Guest Author - Nicole Collins

In an eerily similar circumstance to 2004’s gubernatorial scandal involving New Jersey Governor Jim McGreevy, Governor Eliot Spitzer will resign his post effective Monday, March 17. With his wife by his side, he held a press conference today, March 12, 2008, to announce his official resignation.

Spitzer was exposed as “Client 9” in a federal prostitution case involving an outfit called the Emperor’s Club VIP. Officials say he was taped organizing a meeting with a prostitute. He also allegedly spent thousands of dollars on a high-priced call girl at a ritzy Washington hotel the night before Valentine’s Day.

On Monday Spitzer held a news conference apologizing to his family and the people of New York, but did not resign. New York assembly Republicans vowed to begin the impeachment process if he did not resign sometime on Wednesday.

“Today, I want to briefly address a private matter. I have acted in a way that violates my obligation 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, who I promised better,” Spitzer said on Monday, avoiding the mention of his specific actions.

However, on Wednesday he was more precise about his intentions. “Over the course of my public life, I've insisted, I believe correctly, that people regardless of their position or power take responsibility for their conduct. I can and will ask no less of myself,” he said. “For this reason, I am resigning from the office of governor.”

Lt. Governor David Paterson will take over for Spitzer, becoming New York’s first black governor. He is also the state’s first legally blind governor, and its first disabled governor since Franklin D. Roosevelt, according to the Associated Press.

Legislators from both sides of the aisle were quick to show support for Paterson. Most just want to put the debacle behind them and get back on track for the people of New York State. Following Spitzer’s remarks, Paterson said, “It is now time for Albany to get back to work as the people of this state expect from us.”

Overlooked but at the center of the scandal are 23-year-old Cecil Suwal and her boyfriend, 62-year-old Mark Brener, the owners and operators of the Empire Club. They operated the ring under the auspices of a consulting firm called QAT Consulting Group, Inc. which claimed to specialize in business-related services such as financial, legal marketing and office design. The two are currently being held in a New York jail.