O.M.F.G.

what the bloody hell? (4.00 / 2)

holy effin' shit.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:13:34 PM UTC

I don't even know what to say right now (4.00 / 1)

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by: Roatti @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:15:21 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I Just E-mailed You (4.00 / 1)

the original story from the NYT, but it's popping up everywhere now, for obvious reasons.

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by: The Maven @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:16:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

ugh (4.00 / 1)

breaking news on CNN right now as well.  wtf?

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:19:49 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

MY effin effin effin effin effin effin!!!!!!! O.M.F.G.! (4.00 / 1)

There we go! Snatching defeat from the, well, you can fill in the blank!

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by: politics64 @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:04:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

jesus. today WAS a good day. crap. (0.00 / 0)

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by: sabershadow @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:19:35 PM UTC

Do you suppose this means he is cancelling our breakfast appointment? (4.00 / 2)

I'm not making this up: I'm scheduled to be (along with the Central NY Delegation and the rest of the Upstate Delegations) having breakfast with the Governor at 8:30 AM tomorrow.  Before we go visit legislators to lobby for his Upstate Revitalization Fund.

Can't imagine he'll show-- think I should?

Upstate still needs revitalizing; I'm too old to make a buck turning tricks, heck, even my kids are too old to sell.  What were we supposed to do here, huh?

I'm way beyond angry here; I'm ready to just give up.

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by: robinia @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:25:07 PM UTC

Depends if he's still governor tomorrow morning (4.00 / 1)

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by: Roatti @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:26:05 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Show up anyway (4.00 / 1)

He can't just clear his schedule forever.  He should continue to do his job.  The day after this breaks is iffy... shitty timing for you folks.  But business goes on.

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:27:41 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Governor David Patterson (4.00 / 2)

Has a nice ring to it.

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by: Hudson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:30:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Thanks for advice, folks (4.00 / 1)

Word from the others I am going with is that there will still be a budget, upstate still needs revitalizing, so, we are going.  Dunno, maybe somebody from the national media will even give us some air time about how everybody just plays the rubes from upstate and so our economy never seems to recover from.... what, the recession before last or something?

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by: robinia @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:45:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Well shit... (0.00 / 0)

It's gonna be a fun day to be a wingnut...

We might even see uncle joe dancing in the streets...

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:25:16 PM UTC

Please tell me today is April 1st (4.00 / 1)

What the hell?

I'll wait for details, but I'm seriously considering calling Allyson Giard and demanding my campaign contribution back.

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by: Hudson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:26:06 PM UTC

Reform is dead in Albany (0.00 / 0)

If this is true. Who will ever believe a reformer again?

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by: Hudson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:29:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That sucks... (0.00 / 0)

You're right.  Government reform shouldn't have anything to do with not being able to keep it in your pants... but you're right.

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:31:17 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

It's not April 1 (0.00 / 0)

check.

It's not the Onion -- check.

Okay...very bizarre and disturbing. We'll see what he has to say, I guess.

Think the budget will be late?

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by: greenheron @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:28:45 PM UTC

maybe bruno's prayers (4.00 / 1)

didn't fall on entirely deaf ears...

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:31:12 PM UTC

Could be nothing (0.00 / 0)

Sounds more like a dirty trick.

Alot of dust being kicked up right now w/o any facts ro even a story.
Wait until he speaks. I figure someone in his group was involved and his name is being brought up.

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by: nassaupolitics @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:34:27 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CNN.com (0.00 / 0)

reporting it on it's homepage...  if it's a dirty trick, Spitzer is playing right along.

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:36:29 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

CNN (0.00 / 0)

yeah they and the other 24/7 nets go bat---t crazy about any breaking news and sill play up the scandal angle until something else comes up.
That "Breaking News" banner will stay up all day.
I don't want to react to a whole lotta empty talk.
From the NYTimes story, it's an unname "source" linking Spitzer "But a person with knowledge of the governor's role said that the person believes the governor is one of the men identified as clients in court papers."

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by: nassaupolitics @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:45:22 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

who needs prayer... (0.00 / 0)

When you have a Bushie-controlled Justice Dept?

Not entirely sure this wasn't supposedly privileged info, at the time...

Make no small plans.

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by: demahir @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:48:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

exactly what I posted! (0.00 / 0)

OHHH SHHHHHIT!

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by: politics64 @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:07:39 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

text of Chicago Trib Report (0.00 / 0)

Just got a call from a friend from Chicago and i was sure he was joking or maybe referring to Pataki as he kept saying the Governor ...

chicagotribune.com
NY Times: Gov. Eliot Spitzer tied to prostitution ring

Newsday

1:12 PM CDT, March 10, 2008

ALBANY, N.Y.

