Karen Bune
Victimology Contributor
Officer.com
Former New York Governor, Elliot Spitzer is clearly a model to illustrate the meaning of the word, “hypocrite.†During his tenure in political office and well known as an aggressive former Attorney General, Spitzer avidly cracked down on financial crimes as well as prostitution. He was an ominous threat to those he pursued for illegal activities and displayed no mercy, in any fashion, to those he went after. Spitzer talked a good line and followed through on his promises to bring down those who were criminal miscreants involved in seamy and illegal activities; consequently, he was despised by many on Wall Street for his pit bull pursuit and success in achieving his tenacious goals.
Accompanying his hard-line stance was the image of a man who walked the straight and narrow path and one who seemingly had disapprobation and no tolerance for crime or deviance. Spitzer projected a tough stance and the image of a man to be feared.
Behind that façade of steel, however, was the essence of a man encapsulated in a life of hypocrisy. While touting his prototype of Spitzer ideology as both a former Attorney General and Governor, he was living a life with an identity known as Client Number 9. Living a clandestine life in dual roles and engaging the services of the Emperors Club VIP that provided escort and prostitution services, he frequented the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D. C. to have many $1000.00+ night trysts and travelled frequently for the services of a prostitute.
Amidst his portrayal of being a typical family man with his wife and kids back home, Spitzer—also nicknamed, “The Sheriff of Wall Streetâ€â€”was living out his fantasies by engaging, on numerous occasions, in prostitution for which he paid big money—to the estimable tune of $80,000. He grew accustomed to the titillating escapades. Spitzer travelled frequently for his apparent self-inflicted addiction to his scintillating and secretive encounters with his favorite and regularly requested hooker, Ashley Alexandra Dupre.
When all was said and done and his actions were discovered, the acknowledgement along with the typical robot-like pattern of apologies to his family, colleagues, and the public ensued at the podium—with wife in tow--and standing by her man. Asking for the usual forgiveness, Spitzer became like all others who have travelled the same path before him. When the ante was up, Spitzer was down, and some Wall Street entities threw parties celebrating the hypocrisy that was uncovered by the man that had done in many of their comrades. Spitzer’s career in public service was over, and he was reduced from a level of riding high to the abysmal depths of deplorable discovery.
Now, after months of investigation, the U. S. Department of Justice has announced that Spitzer will not be criminally charged because no evidence of misuse of public or campaign funds had been discovered. Again, Spitzer has recently reiterated his regret. “I once again apologize for my actions and for the pain and disappointment those actions caused my family and the many people who supported me during my career in public life,†said Spitzer.
Spitzer has now become a “has been†and is reduced to the depths of being remembered as a pathetic public servant. His modus operandi surrounded by the self-imposed philosophy of “say one thing and do another†speaks volume to his lack of credibility, his personal disgrace, and his ultimate public downfall.
