While I still have no sympathy for Spitzer, it looks like my instincts were not far off. Roger Stone may have been involved after all:
Almost four months before Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in a sex scandal, a lawyer for Republican political operative Roger Stone sent a letter to the FBI alleging that Spitzer ”used the services of high-priced call girls” while in Florida.
The letter, dated Nov. 19, said Miami Beach resident Stone learned the information from ”a social contact in an adult-themed club.” It offered one potentially identifying detail: The man in question hadn’t taken off his calf-length black socks “during the sex act.”
Stone, known for shutting down the 2000 presidential election recount effort in Miami-Dade County, is a longtime Spitzer nemesis whose political experience ranges from the Nixon White House to Al Sharpton’s presidential campaign. His lawyer wrote the letter containing the call-girl allegations after FBI agents had asked to speak to Stone, though he says the FBI did not specify why he was contacted.
”Mr. Stone respectfully declines to meet with you at this time,” the letter states, before going on to offer ”certain information” about Spitzer.
I am sure Digby will have more on this, as she is a one-woman Roger Stone encyclopedia.
*** Update ***
The comparison of this case with the handling of the “D.C. Madam” case produces a very curious bifurcation. Eliot Spitzer is worthy of being a target, and the dedication of massive resources to nab him. But G.O.P. Senator David Vitter and Bush Administration Director of USAID Randall Tobias are not. What, other than the fact that the latter are Republicans and the former Democrats, provides the basis for distinction? This investigation increasingly looks like a political hit.
It may be a political hit, but Spitzer is still a monumental hypocrite.
Incertus
Stone, known for shutting down the 2000 presidential election recount effort in Miami-Dade County,
If I ever run into this guy, remind me to kick him hard, right in the junk. Twice.
myiq2xu
I still want to see the GGW video where “Kristen” frolicks with men AND women.
The shower scene alone is supposed to be worth the purchase price. Expect a reissue soon.
But, in that it is GGW – no hardcore sex
demimondian
I’m not so sure I buy this. Roger Stone is a monumental creep — and a monumental self-promoter. If there was any way he could turn Spitzer’s downfall into publicity for Roger Stone…or anything else into publicity for Roger Stone, for that matter…he would.
It appears that he passed on a totally valueless rumor to the FBI when they wanted to bring him in on some other charge. Now he’s taking credit for Spitzer’s arrest. It seems to me that he’s just as likely to be planning to use that claim as credit for when the axe actually comes down on his crimes.
Mr. Furious
Spitzer still broke the fucking law all by himself. Screw him.
myiq2xu
As disturbing as it may be to both of us, John and I agree on something.
libarbarian
Reminds me of the vow I made when I Googled my, uncommon, name and found there is a guy with the same name who is Republican poller and former executive vice president of Karl Rove and company.
We both live in DC and if I ever bump into him I’m going to let him know how I feel in a similar way.
calipygian
Roger Stone, the proprietor of Citizen’s United, Not Timid, the anti-Hillary group?
That Roger Stone?
Dennis - SGMM
Yes, it is disturbing that it may have been a political hit but, this the Bush administration. Spitzer would still be governor if he had managed to keep his fly zipped.
What kind of person makes a bunch of wealthy, well connected enemies and then makes certain that they have something to use against him?
Dennis - SGMM
“…this is the Bush administration.”
not:
“…this the Bush administration.”
Crap, I’m starting to sound like him.
myiq2xu
You’re not from Texas are you? Cuz there’s a village in Texas that is missing an idiot.
Silver Owl
I’d like to read Stone’s resume. I’d be interested to see how he lists “Professional dick and twat watcher.”
Dennis - SGMM
Hey, I resemble that!
Actually, I’m from the United States Navy. Born in the Marshall Islands and grew up On Base.
demimondian
Yes, calipygian, *that* Roger Stone.
Brachiator
Uh, Bill Clinton (Monica Lewinsky, etc.)
Spitzer, like Clinton back in the day, handed his enemies the stick they could use to beat him with. What is more stunning than the hypocrisy here is the combination of monumental arrogance and even more monumental stupidity.
There is the tantalizing suggestion here that some of the people who run in these circles, whether Democrat or Republican, know and usually keep one another’s secrets. Every now and then, they betray one of their own, but then close ranks and pretend that their personal lives are squeaky clean. The media is often complicit in this as well. For example, I am amused by all of the after-the-fact acknowledgments of Mark Foley’s homosexuality subsequent to his resignation from Congress, and how the GOP is allowed to continue to pretend that they are a … homogeneous … group of Christian heterosexuals.
Ninerdave
make that three of us.
For the record, I hope that Stone did something too to put him in jail. Would be a nice twofer.
Zuzu
Not to mention the Roger Stone who leaves obscenity-laden voicemail messages for his enemies’ elderly parents.
myiq2xu
cbear would be really happy.
“I got a new girlfriend! I got a new girlfriend!”
