Governor Elliot Spitzer (D-NY) has basically admitted that he has used hookers in the past. So, has Senator David Vitter (R-LA). He admitted being with the DC Madam (and he ran his whole campaign in Louisiana on family values). So, if Elliot Spitzer has to resign in disgrace, why shouldn't Vitter resign as well?
There is no logical reason to hold them to a different standard. I know that it would be difficult for Spitzer to justify his own dalliances (and his own hypocrisies since he busted prostitution rings when he was Attorney General in New York) based on the lack of punishment for Vitter. But if he stays and fights, I would definitely bring this issue up if I was him. And make the country an offer, if Vitter resigns, than Spitzer should agree to do the same. If he doesn't, then Spitzer can say he has no reason to do what Republicans refuse to do for the same exact transgression.
And remember this amazing fact about Senator Vitter when he returned to the Senate:
You want to talk about two different reactions when it's a Republican and a Democrat -- this is the classic example. For the record, when the Vitter scandal broke, I said that he should not resign because his "crime" (I don't think it should be illegal for consenting adults to have sex with each other for money, in fact, I think it's insane that it's illegal) had nothing to do with his work in the Senate. On the other hand, the voters of Louisiana should toss him out on his sorry ass for pretending to give a damn about family values while he was sleeping with hookers all over DC.
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If Spitzer Has to Resign, So Should Vitter
Posted Mar 12th 2008 12:39AM by Cenk Uygur
Filed under: Scandal, Young Turks, Video, Sex
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 3)
1. As usual, when it comes to republicans...
It's the hypocrisy, wingnuts! It's the hypocrisy!
But this time there is enough hypocrisy for Spitzer to resign whether Vitter does or not.
Captain Negative at 1:41AM on Mar 12th 2008
2. Your bias is showing...as usual.
Did Vitter engage in money laundering and using the names of campaign donors as aliases in his "transgressions"? Spitzer was the Attorney General of New York State for 8 years before he became governor. The reason he should resign is not because he can't keep it in his pants but because he violated the laws of his state and country through illegal and deceitful money practices.
You're talking apples and oranges to make an irrelevant point in support of your political alliances. You long ago lost the ability to be objective in anything related to politics. Sad!
Vicki at 2:04AM on Mar 12th 2008
3. For once, gulp, I will have to agree with Mr. Negative. Vitter is a hypocrite and I think he should have resigned.
Spitzer did himself here once he prosecuted others ofr the same crime. He obviously thought he was above law and it didn't apply to him because he was doing good deeds.
The people of Louisiana will have the final say on Mr. Vitter and Mary Landreau - both face tough battles - her corruption and greed know no bounds. If they are smart (questonable since they re-elected Nagin) they will toss them both and clean the slate.
OpenYourBlindEye08 at 2:23AM on Mar 12th 2008
4. Cenk
There should be no comparison drawn between Spitzer and Vitter. Cenk, as usual, you either ignored the whole story of pitzer or did not investigate the story before posting it.
Gov Spitzer was NY State Attorney General, the States highest ranking law enforcement official. He put people in jail for committing crimes, whereas Vitter did not. Gov Spitzer should be held to a much higher standard than Vitter.
This story started over a IRS/FBI investigation of a Prostitution Ring that was laundering money in violation of the Bank Secrecy Act. They had the client do a money transfer to a Business to make it look like a business transaction, a felony under the money laundering laws. Gov Spitzer was well aware of this law, was well aware of the law while he transferred over $80000 to the Prostitution Ring, well aware that he was committing Felonies. And he was a John, an offense in NY, not a crime.
Gov Spitzer should resign over the acts of committing Felonies, something Vitter did not do.
There is no comparison between the two.
Robert at 3:01AM on Mar 12th 2008
5. Speaking of Hypocrisy in the same State
House Rep Thomas Jefferson was nailed by the FBI with his hand in the Bribery cookie jam and his refridgerator/freezer stuffed with Bribe Money. Did he resign-NO
Did he run for office after being arrested by the FBI-YES
Did the Democrat Party support the crook Jefferson for re election-YES
And the crook Jefferson got re elected in New Orleans by 61% of the vote.
Democrat Hypocrisy in the SAME State.
Now Louisiana Democrats are demanding Vitter resign over an offense not related to his elected position. Not like Jefferson's numerous bribery felony charges relating to his elected position in House of Representatives.
Big Big time Hypocricy by the Democrats.
robert okane at 4:57AM on Mar 12th 2008
6. YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT....ALAN DERSHOWITZ IS ON A LOONEY TOON WITH THIS ONE...SAYING THIS IS A VICTIMLESS CRIME AND THAT THE PICADILLOS OF MEN DO NOT AFFECT THEIR FAMILIES OR JOBS....IS HE CRAZY TOO? HAVE THE TOW JEWISH CRONIES BEEN DRINKING TOO MUCH PASSOVER WINE OR WHAT....I GREATLY ADMIRED ALAN, UNTIL NOW..I AM ALMOST AS UPSET WITH HIM AS WITH SPITZER......COME ON ALAN ,I AM NOT A LAWYER, BUT THE LAST TIME I LOOKED PROSTITUTION WAS A CRIME...REPEAT CRIME...THE FORMER ATTORNEY GENERAL AND CURRENT GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NY IS SUPPOSED TO UPHOLD THE LAW...THAT MEANS HIS IS NOT SUPPOSED TO COMMIT CRIMES..
