NEW YORK, NY - JULY 08: Former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer collects signatures from citizens to run for comptroller of New York City on July 8, 2013 in New York City. Spitzer resigned as governor in 2008 after it was discovered that he was using a high end call girl service. Credit: Getty Images
Former New York governor and current candidate for NYC comptroller Eliot Spitzer was grilled by CNN's Jake Tapper on Thursday about the his "reckless" and "illegal" past behavior and why he never faced charges after he was caught soliciting the services of a prostitute in 2008.
Tapper pointed out the glaring hypocrisy in the fact that Spitzer was never prosecuted under the tough anti-human trafficking law he signed as governor that made soliciting a prostitute a class E felony.
"I want to start back in 2008, what you did was incredibly reckless and, perhaps more importantly, it was very illegal," Tapper began. "As you know a class E felony, paying for sex, a law you signed."
"The Lead" host then cited one of Spitzer's opponents in the comptroller race, the former "Manhattan Madam" Kristin Davis, who allegedly provided prostitutes to the former New York governor. She recently slammed Spitzer's hypocrisy in a quote to the New York Post:
"I spent four months in Rikers Island from which I returned penniless, homeless, and forced to take sex offender classes for five months with pedophiles and perverts, while he returned to his wife in his 5th Ave. high rise without ever being fingerprinted, mug shot, remanded, or charged with a crime under the every law he signed."
"What do you say to her," Tapper asked after reading the entire quote.
Spitzer claimed the "decision was made based upon the standards set by the Department of Justice and made by the U.S. attorney’s office."
"They looked at the office and dealt with me the way they dealt with everyone else in my situation," he added.
"You really think that?" a skeptical Tapper replied. "I think a lot of people might think, look, you’re somebody with money, you’re somebody with power, and this is a perfect example of how people like you don’t end up doing the time the way the average person does."
Spitzer said he didn't want to "quibble" over the government's decision not to charge him with a crime that he admitted to. "That was their judgement, not mine," he observed.
Spitzer also touted the anti-human trafficking law that stiffened penalties on prostitution and said he was proud of the legislation.
"Even though you violated it?" Tapper asked.
"That's correct," said Spitzer, adding that "there's no question the law deserves to be there."
Featured image via AP
(H/T: Mediaite)
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