New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer

1 new york state attorney general

1.1 campaigns

1.1.1 1994 campaign attorney general
1.1.2 1998 campaign attorney general
1.1.3 2002 re-election campaign attorney general


1.2 tenure overview
1.3 notable cases
1.4 loan investigation controversy

new york state attorney general
campaigns



1994 campaign attorney general

in february 1991 robert abrams, democrat , longstanding new york state attorney general, announced intention run u.s. senate seat new york occupied incumbent republican u.s. senator al d amato. when announced intention senate election 2 years in future. abrams won nomination in democratic primary narrowly lost d amato in general election in november 1992. ten months later, in september, 1993, abrams announced resign position attorney general of december 31, 1993, although still had 1 year remaining in term. fill vacancy new york state legislature elected assemblyman g. oliver koppell serve out remainder of attorney general s term during 1993.

thirty-four-year-old spitzer decided run democratic candidate in 1994 election attorney general, did koppell, brooklyn family court judge karen burstein, , kings county da charles j. hynes. @ time, spitzer young , relatively unknown defense attorney representing white-collar criminals. when announced campaign spitzer suggested that, if elected, use state s antitrust laws pursue corporate polluters. spitzer candidate support death penalty. in televised debate among candidates, spitzer criticized financing campaign using $3 million of own , family money. despite heavy funding own family, placed last among 4 democratic candidates nomination, receiving 19% of vote. burstein, woman , gay candidate, won primary 31% of vote. burstein subsequently lost in general election republican dennis vacco, part of nationwide republican sweep, included election of republican george pataki new governor of new york displacing democratic incumbent, governor mario cuomo.

1998 campaign attorney general

four years later, spitzer again wanted run attorney general , on may 6, 1998 announced run office second time. on may 28, emerged front-runner among democratic candidates, ranking first @ democratic convention 36% of vote. had amount of money, on $2 million. in september, won democratic primary election 42% of vote. defeated state senator catherine abate (27%), koppell (22%), , former governor s counsel evan davis (9%). in general election spitzer face incumbent, dennis vacco, republican.

in late october, conceded father lent him of money raised. financed both campaigns 2 sets of loans: $4.3 million in 1994 , $4.8 million in 1998, both j.p. morgan & company. spitzer stated have worked long, long hours dad , various businesses. look, m not saying underpaid. effort challenge propriety of fee way off base. on october 28, new york times endorsed spitzer saying both candidates flawed vacco s performance , key policy positions make him worse choice. in 4 years mr. vacco has turned important office distinguished public-service tradition patronage mill known taking suspect contributions , mixed record on such key issues women s right abortion. said spitzer has promised politically moderate approach puts public interest ahead of rigid philosophy , special-interest contributors. in november, spitzer went on defeat republican incumbent dennis vacco small margin of victory of 0.6%. spitzer didn t win single county in upstate. amazingly, won 6 counties in state: new york (81%), bronx (80%), kings (75%), queens (67%), westchester (52%), , rockland (48%).

2002 re-election campaign attorney general

in 2002 spitzer ran re-election , second term new york s attorney general. spitzer defeated republican judge dora irizarry 66%–30%.

tenure overview

as attorney general, spitzer stepped profile of office. traditionally, state attorneys general have pursued consumer rights cases, concentrating on local fraud while deferring national issues federal government. breaking traditional deference, spitzer took civil actions , criminal prosecutions relating corporate white-collar crime, securities fraud, internet fraud, , environmental protection. new york attorney general s office has wall street (and many leading corporate , financial institutions) within jurisdiction. also, new york attorney general wields greater usual powers of investigation , prosecution of corporations under new york state s general business law. in particular, under martin act of 1921, new york attorney general has power subpoena witnesses , company documents pertaining investigations of fraud or illegal activity corporation. spitzer used statute allow office prosecute cases have been described within federal jurisdiction. spitzer used authority in civil actions against corporations , criminal prosecutions against officers. proved useful in wake of several u.s. corporate scandals began collapse of enron in 2001. several of these corporations, brokerage houses sold stock, accused of having inflated stock values unethical means throughout 1990s. when inquiries these allegations u.s. securities , exchange commission (sec) , congress failed, spitzer s office used subpoena power obtain corporate documents, building cases against firms both in courtrooms , in public opinion.

under watch, spitzer commissioned 1999 study of nypd s stop-and-frisk practices.

in 2004, nation endorsed spitzer possible democratic candidate vice president, stating single effective battler against corporate abuses in either political party . was, however, not chosen.

in january 2005, president of u.s. chamber of commerce described spitzer s approach egregious , unacceptable form of intimidation ve seen in country in modern times .

notable cases

in addition prosecutions , civil actions in financial sector, spitzer has pursued cases in both state , federal courts involving pollution, entertainment, technology, prostitution, corruption, occupational safety , health , other fields in new york plays part in setting , maintaining national standards of conduct.

loan investigation controversy

the new york state senate investigations committee considered investigating controversial multi-million dollar loan governor s father bernard spitzer gave him when ran attorney general in 1998, loan younger spitzer paid back. senate investigations committee chairman george winner told new york post subpoenas should used find out loans. winner wrote senate elections committee chairman senator joseph griffo article profiling spitzer in new york magazine outlined may have been willful effort eliot spitzer , father circumvent campaign-contribution limits in new york state law , conceal actions. in 1998, spitzer claimed secured $5 million loan mortgaging apartments father had given him, later revealed father paying off loans and, therefore, financing campaign.