Queens pols react to scandal

Moving forward and getting back to state business quickly replaced the feelings of shock and disbelief Queens legislators from both sides of the political aisle felt after learning details of the prostitution scandal involving Eliot Spitzer.
Shortly after Spitzer announced his resignation, Queens Assemblymember Rory Lancman said that this was extremely damaging to the public’s trust in government, especially since Spitzer came into office touting ethics reform and change in Albany.
“That’s doubly so because of the hopes and aspirations we all had for this particular governor,” Lancman said.
On Monday, March 10, reports of a federal wiretap allegedly linking Spitzer to a recently busted prostitution ring began to surface. Spitzer, who was not identified by name and only as “Client 9,” allegedly paid more than $4,000 for a prostitute identified “Kristen,” to come down from New York to a Washington D.C. hotel the night before Valentine’s Day this year.
Reports on Tuesday, March 11 and Wednesday, March 12 said Spitzer might have retained multiple call girls from the Emperors Club service throughout the past few years spending as much as $80,000.
Republican State Senator Serphin Maltese said on Tuesday afternoon that Spitzer must resign and put the best interest of the people of the state first. In addition, Maltese believes that Lieutenant Governor David Paterson, who will take over for Spitzer effective on Monday, would help heal the damage Spitzer has caused.
“He [Paterson] can really be the person that ushers in a new era in New York State politics,” Maltese said.
Queens Assemblymember Jose Peralta, who said Spitzer did the right thing by resigning, said that Paterson would address the legislature on Monday, March 17, and that the legislators would get back to work immediately.
“I think you are going to be pleasantly surprised at how quickly things can get back to normal,” Peralta said.
Although Peralta said that many of Spitzer’s accomplishments, including prosecuting crimes on Wall Street as attorney general, should not be overlooked, his conduct in the prostitution scandal does not reflect his promise to clean up Albany.
“He asked New Yorkers to invest in him and said that he can make a difference in Albany, and he let New Yorkers down,” Peralta said.