T. Scheisskopf
Last I heard, Hypocrisy was not a life-destroying offense. Nor did it rise to piquing the interest of the FBI.
myiq2xu
Don’t worry, he’ll never sound like you.
He would never say “I was ass deep in mud and sniper fire outside a hamlet called Blo Mi in the Phuc Hu valley back in ’68”
It would be more like “Back in ’68 me and my frat buddies were pinned down by rain in a motel outside Birmingham when we ran out of beer. I volunteered to go to the liquor store for reinforcements.”
James B.
Spitzer belongs behind bars. End of story.
If we’re NOT going to incarcerate people for engaging in victimless activities, the first step is legalizing those activities. But we can’t do that with scum like Spitzer standing in the way. Save money on prisons, legalize prostitution and institute the death penalty for rape. That’s my feeling.
Pretty fucking stupid ones, that’s for sure.
Andrew J. Lazarus
Lessons for Spitzer: (1) Do not patronize prostitutes. (2) If you break rule (1), at least do not patronize the same prostitutes as GOP political operatives.
tBone
He and Spitzer can share a cell and reminisce about when they use to pay $5,000 for prime nooky instead of buying blow jobs from each other for a pack of cigarettes.
Phoenix Woman
Spitzer is indeed a hypocrite, and this was indeed a political hit. (My question: How did Roger Stone know? Does he frequent the same hookers, or what?)
DougJ
Hypocrisy was not a life-destroying offense. Nor did it rise to piquing the interest of the FBI.
That’s pre-911 thinking.
DougJ
at least do not patronize the same prostitutes as GOP political operatives.
I’m only half-kidding when I ask: do you think that’s possible? I would imagine that most high-priced whorehouses have at least one or two GOP political operatives as clients. Seriously.
demimondian
I doubt that it is possible.
I also doubt that it’s possible to buy discretion, whatever Elliot Spitzer and others may think.
bryanD
“The Israel Nexus: Both Gubernatorial Sex Scandals Have Ties to Jewish State
Haaretz has an AP story saying that the guy who ran the prostitution ring that was former N.Y. Governor Eliot Spitzer’s downfall has an Israeli passport. Seems he’s an Israeli…”
http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/03/the-israel-nexu.html
myiq2xu
General Tony McPeak, a co-chair of the Obama campaign, said Bill Clinton’s comments on patriotic Americans were an attack on Obama’s patriotism and compared Clinton to Joe McCarthy:
What Clinton actually said:
The O train is officially off the tracks
myiq2xu
Oops, forgot the link
cain
All I can think about how is how screwed his wife got by all this. My heart really goes out her. However, I’m drunk and i’m watching a Matthew McConnaughy and Kate Hudson movie so my thoughts might be different when I sober up. Certainly after I had my pizza rolls my view of the whole situation will change. As of now, Go women!!
cain
ps please note the lack of spelling mistakes. I love you all. Except for Michael’s last movie. Fuck him for not having a last name I can’t spell while I’m drunk.
Nancy Irving
It’s not adultery if you keep your socks on.
Helena Montana
Probably it was a political hit, but Spitzer was asking for it. It’s hard for me to work up any outrage on this one. Spitzer, like Bill Clinton before him, handed himself to his enemies on a silver platter. Arrogance and stupidity deserve to fall.
It’s true there’s a double standard and Democrats, when they sin, are treated much more harshly, but all the more reason to practice what you preach and be what you say you are.
Xenos
Well, it is shady enough of a prosecution to have another round of Congressional hearings. I wonder if anyone in the DOJ has the temerity to plead the Fifth in regard to a prosecution?
There are a few novel areas of corruption and cravenness that the DOJ has not yet reached, so let’s give them a chance!
myiq2xu
We knew that Bill was a horndog when we elected him, and he never claimed to be a paragon of virtue.
OTOH – If Spitzer was a movie star or a rich heiress it would probably help his career. Porn and adult toys are gazillion dollar industries, and lots of that money comes from “Bible Belt” states.
We’re all fucking hypocrites.
myiq2xu
I love the title of the Horton piece:
I’ve never had any political taint myself, just the regular kind.
Zifnab
Well, that’s the joke isn’t it? We’ve redefined “paragon of virtue” as Conservative Christian Millionaire. If you go to church every Sunday, have enough money to trickle down on the peasant class, and loudly denounce sex and rap music, you’ve met the American criteria for morality.
If you press for economic justice, racial harmony, and peaceful, clean, open government, you’re a radial left-wing socialist whose ideology will one day destroy America.
Spitzer was an evil lefty socialist, Vitter was a staunch morality crusader. Therefore, Spitzer is open to be targeted and Vitter is immune from criticism – much less prosecution.
salvage
Hit or not he got what he deserved. Spitz was breaking the law and was being an immoral lying jerkface to his family. As long as the machinations that nailed him were legal I say good one.
