Spitzer In Trouble?
Michael Goodwin continues to hammer away at New York Governor Eliot Spitzer. Citing a new poll that shows that 70% of New Yorkers want Spitzer to testify, under oath and in public, about the use of state police to try to smear his political opposition. The poll is a brim reminder that Spitzer's stock has fallen badly in the Empire State.
A whopping 70% of those responding to a new Siena College poll not only want the rookie Democrat to testify - they want him to do it publicly. A mere one in four believes he has been honest so far. That's a resounding "NO SALE" response to the governor's efforts to make the issue go away without first coming clean.
The poll released yesterday confirms earlier ones by Siena and others that it's the coverup more than the initial incident bugging voters. Most important is the finding that a clear majority of respondents, 53% to 27%, believe Spitzer has not told the truth. The same question in a Siena poll in July brought an almost identical result, 51% to 28%.
"People's views have not changed in six weeks," said Steven Greenberg, a spokesman for Siena's Research Institute. "They believed in July that Spitzer knew what his aides were doing, and they continue to believe it."
Smart people, those voters. That many of them supported Spitzer in his landslide victory last fall, when he got 69% of the vote, only makes their doubts about him much more significant.
The state Ethics Commission has issued a "target" letter to Spitzer's communication director and appears to be heading toward the issuance of subpoenas in the matter. Spitzer may not have a choice about testifying.
By Andrew Miller, Thursday, 20 September , 2007 @ 10:42 am
It’s time for Spitzer to come clean. The Ethics commision has 5 members all appointed by Spitzer! Only the bi-partisan Senate Investigations Committee can get at the truth. The Committee’s new Counsel Joe DiGenova is an ex- US Attorney from DC. Isnt he allied with DC consultant Roger Stone? DiGenova is a bulldog. Spitzer is in trouble.
By Gaius, Thursday, 20 September , 2007 @ 10:54 am
I killed a double comment, Andrew. Your original one was held for moderation, not lost.