The Spitzer Double Standard And How To Solve It

The former New York Governor writes in Sunday’s Washington Post about how to deal with the economic crisis going forward, and how his own actions prevent him from participating as he did in the past. 

And, while he won’t be charged in connection with his use of prostitutes–

Justice Department guidelines disfavor indictments against clients of prostitution rings, even those who transport women across state lines to have sex in violation of the Mann Act. Spitzer acknowledged making payments to the service, which amounted to “acceptance of responsibility for his conduct,” said Michael J. Garcia, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York.

 –women who service Spitzer and men like him are continually arrested.  Natalie McLennan was dating and working for the pimp who recruited Spitzer’s call-girl, Ashley Dupre.   When McLennan’s agency was busted she wound up in jail, but none of her clients faced the legal consequences she did.

Clearly, there is a double standard at work. Spitzer may have lost the governorship in a humiliating public scandal, but I can assure the former governor that that doesn’t compare to the private pain of having your mother visit you in jail, where you’re clad in a standard-issue uniform and not allowed to hug her.

Three years later, I still struggle with the fallout from my arrest.

Why is it that escorts, bookers and escort-agency owners are consistently punished and made examples of – and the same isn’t true for the clients of these agencies?

Clients who, like Spitzer, have full knowledge of the laws they’re breaking but don’t hesitate to do so over and over again?

It’s obvious that when Spitzer participated in his illegal activities, he was acting under the assumption the so-called “sheriff” was above the law.

Apparently, he was correct.

There’s no question that Spitzer is a hypocrite.   As a prosecutor, he went after the the kinds of enterprises he utilized.  If government didn’t worry so much about adults who choose to engage in mutual pleasure with or without the exchange of money, then both those who offer adult services and their clients could go about life in peace.   How about we stop this charade of chasing after pleasure-givers and pleasure-seekers.  In fact, in such a bad economy, there’s a wonderful tax base that legalization could provide.

By: Alan

Alan Colmes is the publisher of Liberaland.