Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D)Biggest black socks scandal since the 1918 World Series. One-time “Sherriff of Wall Street,” Spitzer was forced to resign in March after he was revealed as Client No. 9 for the high-end Emperor’s Club VIP prostitution ring. Canoodled with Ashley Dupree, a k a “Kristen,” at Washington DC’s Mayflower Hotel. Hmiliated wife Silda by dragging her to embarrassing press conference.Resurfaced at the end of the year trying to write the Slate.com clean. Unfortunately, new column doesn’t dispense romance advice. Attended Slate holiday party held at former Chinatown massage parlor called Happy Endings. No, Eliot, we’re the ones who got off, thanks.
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Queens Assemblyman Brian McLaughlin (D)One-time organized labor heavyweight (a sign of trouble right there) pled guilty to skimming $2.2 million from taxpayers and unions – including $95,000 meant for youth baseball programs. No crying in baseball? Maybe not – but lying and ripping off the kids? Now, that’s always fair game!
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Brooklyn Assemblywoman Diane Gordon (D)Convicted of promising to help a developer win a contract for a piece of city land in exchange for building her a $500,000 home in a gated community. And you thought romance was dead.
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Bronx Sen. Efrain Gonzalez Jr., (D) under federal indictment for funneling $37,000 from a non-profit, was defeated in the Democratic primary by…
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Assemblyman Pedro Espada Jr . . . (D) who owes more than $60,000 in fines to the city Campaign Finance Board dating back to his 2001 Bronx borough president race. The State Board of Elections also claims that Espada failed to register his Senate campaign this year, which could lead to more fines. The newly-elected Espada subsequently joined with two other state senators in attempt to shake out concessions from Senate Democratic Leader Malcolm Smith: They would agree to support Smith in his attempt to run the Senate in exchange for prize leadership and committee posts. Espada – who hadn’t even been sworn in as a senator yet – was vying to become majority leader. Smith eventually pulled the offer when the rest of the Senate threatened to revolt. As if any of these people could be any more revolting.
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New York City Council (and Mayor Michael Bloomberg)The Post first revealed that the Council had a hidden slush fund that distributed thousands of dollars to favored non-profits with little oversight. In the wake of the “City Haul” scandal, Council Speaker Christine Quinn announced a total overhaul of the process. But in the meantime, U.S. Attorney Michael Garcia indicted Asquith Reid and Joycinth Anderson, two aides to Councilman Kendall Stewart of Brooklyn, for ripping off $145,000 originally allocated for a non-profit call the “Donna Reid Memorial Fund.” As fingers pointed everywhere, even Mayor Bloomberg had to admit to having his own “discretionary” fund with which he conferred various benefits to the pet causes of his favored city legislators.
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Sharpe James (D)Former Newark mayor AND state senator (he served in both offices simultaneously; in New Jersey, “double-dipping” isn’t considered corruption; it’s a job requirement) believed in mixing business with pleasure. He was convicted in April of conspiring to fix the sale of nine city lots to his mistress, who quickly flipped them over for hundreds of thousands of dollars in profit. Most Newark residents though think his greatest crime was practically running Newark into the ground during a 20-year administration characterized by mismanagement and patronage.
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Ex-Gov. Jim McGreevey (D)You thought him coming out of the closet and out of office meant we wouldn’t have to see him again. You were wrong! He and ex-wife Dina unveiled the divorce trial of the year, with a former McGreevey aide claiming he had threesomes with the couple (called “Friday Night Specials”). McGreevey tried to find solace by going to seminary school. Pity their child. Pity churchgoers. Pity the rest of us for reading about it.
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Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D)Ably demonstrated message that all Illinois mothers tell their sons: “Yes, you can grow up to be an indicted governor, son! Don’t let anybody tell you anything f – – – ing different!” Blagojevich was indicted on various corruption charges: Biggest accusation is that he attempted to “sell” President-elect Barack Obama’s recently abandoned U.S. Senate seat – a political bauble that he considered “f – – – ing valuable.” He spoke with Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel 21 times, and ensnared Jesse Jackson Jr. as one candidate under consideration for the seat. “Hot Rod” was overheard attempting to force Chicago Tribune to fire editorial writers or risk losing city backing for sale of Wrigley Field. Blagojevich’s equally foul-mouthed wife Patti endeared herself to Chicago White Sox fans when she was over heard saying on tape, “F – – – the Cubs!” Fair and impartial observers are torn over whether Blagojevich is 1) crooked, 2) crazy or 3) stupid, given that he has known that he was being investigated for years – yet still openly discussed these schemes over the phone.
