Compare

Now that Gov Eliot Spitzer has resigned, his legal woes are about to begin.

Spitzer (ex-Democrat and ex-friend and ex-big supporter of Hillary Clinton), came into office in 2007 promising to clean up state politics, faces the possibility of federal criminal charges over how he may have paid for prostitution services, specifically charges of structuring, which entail payments made so as to conceal their purpose and source. It's not that he paid for the ho, it's how he paid the ho.

Another violation may involve money laundering, if payments made to the suspected prostitution ring's shell corporations are found to be part of a larger conspiracy, legal experts said.

Legal observers speculated Spitzer was seeking to reach a deal to avoid or reduce any criminal liability before he left office. On Wednesday, the top federal prosecutor in New York said there was no such deal.

Prostitution is illegal in most U.S. states, but clients are rarely prosecuted and he is unlikely to face such charges.

But because he allegedly paid for the prostitute to travel to Washington from New York, he may have violated the Mann Act that bans interstate transport to engage in prostitution.

White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910 prohibited white slavery. It also banned the interstate transport of females for “immoral purposes.” Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, immorality, and human trafficking. The act is better known as the Mann Act, after James Robert Mann, an American lawmaker. Noted folks charged with violating the Mann Act :

• Chuck Berry
• Charlie Chaplin
• Jack Johnson
• William I. Thomas
• Frank Lloyd Wright - charged not convicted
  
• Charles Manson

It's pretty antiquated, but you can pretty well they'll dust it off for ex-Gov Spitzer.

So how is this scandal different than Bill Clinton's troubles?

Spitzer engaged in activity that exposed him (ahem) to blackmail and Tony Soprano stereotypes.

Clinton's offense was perjury, not sex. Never mind that she was the same age as his daughter. Spitzer's offense is not sex, but soliciting from prostitutes, which is illegal. He also had said ho cross state lines. Spitzer's was more hypocritical, because he had been such a strong crusader against crime and prosecuted that crime and should have known how to cover up all said crimes!

In Clinton's case, no one ever had any illusions about his saintliness. His impeachment distraction that might have actually kept us out of the War on Terror for 2-3 years... and Al Gore from beating Ralph Nader - but that's all just speculation.

And then there are the choices... in their women...

I mean, come on, doesn't this show a lack of mental ability too? If you're going to lose your position of ultimate power and influence - shouldn't it be justified?

Does this boil down to an issue of judgement rather than the actual infraction? I think it does. If your judgement is so poor that you, as a public figure, can't figure out that someone is going to find out about your little infraction and take you task for it? No? Then what how is your judgement on other, more relevant, issues? Like covering up arms for hostages, or getting your fraternity brothers that no-bid government contract? You have to be on top of your game to keep lies and also lies to keep your people from being indited - all the time! If you can't cover up your John time - you're not worthy to be in US Politics.

Also, Spitz has brought back Monica into the news - fair or not - in a time where HillDog really doesn't need that brought back into the news. Another lack of judgement - and political prowess.