Experience v. Judgment - A Case Study

Experience:

Eliot Spitzer attended Princeton University and Harvard law school. He joined the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison.

Two years later, Spitzer joined the Manhattan district attorney's office to pursue organized crime. In 1992, he launched a successful investigation that brought down the Gambino family's control over Manhattan's garment and trucking industry. In the next six years, he worked at the law firms of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom and Constantine and Partners. In 1998, he was elected as the New York State Attorney General.

As attorney general, Spitzer took cases relating to corporate white collar crime, securities fraud, internet fraud and environmental protection. He most notably pursued cases against companies involved in computer chip price fixing, investment bank stock price inflation, the 2003 mutual fund scandal. He also sued Richard Grasso, the then-chairman of the New York Stock Exchange, who he claimed had violated his position after receiving an upwards of $140 million as a deferred compensation pay package.

In 2006, Spitzer was elected governor of New York.

Judgement:

On March 10, 2008, The New York Times reported that Eliot Spitzer had patronized the Emperors Club VIP, a "high-classed," high-priced international prostitution ring.