Republicans want to impeach Spitzer

NEW YORK – State Republicans threatened yesterday to impeach New York Governor Eliot Spitzer if he does not quit over a report linking him to a prostitute that has raised questions over whether he could face criminal charges.

The threat added to pressure on Spitzer, a Democrat and former state chief prosecutor who made his name fighting corruption, to step down. “If he does not resign within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will prepare articles of impeachment to remove him,” said Assembly Republican Minority Leader James Tedisco.”We need a leader in place that has the support of people on both sides of the aisle,” Tedisco told Reuters.The New York Times said on Monday that Spitzer, 48 and married, hired a N$8 000-an-hour prostitute and was caught on a federal wiretap at least six times on February 12 and 13 arranging to meet her at a Washington hotel.Spitzer, who investigated prostitution as New York state’s attorney general, apologised on Monday for what he described as a “private matter” but said nothing about resigning.He neither confirmed nor denied the report.Tedisco said on Monday night he had received a phone call from Lieutenant Governor David A Paterson to discuss a possible transition of power if Spitzer resigns.Spitzer, viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party, spent the night holed up at his Manhattan home, besieged by media.The New York Times, citing unnamed law enforcement officials, reported yesterday that the investigation began last year during an Internal Revenue Service review of suspicious financial transactions as reported to it by banks.”The payments were made over a period of several months in a way that investigators believe was intended to conceal their purpose and source, which could amount to a crime called structuring,” punishable by up to five years in prison, the Times said.News of the scandal rocked Wall Street, where power brokers resented Spitzer’s high-profile inquiries into financial cases when he was the state’s chief prosecutor.Spitzer was elected governor with nearly 70 per cent of the vote in late 2006 following his stint as state attorney general.Nampa-Reuters”If he does not resign within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will prepare articles of impeachment to remove him,” said Assembly Republican Minority Leader James Tedisco.”We need a leader in place that has the support of people on both sides of the aisle,” Tedisco told Reuters.The New York Times said on Monday that Spitzer, 48 and married, hired a N$8 000-an-hour prostitute and was caught on a federal wiretap at least six times on February 12 and 13 arranging to meet her at a Washington hotel.Spitzer, who investigated prostitution as New York state’s attorney general, apologised on Monday for what he described as a “private matter” but said nothing about resigning.He neither confirmed nor denied the report.Tedisco said on Monday night he had received a phone call from Lieutenant Governor David A Paterson to discuss a possible transition of power if Spitzer resigns.Spitzer, viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party, spent the night holed up at his Manhattan home, besieged by media.The New York Times, citing unnamed law enforcement officials, reported yesterday that the investigation began last year during an Internal Revenue Service review of suspicious financial transactions as reported to it by banks.”The payments were made over a period of several months in a way that investigators believe was intended to conceal their purpose and source, which could amount to a crime called structuring,” punishable by up to five years in prison, the Times said.News of the scandal rocked Wall Street, where power brokers resented Spitzer’s high-profile inquiries into financial cases when he was the state’s chief prosecutor.Spitzer was elected governor with nearly 70 per cent of the vote in late 2006 following his stint as state attorney general.Nampa-Reuters