Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer

1 governor of new york

1.1 legislative measures supported
1.2 roadblocks reform
1.3 proposal legalize same-sex marriage
1.4 controversy on use of state police surveillance / troopergate
1.5 controversy on plans issue driver s licenses illegal immigrants
1.6 approval rating governor
1.7 prostitution scandal
1.8 resignation - march 2008

governor of new york

during traditional midnight ceremony on january 1, 2007, spitzer sworn in governor of new york. public ceremony held @ 1 p.m. on same day featured brass , percussion players empire state youth orchestra. bucking tradition, ceremony held outdoors – first outdoor inauguration ceremony in new york on century. after taking oath of office, attended concert @ times union center in honor, headlined james taylor , natalie merchant.

legislative measures supported

jonathan s law - in may 2007 governor spitzer signed legislation concerning parental , guardian access files , records concerning children , child abuse investigations.

roadblocks reform

spitzer speaking in april 2007

spitzer s reform-based platform, , pledge change ethics of albany , hit roadblock when ideas on how fill vacancies in executive department defeated state legislature. according new york state constitution, duty of state legislature fill executive vacancies. governor criticized unreasonable admonishing legislature when took constitutional actions. appointment of state assemblyman thomas dinapoli succeed disgraced alan hevesi new york state comptroller serious blow new governor. spitzer had backed outside panel draft list of qualified candidates; legislature resisted spitzer s desires when these included no legislators. assembly democrats alienated on incident, , questioned spitzer s refusal of extending patronage party members seeking local political appointments.

spitzer s choice new york city finance commissioner martha stark, selected panel consisted of former state comptroller edward regan, former state comptroller carl mccall , former new york city comptroller harrison j. goldin. on february 7, 2007, when legislature voted, stark 1 of 2 names put nomination, along assemblyman thomas dinapoli of long island, assembly leader sheldon silver s choice. final vote 150 dinapoli , 56 stark. stark s main support came democrats in senate, along republicans in both chambers.

spitzer traveled home districts of democratic assemblymen william b. magnarelli , george s. latimer (in syracuse , westchester county respectively), , publicly criticized them votes on dinapoli; had plans exert similar pressure on other of party s legislators.

one of spitzer s key campaign pledges reform state budget process. while state did pass budget on schedule in 2007, ultimate results fell short of many reformers hoped spitzer achieve. new york post opined, spitzer promised reform, , delivered different , termed budget bitterly disappointing.

spitzer s budget turned deficit, end of october projected state run deficit exceeding $4 billion year. during spitzer s first year state payroll increased, aggravating budget problem. despite increasing public sector payroll, in late 2007 new york state started leading nation in lost jobs. 2008–09 budget includes measures counter financial effects of crisis in financial sector starting in second half of 2007.

spitzer criticized members of new york state legislature failing compromise on issues during first few months governor. in 1 exchange, according new york post, spitzer told new york state assembly minority leader james tedisco: listen, m f - - -king [hyphens sic on post website] steamroller , ll roll on , else , although reported neither party had provided confirmation post sought. spitzer s reputation steamroller shared plurality of new yorkers in quinnipiac university poll, 3 1 margin believed tactic had been unsuccessful , had added political gridlock.

tedisco later accused spitzer of cutting $300,000 of state funding health care , education grants in schenectady area retaliation tedisco s opposition spitzer plan allow illegal immigrants new york state driver s licenses. tedisco accused governor of dirty tricks , bullying .

in wake of controversy involving political surveillance controversy involving bruno, spitzer accused of pandering special interest groups solidify base of support. governor took office vowing clean albany has lost public support reduced feathering nest of unions , other liberals , wrote michael goodwin of daily news.

in february 2008, washington post published op-ed written spitzer in criticized bush administration inhibiting states pursuing predatory lenders.

proposal legalize same-sex marriage

in april 2007, spitzer proposed bill legalize same-sex marriage in new york. state senate majority leader joe bruno announced opposition proposal. legislation passed in state assembly on june 19, 2007, denied in state senate , returned assembly.

controversy on use of state police surveillance / troopergate

on july 23, 2007, new york attorney general andrew cuomo s office admonished spitzer administration ordering state police keep special records of senate majority leader joseph bruno s whereabouts when traveled police escorts in new york city.

