Pushing aside many other newsworthy stories nowadays is one more very sad tale about a do-gooder gone poor. nowadays it was learned that New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (and former Attorney General) has displayed the final in hypocrisy that will leave a stench so thick it will tarnish not just his reputation, but that of every public official. An already cynical public can only become even more cynical now.

It is being reported that Governor Spitzer engaged the services of a New York prostitution ring in advance of a trip to Washington DC. I will not get on my own moralist high horse about the subject of prostitution, although, I could probably understand the arguments in favor of it being legalized. However, that is much greater than that. that is a question of hypocrisy, illegal activity, betraying a public trust, lying, cheating and stealing.

If the facts play out as initially reported, soon after

he has betrayed his family, friends, trade associates and the public. that made all the worse by his self-aggrandizing and many would argue overzealous approach to chasing Wall Street executives up a tree and thereupon leveraging the chase to build a platform for his now shamed office of Governor.

If Mr. Spitzer were individual and a private citizen, we could debate a whole range of other issues. But given his history, and moralizing and de-moralizing others — to state the obvious — that stinks to the high heavens.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money.

Original post by Sheldon Liber

student loan consolidation loans finance stocks credit report money law credit debt home equity