The Other Steve
myiq – What is wrong about what McPeak said?
As you note in your quoted text, Clinton said Obama doesn’t love America. That was pretty disgusting was it not? I think it deserves a response.
Dug Jay
According to this piece in Saturday’s New York Times, the new governor may be as bad,or worse, than Spitzer:
The Other Steve
Dug Jay – I don’t think you understand the difference between an affair and prostitutes.
demimondian
Hey, Dug Jay — Thanks for test marketing the new Republican Attack -lies- lines for the next campaign. It helps us forsee what you guys are going to say.
myiq2xu
You pay for prostitutes in advance. You pay later for affairs.
Llelldorin
That’s been endemic to this thread, given the comparisons to Clinton. If Spitzer had been schtupping interns, he’d still be governor.
Dug Jay
According to the NYC media, Paterson was an equal opportunity kind of guy, schtupping hookers one day and female aides on the government payroll on the next….and every now and then, just any target of opportunity at hand.
Andrew J. Lazarus
Look at the original article.
Translation: Spitzer and Stone are very, very closely connected in the sex worker daisy chain.
The Other Steve
It’s interesting how you make extraordinary claims without supporting evidence. Next you are probably going to claim that Iraq has Weapons of Mass Destruction, and that is why we needed to invade.
The article you linked to says nothing about prostitutes.
The Other Steve
Stone’s night job is as a gay prostitute.
Andrew
Well, do the whorehouses have men and women prostitutes?
Tsulagi
Same co-chair and senior military adviser to Obama who had this musing about Iraq in response to a question…
Look forward to The MUP’s bipartisan spirit commingling with McCain’s for a new way forward in the years to come.
(Obligatory troll protection, yes, I know McPeak said that at the start of OIF, not last week. He saw the big picture. Even before 100-year McCain)
Brachiator
No one predicted or desire the pointless, wasteful distraction of the impeachment mess. No one predicted or wanted the damage, jail time, and legal expenses that was the collateral damage of Clinton’s recklessness.
Worst of all, brought out the full force sanctimonious hypocrisy of Dubya’s promise to bring honor, ethics and dignity back to the White House.
Bill Clinton rightfully got through this with his popularity intact, but it was still a priapic pyrrhic victory.
But he wasn’t a heiress or movie star with a bad boy reputation. He was selling himself to the public as an ethical prosecutor of people banging whores while he was banging whores himself.
Let he who is without sin Sptizer Roger Stone.
PaulB
So what did McPeak say last week? Has he, perhaps, changed his mind based on the new data that we’ve seen over the past five years?
Interestingly, the comment you quote doesn’t appear to be cited in the link you provided. Are you sure you provided the right link? McPeak’s comments in the link you provided actually look pretty prescient.
Tsulagi
Cntrl+F is your friend. Here’s the entire question and his answer…
A little more help, look down toward the bottom of the interview.
louisms
While it can be unsatisfying to condemn both Stone and Spitzer here rather than taking sides on the matter, I think being willing to point fingers in two directions at once is a necessary skill in The Real World, and one we should all become accustomed to practicing. Bush and Clinton, Hagee and Wright, racists and black gangbangers, the socio-political landscape is littered with opponents equally indefensible. When we contort ourselves morally in an attempt to defend the scoundrels on “our side”, we abandon ethical standards for partisan ends, with results clearly evident in today’s world.
Dave_Violence
It’s good to see that most people here understand that, no matter what your affiliation or whatever, you’re not supposed to use the services of prostitutes, especially if you hold political office. That, and your personal behavior will get you into a lot of trouble; keep it in check while in office. Why? Simple: because, as stated above, you’re handing your enemies the rope with which you may be hanged.
Nathanael Nerode
I would put it this way:
Spitzer is still a monumental hypocrite, but this was a political hit.
Randolph Fritz
But so are many pols, who by and large cheat on their spouses and make great efforts to present an image perfect marital fidelity. And so are many Americans. We are monumental hypocrites; what Spitzer is being punished for, many do, and many more wish they could do. At least Spitzer was one of the few willing to prosecute the Wall Street bastards for their abuses; now that we’ve all seen what happens to people who do that, well–who’s going to be first to place those charges? Maybe…no-one? That’s really the bottom line. Spitzer was a target, and there was something real. But if there isn’t something real, we know they’ll gin up something–look at what was done to Gore and Kerry. Bottom line: call out the corruption, and they’ll ruin you if they can, and chances are they can.
rachel
That’s why The Good Lord gave us two hands. ;-)
Paul L.
Repeat after me, Statue of the Limitations.
Xanthippas
Is it a political hit when the politician paints the target on themselves? Not to me. I respect Horton, especially for his work on the Siegelman case in Alabama, but to me it simply doesn’t matter that the DOJ might treat guilty Democrats differently that guilty Republicans when they’re all guilty of something. If Spitzer hadn’t broken the law in the first place, we wouldn’t be talking about this.