crisis, the OCC invoked a clause from the 1863 National Bank Act to issue formal opinions preempting all state predatory lending laws, thereby rendering them inoperative. The OCC also promulgated new rules that prevented states from enforcing any of their own consumer protection laws against national banks. The federal government's actions were so egregious and so unprecedented that all 50 state attorneys general, and all 50 state banking superintendents, actively fought the new rules.

But the unanimous opposition of the 50 states did not deter, or even slow, the Bush administration in its goal of protecting the banks. In fact, when my office opened an investigation of possible discrimination in mortgage lending by a number of banks, the OCC filed a federal lawsuit to stop the investigation.

Throughout our battles with the OCC and the banks, the mantra of the banks and their defenders was that efforts to curb predatory lending would deny access to credit to the very consumers the states were trying to protect. But the curbs we sought on predatory and unfair lending would have in no way jeopardized access to the legitimate credit market for appropriately priced loans. Instead, they would have stopped the scourge of predatory lending practices that have resulted in countless thousands of consumers losing their homes and put our economy in a precarious position.

When history tells the story of the subprime lending crisis and recounts its devastating effects on the lives of so many innocent homeowners, the Bush administration will not be judged favorably. The tale is still unfolding, but when the dust settles, it will be judged as a willing accomplice to the lenders who went to any lengths in their quest for profits. So willing, in fact, that it used the power of the federal government in an unprecedented assault on state legislatures, as well as on state attorneys general and anyone else on the side of consumers.

The writer is governor of New York.











My boss suggested that the top dawgs used the Patriot Act to spy on Spitzer after he kept spouting off about predatory lending.

[Nbadan]

My..my...my...look who has their fingers all over the Spitzer revelations...

Breaking News Exclusive: Roger Stone's revenge?



PoliticsNY.Net has learned from impecable sources close to former Nixon/Reagan operative, pundit Roger Stone ... Stone & his wife Nydia became friendly with a "high priced call girl" .. Her name "Kristin" ...This relationship began at a high end club in New York City some 7-8 months ago.

Our impeccable sources continued, "Kristin" confided to Stone & his wife she was in the business. She subsequently told them that one of her clients was NYS Governor Eliot Spitzer." According to "Kristin" Spitzer engaged her at least 7-8 times over the course of the last year or more; the numbers are well over $30,000.00.

"Stone then convinced "Kristin" to go to the FBI with her story. Stone actually made the arrangements for "Kristin" to tell her story to Federal authorities."

Link (http://www.politicsny.net/)

Roger Stone is scum...he should be on a 24-7 FBI watchlist....In September 1996, the National Enquirer wrote that Stone, then a volunteer spokesman for Sen. Bob Dole, had placed ads and photos seeking sexual partners for himself and his wife, Nydia...

[Yonivore]

My..my...my...look who has their fingers all over the Spitzer revelations...

Breaking News Exclusive: Roger Stone's revenge?


Link (http://www.politicsny.net/)

Roger Stone is scum...he should be on a 24-7 FBI watchlist....In September 1996, the National Enquirer wrote that Stone, then a volunteer spokesman for Sen. Bob Dole, had placed ads and photos seeking sexual partners for himself and his wife, Nydia...
What's your point?

[Nbadan]

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/09-96/09-13-96/advisor.jpg
More Republican family values showing


ALBANY, Aug. 22 — The Senate majority leader, Joseph L. Bruno, forced one of his top political consultants to resign on Wednesday after allegations that he left a threatening telephone message at the office of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s father.

The consultant, Roger J. Stone Jr., continued to insist that the recorded message — which was made public by lawyers representing the governor’s 83-year-old father, Bernard Spitzer — was not authentic. He said allies of the governor had plotted against him, though an alibi he offered in a statement on his Web site appeared to be problematic.

The episode has inflamed the already poisonous political atmosphere here, just weeks after Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo issued a report that found the Spitzer administration had misused the State Police as part of an attempt to discredit Mr. Bruno.