EVEN THOUGH YOU SEEM TO THINK SOME "CRIMES" DO NOT COUNT................WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING THIS ABOUT THE MADAMS THAT GET ARRESTED AND THE PROSTITUTES????????THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.............................NO VICTIMS ???? WHAT ABOUT HIS WIFE???
AND DAUGHTERS????????????? and all the voters..PLUS I CAN GUARANTEE YOU THIS IF A MAN COMMITS ADULTERY WITH ANYONE, ESPECIALLY PROSTITUTES....HE IS ALSO LYING AND WHEN IT IS ALL OVER THERE WILL BE MORE REVEALED....................................MY HEART ACHES FOR HIS FAMILY, BUT IF HE HAD NOT BEEN CAUGHT ..HE WOULD STILL BE DOING IT....
linda at 5:01AM on Mar 12th 2008
7. Yes, and when Larry Craig resigns, Barney Frank should also resign and, if he was still in office, Gary Studs. After having sex with an underage page, Studs was twice reelected to Congress and given an important leadership position. After having a call-boy ring found operating out of his apartment and run by his male live-in lover, Barney Frank has been reelected many times.
longwalker at 5:11AM on Mar 12th 2008
8. It is just soooo very left-wing Democrat of clowns like Cenk Uygur to point at and blame everything and everyone except the criminal Democrat being discussed.
When Larry Craig pled guilty to a misdemeanor lewd act charge Democrats made it out to be the crime of the century but now that Spitzer has been caught committing federal felonies Cenk blames Vitter and we have other moronic left-wingers blaming the fact that prostitution is illegal in America. It's the same tactics they used when Slick Willy Clinton got caught red-handed lying to a federal Grand Jury.
The left in America is an utter joke.
Robert Byngham at 6:41AM on Mar 12th 2008
9. Wow chink, some negotiating skills. Kind of reminds me of the movie "My Cousin Vinnie".
jscotthhi at 8:52AM on Mar 12th 2008
10. I am an Independent voter. It is my opinion that a law that is not enforced should be eliminated. Until it is repealed it is the law. What Vitter and others have done is a misdemeanor at best, seldom
are "johns" prosecuted. What Spitzer did was a felony, committed while he was PROSECUTING others for the same thing. If Democrats can't see the difference then they should never be elected because they are both blind and stupid.
Rann948 at 9:05AM on Mar 12th 2008
11. He needs to be fired ASAP and it shouldn't be his choice to resign. Part of his role as Governor is the uphold the law and participating in sexual acts with a prostitute is illegal last time I checked..
It's funny how this is even a question because, if he was African American or Hispanic everyone would be calling for his head and not just his job.. AmeriKKKa what a place!
He needs to prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law period.
Mr. Black & White at 10:06AM on Mar 12th 2008
12. Talk about missing the point...
Hypocracy isn't a crime. It's not a felony. It's not a misdemeanor. It's nothing.
The point is that if using prostitutes is something mandating resignation or removal of office then both Vitter and Spitzer need to do so. If it's not, then stop hounding for Spitzer to resign. Regardless, his career is pretty much over. If using prostitutes isn't something that mandates his removal, and he resigns anyway, then cut him a little slack and let him go to the political graveyard with a little dignity.
Remember, when Craig was exposed for being a hypocrite legislating against homosexuals while being one himself, the left wasn't calling for his resignation or censure. We thought he was a scummy human being, even more so given the legislation he's backed. But that's between him and the people who vote for him.
Now, regardling allegations (what a wonderful word for gossip and conjecture.) about Spitzer being involved in other offenses. If he is proven to be guilty of an actual felony, then he needs to be removed from office. He'd need to be removed even if he didn't hire a prostitute. But if you're going to say that using prostitutes is a removable offense then Vitter needs to go right along with Spitzer. You can't have it both ways.
Somber at 10:44AM on Mar 12th 2008
13. Cenk, Cenk, Cenk,
For a person with a law degree, you don't think logically.
Yes, it's hypocritical for Sen. Vitter to preach family values while hooking up with call girls.
But Gov. Spitzer has used sexual indescrestions of others for legal and political purposes. Remember that Atty. Gen. Spitzer let slip out that Dick Grasso, the former head of the NYSE, allegedly had an affair with his secretary, in the midst of the legal proceedings to get Grasso to give back a substantial portion of his pay package.
That was purely to gain leverage in getting Grasso to settle the case on Spitzer's terms.
By the way Cenk, as a Democrat, how can you be in favor of doing away with the crime of prostitution? That is so Libertarian.
Kent at 10:51AM on Mar 12th 2008
14. The big wigs(crooks)of wall street are getting their pound of flesh. In our capitalist society, the rules state "the more money you have, the more rules you can break" and when Spitzer went after some of the "big cheeses" they got out their guns and all the Fed and State agencies they had on the payrole and waited. TaDa!!
Judy at 11:01AM on Mar 12th 2008
15. Stank, your moral relativism sounds like a middle-eastern style prisoner exchange proposal. I believe all that have committed similar disgrace, including the likes of BJ Clinton, Vitter, Spitzer, Craig, Frank, Studds and down to the level of Newsom and Villairogosa should (or should have) resign. If their spouses/staffs can't trust them, why would their constituents? We all deserve better.
Your desire to "trade scalps" only shows your partisan insincerity. You might actually gain some credibility if you had the courage to take a stand on Spitzer...
BirdmanJones at 11:05AM on Mar 12th 2008