Resigning Is Not Enough and Way Too Much For Spitzer

There have been some rumors that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is trying to bargain with the feds over his involvement with a prostitution ring. Apparently, he’s offering to resign the governorship in return for a walk on the charges.

This is wrong for two reasons:

First, it’s not much of a punishment. Thousands of men arrested as prostitution patrons and money launderers are already not a state governor. If the feds give Spitzer a walk, shouldn’t all those other guys get a walk too?

Second, as Mike at Crime & Federalism points out, it’s none of the federal government’s business. Eliot Spitzer was put in the governor’s office by the people of New York, and it’s not up to the U.S. Justice Department to change that. Using the threat of prosecution to force him out of office is little more than blackmail and extortion. I hope the feds are better than that.

Update: Spitzer just resigned. Never mind.