a 57-page report issued attorney general s office concluded spitzer engaged in creating media coverage concerning senator bruno s travel. investigation looked both bruno s travel , senate leader s allegation spitzer used state police spy on him. cuomo concluded these e-mails show persons in governor s office did not merely produce records under freedom of information act , request, instead engaged in planning , producing media coverage concerning senator bruno s travel on state aircraft before foil request made. suggests governor s staff lied when tried explain had done , forced state police go far beyond normal procedures in documenting bruno s whereabouts.

the report cleared bruno of misuse of state s air fleet, had been alleged. report criticized spitzer s office using state police resources gather information bruno s travel , releasing information media. findings of report endorsed spitzer s own inspector general, kristine hamann.

spitzer responded @ july 23 press conference governor, accountable goes on in executive branch , accept responsibility actions of office , administration had grossly mishandled situation. spitzer subsequently announced indefinitely suspend communications director, darren dopp, , reassign top official. when questioned promise bring ethical responsibility state politics, spitzer responded saying not tolerate behavior , ethics , accountability must , remain rigorous in administration, , have stated want ethics , integrity hallmarks of administration. why requested state inspector general review allegations respect office, , why have cooperated both inquiries.

the investigations of event, dubbed troopergate media outlets, not affected spitzer s resignation. of march 2008, 4 probes state attorney general s office, state senate investigations committee, albany county district attorney s office, , new york commission on public integrity ongoing.

controversy on plans issue driver s licenses illegal immigrants


spitzer hillary clinton in 2007

on september 21, 2007, spitzer issued executive order directing state offices allow illegal immigrants issued driver s licenses effective december 2007. applicants driver s licenses not required prove legal immigration status , allowed present foreign passport identification. after meeting department of homeland security in october 2007, spitzer altered plan licenses issued migrant workers different other licenses , new licenses not allow access airplanes , federal buildings.

on october 21, 2007, state senate voted oppose spitzer plan 39–19 vote. 8 democrats moderate districts broke spitzer on vote. after vote, new york times called issue mr. spitzer s single unpopular decision since took office.

following state senate s vote, spitzer revised plan again, proposing issuance of third type of driver s license. driver s license available united states citizens new york state residents, , valid crossing canada–us border. spitzer announced expiration dates of temporary visas printed on driver s licenses of individuals living in country them.

on november 14, day following release of poll showing proposal extremely unpopular voters, spitzer announced withdraw plan, acknowledging never implemented. decision drew derision press, associated press termed reversal surrender. wcbs-tv labeled him governor flip-flop. state senator rubén díaz of bronx said betrayed spitzer s abandonment of plan.

approval rating governor

as of november 13, 2007, spitzer s approval rating governor 33 percent, further decline 44% approval rating of october 24, 2007. later poll showed new york city mayor michael bloomberg defeat spitzer seek reelection. 2 polls in december 2007 showed further erosion in spitzer s public standing.

prostitution scandal

on march 10, 2008, new york times reported spitzer had patronized high-priced escort service called emperors club vip , met 2 hours $1,000-an-hour call girl. information came attention of authorities federal wiretap. during 6 month span, spitzer had @ least 7 or 8 liaisons women agency , paid more $15,000. according published reports, investigators alleged spitzer paid $80,000 prostitutes on period of several years while attorney general, , later governor. spitzer first drew attention of federal investigators when bank reported suspicious money transfers under anti-money laundering provisions of bank secrecy act , patriot act. resulting investigation triggered belief spitzer might have been hiding bribe proceeds , led discovery of prostitution ring.

resignation - march 2008

in wake of revelations, spitzer announced on march 12, 2008, resign post governor @ noon on march 17, 2008, amid threats of impeachment state lawmakers.

cannot allow private failings disrupt people s work, spitzer said @ news conference in manhattan. on course of public life, have insisted – believe correctly – people take responsibility conduct. can , ask no less of myself. reason, resigning office of governor. spitzer s lieutenant governor, david paterson, succeeded him governor of new york state , served remaining 2 3/4 years of spitzer s 4 year term.