so, spitzer’s free and clear.
06Nov08
It looks like Spitzer won’t be charged, and you can find Susannah’s write-up for Boing Boing here. If only gubernatorial hypocrisy were against the law.
And San Francisco? Securing 42% of the vote is great news. You’ll get there.
Of course he is free and clear. No surprise there…
Thought you might like to see this link from CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/11/07/lw.call.girl/index.html?iref=mpstoryview
The hypocrisy is truly staggering, although as long as Ashley is also not charged, then it’s just time to move on. No doubt Spitzer got a punishment of sorts.
Debauchette, I’ve been following your blog for a while and want to say thanks for your fearless advocation of sex work and willingness to share your personal experiences. I can honestly say it’s been inspiring and encouraging to read as someone struggling through the maze that is life as an escort, and the subsequent emotional and social isolation.
I had a read of your comments in Susannah Breslin’s article on Boing Boing.
I agree with you in the respect that the investigation into Elliot Spitzer was a complete waste of resources. Also that any potential punishment of the agency would be a distortion of justice given Spitzer’s failure to be charged. The case seemed politically motivated from the start and the fact that the case was dropped a mere two days after the Democratic presidential victory is almost farcical to me.
As sex workers, we oppose the criminalization of our vocation. We should also oppose the criminalization of procuring our services. Spitzer can be as hypocritical as he likes – that’s his problem and he’s suffered for it – but advocating his arrest for an act that has rarely been punished simply because we don’t like what he’s done is, in a way, taking a similarly double-sided view to his own.
Also, this is a man who fought the placid acceptance of many discriminatory business practices that disadvantaged the general public. Spitzer’s methods for punishing his targets as Attorney General were spiteful and harmful, behaviour that I can’t criticize strongly enough. As someone who is constantly in the position of defending my choices however, I understand the strength of conviction required to stand up to convention wisdom. Spitzer failed to be fair and honest as a consumer of prostitution but he was willing to almost single-handedly oppose some of the most formidable powers in the country and I feel that, tempered by his wrongs, this should be given due recognition.
Suzannah
That was really well said. And I agree with you on the whole. He should be free to be as hypocritical as he likes and in a just world, where sex work is not a crime, it wouldn’t matter.
But his hypocritical actions have resulted in the likely imprisonment of two agency owners and two bookers, and that’s where I see the injustice. My feeling is that if we aren’t going to charge him, then we shouldn’t be charging the agency workers either.