According to a report in the New York Times, governor Eliot Spitzer has been linked to a prostitution ring.

The newspaper says Spitzer told some of his senior aides he was involved in a prostitution ring. An announcement is expected after 2:15 p.m.

The New York Times quoted an unnamed adminstration as saying that Spitzer informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring.

Mr. Spitzer, who was huddled with his top aides early this afternoon, had hours earlier abruptly canceled his scheduled public events for the day. He is set to make an announcement about 2:15 this afternoon at his Manhattan office, the newspaper said.

Copyright © 2008, Chicago Tribune

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by: Senor Wylie @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:34:02 PM UTC

um (4.00 / 1)

Um.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:36:14 PM UTC

yeah... that's about my thoughts too... (0.00 / 0)

that, and "Ugh..."

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:37:37 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

bizarre (0.00 / 0)

that at a time like this, all I can do is think back to a line from Ghostbusters...

something or other that Egon said when the Sta Puft Marshallow Man materialized and started stepping on churches... what was it... "I'm paralyzed beyond the ability for rational thought"?

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:40:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

When Is This Damned (0.00 / 0)

news conference going to get started?

I presume that sites that say they'll break into their programming to cover it aren't lying about that, so as far as I can tell, we're all still waiting.

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by: The Maven @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:38:23 PM UTC

UPDATE: from ABC News in NY (0.00 / 0)

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York Times is reporting that Gov. Eliot Spitzer has told senior advisers that he had been involved in a prostitution ring.

Eyewitness News is told Spitzer is scheduled to make an announcement Monday afternoon.

Stay with Eyewitness News, and 7online.com for any developments that come out of the Spitzer news conference.

Spitzer officials wouldn't immediately comment on the story.
Story continues below
Advertisement

Spitzer, 48, is married and has three daughters.

Details about the prostitution ring were not immediately clear.

But last week, federal prosecutors in Manhattan filed conspiracy charges against four people accusing them of running a prostitution ring that charged wealthy clients in Europe and the U.S. thousands of dollars for prostitutes.

The Web site of the Emperors Club VIP displays photographs of the prostitutes' bodies, with their faces hidden, along with hourly rates depending on whether the prostitutes were rated with one diamond, the lowest ranking, or seven diamonds, the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour, prosecutors said.

Spitzer has built his political legacy on rooting out corruption, including several headline-making battles with Wall Street while serving as attorney general. He stormed into the governor's office in 2006 with a historic share of the vote, vowing to continue his no-nonsense approach to fixing one of the nation's worst governments.

Time magazine had named him "Crusader of the Year" when he was attorney general and the tabloids proclaimed him "Eliot Ness."

But his stint as governor has been marred by several problems, including an unpopular plan to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and a plot by his aides to smear Spitzer's main Republican nemesis.

Spitzer had been expected to testify to the state Public Integrity Commission he had created to answer for his role in the scandal, in which his aides are accused of misusing state police to compile travel records to embarrass Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno.

Spitzer had served two terms as attorney general where he pursued criminal and civil cases and cracked down on misconduct and conflicts of interests on Wall Street and in corporate America. He had previously been a prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, handling organized crime and white-collar crime cases.

His cases as state attorney general included a few criminal prosecutions of prostitution rings and into tourism involving prostitutes.

In 2004, he was part of an investigation of an escort service in New York City that resulted in the arrest of 18 people on charges of promoting prostitution and related charges.

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by: Senor Wylie @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:40:55 PM UTC

Hello Governor Cuomo! (0.00 / 0)

That would be Andrew. Gag

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by: JohnS @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:41:17 PM UTC

huh? (4.00 / 1)

Wouldn't it be Governor Paterson?

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:51:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

My bad. (0.00 / 0)

Paterson would take over if ES resigns.

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by: JohnS @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:09:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

OK, enough shock. (0.00 / 0)

WHO in the GOP was sitting on this?  

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:42:13 PM UTC

Why would they sit on it? (4.00 / 1)

Why wait till now?  What does this story take the place of?  What (other than what is to be expected) would they gain from this?

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:45:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Three Men in a Room (0.00 / 0)

There are people who desperately don't want it gone, I suppose.

Was this the national party or the state party who had this?

Anyhow, people, whatever the specific facts of the matter, you know that at a time like this, when the economy is really going down for the count, when Wall Street is terrified, things will out.  I'm waiting to see what this is really about, but in times like these you can't afford to be shocked for too long.

In the end, I care about this state during the tough times to come, not about any party.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:49:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Silver lining? (0.00 / 0)

He can stop running for president and raise taxes to deal with our fiscal crisis?

