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Spitzer's Ethics Speaking Gig At Harvard Upsets Madam
By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2009
Modified Nov 13, 2009
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By
Jen Chung
Published Nov 12, 2009
Modified Nov 13, 2009
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Today, former governor Eliot Spitzer will be at Harvard, speaking at the Edmond J. Safra Foundation Center for Ethics, discussing, "What Should Be the Rationale for Government Participation in the Market?" But given Spitzer's past, from Troopergate to Hookergate, one person is very upset—a madam who had Spitzer as a client. In a letter to Professor Lawrence Lessig, Kristin Davis wrote, "For nearly 5 years, I supplied Mr. Spitzer with high priced escorts while he was both Attorney General and Governor. For this crime, I served four months on Rikers Island, had all of my assets confiscated and am now considered a sex offender on 5 years probation. Mr. Spitzer broke both state and federal laws and walked away free."
She also adds, "I am greatly intrigued as to what Mr. Spitzer could contribute to an ethical discussion when as Chief Executive Law Enforcement Officer of NY he broke numerous laws for which he has yet to be punished. As Attorney General he went around arresting and making examples out of the same escort agencies he was frequenting."
Lessig tells the Post that Spitzer's "Sheriff of Wall Street" past prompted his inclusion in the series of lectures, "We chose him because his experiences and perspective would be valuable to the study we're conducting...We don't have a moral test for listening to people's perspectives." But one Harvard Business school alum (interviewed at the Harvard Club, natch) told a Post reporter, "It's unbelievably hypocritical. He should find the deepest hole in Manhattan and crawl back into it. Unfortunately, there's no sense of shame anymore. Shame died with the Clinton era."
Today, Davis writes on her blog, "I know I've done alot of speaking out regarding Spitzer and it may seem that I have some personal vendetta against him, I do not. I do however feel that injustices and inequalities are worth repeating over and over again until they are actually addressed. I have talked about him repeatedly but no one is asking him the HARD questions. Now, this man, is lecturing at Harvard on ethics? "
Update, 11/13: Here's what happened at forum—one question about Hookergate!
Tagged
eliot spitzer
ethics
harvard
hookergate
kristin davis
Troopergate
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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