Mr. Bruno, a Republican, cut short questions during a news conference after vowing that the allegations against Mr. Stone would not divert attention from efforts by Senate Republicans to investigate the Spitzer administration. Democrats called for a new investigation into the phone call and chided Mr. Bruno for not apologizing.

“I don’t know what Roger Stone did,” Mr. Bruno said. “Roger no longer has a relationship with the Senate, based on the allegations.”

NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/nyregion/23stone.html?pagewanted=print)

[Nbadan]

Here are his swinger pics...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/images/homepage/stone_enquirer_inside2.gif

I wouldn't be surprised if Stone disappears soon....

[Yonivore]

Again, your point?

[Nbadan]

Anyone remember Lucy Ramirez?


Lucy Ramirez is Nydia Stone (Cuban) and Roger Stone is the guy with the envelope (probably wearing sunglasses and a hat). Burkett could identify him and her voice--because this is wire fraud and a felony, as William Safire so helpfully pointed out in the New York Times.

Since Stone grew up with Rove in the Dirty Tricks Department, the whole thing becomes clear.

It's the old Rove trick as they did with Hatfield and planting the cocaine stories. Burkett has a history of mental illness and so became Patsy #1. And only Rove could have gotten Stone the original memos to copy!

Now fetch me my pipe!

Burkett's story--in which he is virtuous to the lady and dutifully burns the originals as she requested:

-snip-

The story begins in March, when Mr. Burkett, who had just been on MSNBC's "Hardball" discussing Mr. Bush's Guard service, received a call from a mysterious woman he calls Lucy Ramirez. Previously, Mr. Burkett had identified the source of the memos as one George Conn, another former Texas National Guard officer, conveniently abroad in Europe. In an e-mail to USA Today, Mr. Conn denied any involvement with the Killian memos. Mr. Burkett himself admits that he had lied about his source as a way of protecting her.

In their conversation, Lucy Ramirez explained how she had in her custody damaging documents to Mr. Bush and scheduled a meeting with Mr. Burkett to hand them over. That meeting occurred on or around March 3 at a livestock show in Houston. But, according to Mr. Burkett, Lucy Ramirez didn't show up. Instead, as he told USA Today, an unknown "man handed him an envelope and quickly left." After receiving the memos, Mr. Burkett said he stopped off at a Kinko's store in Waco and made copies. In the parking lot outside, Mr. Burkett said he then burned the originals, pursuant to Lucy Ramirez's wishes. Over the next few days, Mr. Burkett said he hid the copies "in cold storage" at an undisclosed location 100 miles from his home in Baird.

Washington Times (http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040921-085106-6584r.htm)

Yep, Roger Stone was behind the dirty tricks on CBS News and Dan Rather, which was supposed to trap the Kerry campaign but misfired, that coincidentally, was the incident that most affected the start of this forum!

[Cant_Be_Faded]

daaamn their sexual ad said she's 40DD-24-34
I'd hit that
fo' sho'

[Yonivore]

Anyone remember Lucy Ramirez?



Washington Times (http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20040921-085106-6584r.htm)

Yep, Roger Stone was behind the dirty tricks on CBS News and Dan Rather, which was supposed to trap the Kerry campaign but misfired, that coincidentally, was the incident that most affected the start of this forum!
Huh? Dan Rather and that idiot producer, Maples wasn't it?, were behind the CBS News fiasco. Should have done some fact-checking before they went off all half-cocked. I think they were just a bit too eager to force the evidence to fit their narrative.

Besides, what does any of this have to do with Eliot Spitzer?

[Yonivore]

Throughout our battles with the OCC and the banks, the mantra of the banks and their defenders was that efforts to curb predatory lending would deny access to credit to the very consumers the states were trying to protect. But the curbs we sought on predatory and unfair lending would have in no way jeopardized access to the legitimate credit market for appropriately priced loans. Instead, they would have stopped the scourge of predatory lending practices that have resulted in countless thousands of consumers losing their homes and put our economy in a precarious position.
Let's look at this one paragraph which, by the way, you saw no need to highlight.