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Antoin (“Tony”) RezkoChicago businessman and big political fundraiser convicted this year on several counts of fraud and bribery. Gave major financial support to Blagojevich in his 2002 campaign for governor. Assisted Barack and Michelle Obama in the 2006 purchase of their house. Obama calls the real estate arrangement – entered into with Rezko even after it was general knowledge that Rezko was being investigated by the feds – a “boneheaded mistake.” Though Rezko has been convicted, he has yet to be sentenced – leading many to believe that he is singing like a canary to federal prosecutors, especially Patrick Fitzgerald, who has been investigating Blagejovich for several years.
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Rep. Charles Rangel (D)The dean of New York’s congressional delegation demonstrated “ways” and “means” to get around just about any House rule or tax law. Currently under investigation by the House Ethics Committee for failure to report – and pay taxes on – property in the Carribbean; using official stationery to raise money for public policy school with his name on it at City College of New York; improperly storing his car in the Capitol; whether there was a quid pro quo between Rangel and an oil-drilling executive who also contributed to the aforementioned CCNY project . . . we could go on, but then this chart couldn’t fit anyone else.
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Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY)Staten Island Republican demonstrated that “family values” mean much more if you have more than one. Fossella hit the trifecta: A drunken-driving arrest in Virginia led to the revelation that he had both a mistress and a child out of wedlock down South in addition to the wife and three kids living here. Shockingly, Fossella actively sanctioned a grassroots effort to get him back on the ballot (it failed). Currently appealing his five-day jail sentence for DUI, Fossella nonetheless got a big sendoff from local Republicans who toasted his “retirement.” Sadly, neither of Fossella’s families made the bash.
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Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)Indicted and convicted on several counts of failing to report gifts related to $250,000 renovations on his Alaska home on his Senate financial disclosure forms. Stevens then went on to lose his re-election bid, ending a Senate career that began December 24, 1968. He was also the politician behind the notorious $233 million dollar “Bridge to Nowhere” pork-barrel project. Stevens famously threatend in 2006 to resign from the Senate if the funding wasn’t approved. We call that a win-win; alas, Alaska ended up getting the money.
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Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.)New Orleans-based Congressman who gave new meaning to term “cold cash” finally faced the music in ’08. In 2006, he was videotaped receiving $100,000 in cash – an alleged bribe related to a telecommunications contract in Nigeria (Who’da thunk it? Those Nigerian e-mail letters are true!) A subsequent raid of his New Orleans home turned up $90,000 in a freezer.
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Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA)The couple that cheats together stays together. Doolittle has received thousands of dollars in contributions from infamous lobbyist Jack Abramoff clients, while his wife Julie’s consulting firm was hired by Abramoff – right after Doolittle’s chief of staff went to work for Abramoff. The FBI raided the Doolittle’s Virginia home the same day Doolittle’s former chief of staff resigned from Abramoff’s firm. The Doolittle’s are currently fighting FBI subpoenas for records going back 11 years. Facing sure electoral defeat, Doolittle announced his retirement from Congress.
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Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)In February, the congressman was indicted on 35 counts related to a land deal in Arizona connected to a land-swap deal and improper payments from a former business partner. Charges included extortion, wire fraud and money laundering. As co-chairman of John McCain’s Arizona campaign, Renzi was quickly shown the door, and chose not to run for re-election. Unlike many politicians, the three-term congressman could convincingly say that he wants to “spend more time with his family”: He has 12 children (all with names beginning with the letter “R”).
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Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D)Updating political scandal for the 21st century, one-time livin’ large “hip-hop mayor” of Detroit resigned from office in September, pleading guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and agreeing to four-month jail sentence. Primary evidence were some 14,000 text messages between Kilpatrick and his chief of staff/mistress Christine Beatty. Among other things, case revealed that Kilpatrick retaliated against security detail and Detroit cops for their cooperation with official investigators probing wild party where Kilpatrick’s wife allegedly surprised husband as he cavorted with strippers. Holla!
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Ex. Sen. John Edwards (D)The presidential wannabe from North Carolina didn’t get anywhere near the White House, but in a year that included great adulterous “candidates” like Spitzer, Fossella and Kilpatrick, Edwards wins the coveted “(Tar) Heel of the Year award – pants down! After denying it for a year, Edwards finally admitted that he had had a lengthy affair with photographer and New Age airhead Rielle Hunter. Shockingly, no one believed Edwards’ continuing denial that he was the father of Hunter’s baby – even as National Enquirer reporters caught him visiting Hunter and child in an LA hotel. Edwards’ subsequent interview with ABC News “explained” that he only cheated on his cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth when her illness was in remission. What a gent!
