Panel Asks How Inquiry Began on Spitzer Banking

[BlueJessamine]

Source: New York Times

ALBANY — Eight months after a federal investigation into a prostitution ring brought about the downfall of Gov. Eliot Spitzer, the question still persists in some circles: Was the federal government out to get Mr. Spitzer?

No evidence has surfaced to support such an assertion, and the prosecutor in the case has said that politics played no role in the pursuit of Mr. Spitzer, a Democrat. But that has not put to rest suspicions, expressed on left wing blogs, that Mr. Spitzer, a zealous pursuer of Wall Street wrongdoing who some thought could one day be president, had been singled out.

Now, a Congressional committee is pursuing what would be the first public examination of the events that prompted the initial inquiry into his bank transactions, which showed he was sending money to a front company for Emperor’s Club V.I.P.

The House Financial Services Committee intends to take up the matter early next year and tentatively plans to hold hearings that could include testimony from the United States Treasury’s law enforcement unit, along with Mr. Spitzer’s bank, North Fork, and HSBC, a bank used by a company connected to the Emperor’s Club.

“The question was: Why were they looking for this? Is this political retribution?” said Representative Michael E. Capuano, a Massachusetts Democrat and a member of the committee who has been critical of the increased scrutiny of banking transactions, which increased greatly under the passage of the Patriot Act.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/26/nyregion/26spitzer.html?hp

[DainBramaged]

1. No he wasn't a target, he was just a horny toad, a bad man, rich and perverted

I was EXCORIATED excoriated I tell you, for suggesting he was a target way back when. And now, it seems so , real........

[sce56]

2. Now if they would just investigate the Bush family's Pedopihle ring!

[Doctor_J]

3. I would like to see the next AG start terrorizing all 40 remaining

GOP senators. Begin with those who are probably guilty of corruption like Chambliss, Vitter, Craig, Inhofe, and Cornyn, and work right on through to the decent ones like Snowe and Voinovich. When 10-15 of them have been run from office he/she should start on the governors. These filthy bullies only respond to aggressive retaliation and the sooner it starts the better.

[aquart]

4. Yuh think?

Because they damn well knew there were negligible terrorist threats from American citizens.

[Ghost Dog]

5. Why not just legalise it --

where there is no coercion, no traficking, no pimping, involved; and where health standards are maintained.

[Kolesar]

6. Which "left wing blogs" have been alleging political retribution? eom

[NashVegas]

7. About Time

I imagine it will end up a white wash, but you never know.