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by: Roatti @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:43:29 PM UTC

Actually..... (0.00 / 0)

there is some serious reason to worry about how this will impact the current world economic jitters (which thereafter play out in lower NYS tax revenues).  The "Sheriff of Wall St." is running the upstairs of the saloon, while Citibank and the rest of the big gun-slingers are playing 3-card-monty and shell games with your mortgage.

Where does an honest person look for authority?  I'll tell you, there are days I just don't want to leave the woods.

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by: robinia @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:51:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Doomsday party at my house! (0.00 / 0)

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:52:35 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Does anyone know where I can listen to the conf online? (0.00 / 0)

the 1010 Wins player SUCKS

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by: Roatti @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:47:23 PM UTC

More Details from the NYT (0.00 / 0)

The newer version of the Times story now has additional details, as we continue to wait for the new conference:

But a person with knowledge of the governor's role said that the person believes the governor is one of the men identified as clients in court papers.

The governor's travel records show that he was in Washington in mid-February. One of the clients described in court papers arranged to meet with a prostitute who was part of the ring, the Emperors Club VIP on the night of Feb. 13.

Mr. Spitzer appeared on a CNBC television show at 7 a.m. the next morning. Later in the morning, he testified before a Congressional committee.

An affidavit filed in federal court in Manhattan in connection with that case lists six conversations between the man, identified as Client 9, and a booking agent for the Emperors Club.

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by: The Maven @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:48:24 PM UTC

Remind anybody of Clinton, maybe? (0.00 / 0)

This will for sure bring back all the baggage on Hillary's hubby.

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by: robinia @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:55:14 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

perhaps not (0.00 / 0)

at least Bill had the good sense to do it with an intern and not pay for it...

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:00:07 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Yeah... anybody have a good online source (0.00 / 0)

to get this streamed?

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:48:25 PM UTC

WTF? (4.00 / 1)

I don't even know what to say.

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by: Michael Bouldin @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:49:01 PM UTC

jeez (4.00 / 3)

Poor Silda... and the kids.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:53:56 PM UTC

yup (0.00 / 0)

that's part of this that i just can't wrap my head around.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:58:06 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Interesting juxtaposition though (4.00 / 2)

Dems get worried about stories like this even if it doesn't have legs but the Reps - like with Boss Joes Federal problems - don't much care.
Is it because Dems expect to be punished for everything while Reps expect to get away with it?
Take US Sen. Vitter for example.

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by: nassaupolitics @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 18:55:57 PM UTC

actually (0.00 / 0)

My first thought was that Spitzer was involved in RUNNING a ring, or taking bribes about not prosecuting it, or something, in the past.

But honestly?  As bad as this is, I don't know what's going to happen next.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:04:28 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

weird (0.00 / 0)

I remember seeing that headline in the news about the prostitution ring and thinking, "So what?  This is news... why?"

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:02:52 PM UTC

1010 WINS Says Spitzer will Resign according to Fox NEws (0.00 / 0)

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by: Senor Wylie @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:05:06 PM UTC

holy shit... (0.00 / 0)

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:09:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Maybe we're better off. (0.00 / 0)

Maybe someone needs to finally say it.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:11:33 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Really? (0.00 / 0)

Do you think Patterson will break the back of the Bruno/Silver/Cuomo cabal who have been running this state, or is he just going to be a feel-good figurehead?

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by: milkbone @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:17:02 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

no idea (4.00 / 1)

I have no idea what Paterson will do, but I know that PEOPLE in this state have to do whatever needs to be done.

No more Great Pumpkins.

Wish the rest of the country could figure that out.

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by: NYCO @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:20:57 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

This is killing me (4.00 / 1)

We had a chance to blow up the Albany logjam. We might have been able to beat the machine.

Now all that's gone.

I admired Governor Spitzer. Now what?

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by: milkbone @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:12:24 PM UTC

Now what, indeed... (0.00 / 0)

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by: Jrathman @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:18:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

That is the wrong thing to say (4.00 / 3)

Spitzer could not and can not do the job alone.
If he loses the moral authority, that does not mean that the Senate Dems need to back down one bit.
Fight on without him.
Why give up so easily?
Bruno is under federal investigation... has that stopped him at all??

It's time Democrats started to man-up and just fight for what is right.

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by: nassaupolitics @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 19:34:16 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Exactly (4.00 / 1)

We are the ones we've been waiting for.  Change will happen.  It would('ve) be(en) nice for Spitzer to be part of that, and help do his part, but we're going to get it done with or without him.

----- RochesterTurning.com - turning the tide upstate

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by: bythepeople @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 20:19:32 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

hear hear (0.00 / 0)

spot on.

TODAY is day one. It always is.

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by: phillip anderson @ Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 20:31:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]