Subprime mortgages were in response to a demand that lenders start helping people who couldn't ordinarily afford a home buy one. So on the one hand, liberals demanded banks start throwing money at an economic demographic that couldn't afford to pay it back and then, when the inevitable occurred, liberals start screaming about predatory lending practices.

There was no way for the banks to win on this one. I say screw 'em all. Those than lent and those that borrowed are idiots...I only wish to point out that one of the parties was pressured into these arrangements and it wasn't the borrowers.


My boss suggested that the top dawgs used the Patriot Act to spy on Spitzer after he kept spouting off about predatory lending.
Your boss is an idiot.

Currency transaction reporting requirements were enacted in the Bank Secrecy Act of 1970, and money laundering was made a crime in overhaul of the federal narcotics laws that took place in 1986. Believe it or not, Karl Rove did not diabolically dream these provisions up to trap unwary Democrats, nor are they part of George W. Bush's post-9/11 Politics of Fear.

Long before we had an international terrorism problem, these laws were developed to target domestic criminal enterprises (especially organized crime and drug trafficking). The biggest problem many of these syndicates have is hiding the mountains of cash they generate — unexplained wealth being among the best indicators of criminal activity, especially when it comes to the highest-ranking, most insulated crooks.

Spitzer's cash transactions exceeded these threshholds and his Bank was forced, under the BSA to report them.

To the extent these laws (and the Treasury Department's implementing regulations) have been beefed up significantly, a lot of that happened during the Clinton administration. (This Treasury Department publication (http://www.occ.treas.gov/handbook/bsa.pdf) lays out much of the history.)

[Cant_Be_Faded]

So basically everything the republicans did was right, and everything the liberals did was wrong? Wow, how original of you yonivore.

I love how nutless neocons turn administration bashing into a liberals vs neocon thing

[Yonivore]

So basically everything the republicans did was right, and everything the liberals did was wrong? Wow, how original of you yonivore.

I love how nutless neocons turn administration bashing into a liberals vs neocon thing
I suspect the lenders span the political spectrum but, those demanding lax lending practices were liberals.

[Nbadan]

Spitzer's cash transactions exceeded these threshholds and his Bank was forced, under the BSA to report them.

No they didn't....Spitzer did much bigger transactions, $5k is chump change...

[Yonivore]

No they didn't....Spitzer did much bigger transactions, $5k is chump change...
The obvious (to everyone but you, apparently) problem with your presumption is that he didn't just move funds per fuck, he moved amounts, across accounts, in quantities sufficient trigger reporting requirements.

[Clandestino]

SAR- suspicious activity report

EVERYONE in a bank/wirehouse/etc is trained to alert someone about SARs.

btw... i'm looking at these emoticons on the side. i can't find the pic of a happy face talking out of its ass. i need it for dan.

[Nbadan]

The obvious (to everyone but you, apparently) problem with your presumption is that he didn't just move funds per fuck, he moved amounts, across accounts, in quantities sufficient trigger reporting requirements.

So what? If he was moving funds for what he stated were legitimate purposes and then diverting them to the emperors club then that's accounting fraud....but...why evoke secret wire taps, claims of violating national security laws and the FEDS to go after a guy who is commiting a white-collar crime? those laws are supposed to be for hunting down terra-ists

[Yonivore]

So what? If he was moving funds for what he stated were legitimate purposes and then diverting them to the emperors club then that's accounting fraud....but...why evoke secret wire taps, claims of violating national security laws and the FEDS to go after a guy who is commiting a white-collar crime? those laws are supposed to be for hunting down terra-ists
Everything done in the Spitzer case was done pursuant to the Bank Privacy Act of 1970; a law designed to catch money launderers...which is what Spitzer's actions appeared to be.

Who claimed he was violating national security laws?

[Clandestino]

So what? If he was moving funds for what he stated were legitimate purposes and then diverting them to the emperors club then that's accounting fraud....but...why evoke secret wire taps, claims of violating national security laws and the FEDS to go after a guy who is commiting a white-collar crime? those laws are supposed to be for hunting down terra-ists

However he is also a PEP. Politically Exposed Person. They are monitored too.