ALBANY, N.Y. — The Los Angeles Times reports that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer apologized Monday to his family and the public after a report was released linking the governor to a prostitution ring. He did not discuss the report in his apology.
Spitzer, whom the Times said rode a "steamroller of moral rectitude" to his office, said in a televised news conference, "Today, I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and that violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong. I apologize first and most importantly to my family. I apologize to the public whom I promised better."
Spitzer went on to say, "I have disappointed and failed to live up to the standard I expected of myself." Although the governor answered no questions during the televised news conference, he added that he would "dedicate some time to regain the trust of my family."
The New York Times broke the story linking Spitzer to the prostitution ring, which operated under the name Emperors Club VIP. The newspaper cited people familiar with the case who told the paper they believed that Spitzer was a client.
Last week, four people allegedly connected to Emperors Club VIP were arrested. Prosecutors claim those arrested arranged for meetings between wealthy men and more than 50 prostitutes operating out of New York, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Miami, London and Paris.
The Emperors Club VIP website rated the women working for the organization on a "diamond" scale with one diamond being the lowest and seven being the highest. The most highly ranked prostitutes cost $5,500 an hour according to prosecutors.
Spitzer, who came into office on Jan. 1, 2007, presented himself as a man of morality, and promised ethics reform and the end of backroom deals according to the Times. Spitzer is married and has three children.
According to the Times, in 2004, Spitzer spoke with "revulsion and anger" after informing the public of the arrests of 16 people accused of running a prostitution ring out of Staten Island.
To read AVN Senior Editor Mark Kernes' commentary on the Spitzer scandal, click here.
