New York governor Eliot Spitzer gave his statement of resignation on Wednesday after his involvement in a prostitution ring was made public. His wife, Silda Wall Spitzer, stood solemnly next to her husband as he delivered this difficult speech.
“Over the course of my public life, I have insisted—I believe correctly—that people, re-gardless of their position or power, take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself.”
But Spitzer hardly made this decision because of an overpowering conscience. After the story of the scandal was released to the press, he lost respect from fellow politicians and the citizens of New York State. Facing impeachment and an overwhelming decrease in popularit, he had no other choice but to resign.
Reports reveal Spitzer spent $80,000 on prostitutes. fine use of the taxpayers’ money, right? However, Spitzer isn’t the first authority figure we’ve seen caught in a scandal.
In August 2007, Idaho Senator Larry Craig was arrested for lewd conduct in the men’s bathroom of a Minneapolis airport. Craig pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct and later refused to resign. He still holds his position but claims he will not run in the 2008 election.
Then there’s Bob Allen, a Florida Republican accused of offering to pay a male police officer for sexual favours, and Kevin Shelley, former California Secretary of State, charged with “sexually explicit gestures and remarks” towards his assistants while laundering campaign funds. And who can forget the Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal? There are hundreds of other examples, because as long as there have been politicians, there has been political scandal.
It’s no secret that politicians are rewarded generous salaries and other “perks.” Blinded by his cash, Spitzer wasn’t considering the consequences when he spent the night with a prostitute last month.
In his failure to stay loyal to his wife, he has proven untrustworthy to the public as well. His daughters (aged 18, 14, and 12) must also be affected, as the call-girl he was caught with, Ashley Dupre, is 22 years old—only four years older than his first-born child. A politician who has no respect for his family cannot be expected to care for the welfare of his people.
In addition to the impact of the scandal on his family and the public, we must consider the prostitutes employed by infl uential and “respected” members of society. Some might recall that Spitzer’s latest callgirl was the only one left unmentioned in his public apology. Despite the misconception that high-class prostitution is a glamorous profession, prostitutes continue to be abused as “part of the job.” Their clients treat them as if they are mere objects being rented out.
Eliot Spitzer’s behaviour would not be considered tolerable from anyone, let alone an authority figure. The eradication of such immoral acts by those trusted with elected positions can happen only because we regret their mistakes—not simply because they are forced to face them.
