Client 9

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has been caught on a federal wiretap arranging to meet with a high-priced prostitute at a Washington hotel last month, according to a person briefed on the federal investigation.

An affidavit in the federal investigation into a prostitution ring said that a wiretap recording captured a man identified as Client 9 on a telephone call confirming plans to have a woman travel from New York to Washington, where he had reserved a hotel room. The person briefed on the case identified Mr. Spitzer as Client 9.

Mr. Spitzer today made a brief public appearance during which he apologized for his behavior, and described it as a “private matter.”

Now I’ve said before that I don’t give a rat’s hairy ass about the sex lives of public officials, except when their behavior is inconsistent with their public positions on issues. Larry Craig’s opposition to the gay hate-crimes bill is a perfect example. And so too is this, because Spitzer’s previous job was NY state attorney general, where his job was to enforce the law. That included prosecuting prostitution rings.

Spitzer doesn’t get a pass from me just because he’s a Democrat, so I hope he understands if I don’t give him a standing ovation when he returns to work.

Public officials should not break the law. Period.