The best explanation for Eliot Spitzer’s behaviors is alcoholism.
Under watch:
Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is one of the many top law enforcers in whom we have no definitive proof of alcoholism but whose behaviors indicate this disease. The key hallmark of hidden early-stage alcoholism, egomania, has been evident in Spitzer for years. Proving alcoholism in an influential politician in whom no one suspected it could break the budding field of addiction identification based on behavior patterns wide open. It is in the hope that Mr. Spitzer might be that “someone” that previous observations are recounted.
From the May 2005 issue of the Thorburn Addiction Report:
“New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, publicly airing charges of fraud by former AIG CEO Maurice ‘Hank’ Greenberg, not only before charges have been brought, but also before the investigation is even finished (reminiscent of alcoholic Senator Joe McCarthy’s false accusations in an era of McCarthyism).”
From the July 2005 issue:
“New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, finally confronted in the courtroom by one of his business targets, former Bank of America broker Theodore Sihpol, in a match reminiscent of David and Goliath. The jury found Sihpol’s after-market-close trading, which Mr. Spitzer called criminal, to be commonly accepted practice. Sihpol was acquitted on 29 counts, with the jury hung on four others, for which a single juror held out for conviction. Sihpol had refused a plea offer that included jail time, putting himself at risk for a 30-year term. Other business targets have caved into Spitzer’s prosecution-by-press-release and threats of indictment or the destruction of an entire company, paying enormous fines (often with shareholder funds). None had previously risked a trial.”
And in November 2005:
“New York Attorney General Eliott Spitzer, who continues to devote multiple lawyers to his case against the New York Stock Exchange over former Exchange President Dick Grasso’s compensation package, while claiming his office is too low on funds to pursue Medicaid fraud (Medicaid consumes $40 billion yearly in New York). One of the directors of the Exchange compensation committee, Ken Langone, explains that if his office prevails (which it likely won’t), the damages would be handed back to the owners of the Stock Exchange, ‘millionaires one and all–myself included.’ Langone, who was smeared by Spitzer as ‘unsavory’ and ‘deceptive,’ and whose heart Spitzer pledged to ‘put a stake through,’ points out that Spitzer has a ‘troubling method of making loud legal threats, strong-arming witnesses, and intimidating boards and companies into destructive concessions.’ The use of hyperbole, intimidating others and the need to destroy worthy people are superb behavioral indications of alcoholism.”
Eliot Spitzer has repeatedly displayed indications of alcoholism by abusing power. A married man with three teenage children, he has now been caught doing something that may be described as bizarre, immoral, disgusting and incredibly stupid: he was discovered to have paid thousands of dollars for hookers on multiple occasions. This is the same man who went after prostitution rings while he was Attorney General. Those who shake their heads and wonder about the notable hypocrisy might benefit from listening to recovering addicts, many of whom admit that adultery, including the use of prostitutes, would have been an everyday occurrence when using if only they had the time. They also tell those of us who listen that despite repeated promises to never do “it” again, whatever “it” was, they began drinking and “it” happened again and again. “It” includes adultery and the use of prostitutes.
As usual, we’ll give Mr. Spitzer the benefit of the doubt: he got drunk and decided to make false accusations. He got drunk and decided to inflate his ego by doing everything in his power to convict innocent people. He got drunk and displayed an inordinately large sense of self-importance by sanctimoniously telling others they would pay dearly for violating the law. He got drunk and paid for a hooker, in violation of both the law, his marriage contract and everything he stood for publicly. Alcoholism is by far the best explanation for Eliot Spitzer’s megalomania and, now, gross stupidity. It doesn’t excuse his behaviors, but it does explain them. And it points to the solution.