Spitzer Steps Down Over Call-Girl Scandal

Eliot Spitzer resigned as governor of New York yesterday following allegations that he spent tens of thousands of dollars on prostitutes, ending the political career of a man who rose to power as a crusader for higher ethical standards on Wall Street and in government.The call girl at the center of the prostitution scandal that prompted Gov. Eliot Spitzer to resign in disgrace has been identified as a 22-year-old aspiring musician who struggled in a broken home as a child.

Mr Spitzer's departure came two days after the disclosure of his involvement with a prostitution ring that is the subject of a federal criminal investigation.Mr Spitzer could still face charges of violating interstate anti-prostitution laws and rules against splitting up bank transfers to avoid legal scrutiny. However, legal experts said charges against customers were unusual in prostitution cases.

Born Ashley Youmans but now known as Ashley Alexandra Dupré, she spoke softly and with good humor as she added with significant understatement: “This has been a very difficult time. It is complicated.”Kristen, the prostitute described in a federal affidavit as having had a rendezvous with Mr. Spitzer on Feb. 13 at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, has spent the last few days in her ninth-floor apartment in the Flatiron district of Manhattan. On Monday, she made a brief appearance in federal court, where a lawyer was appointed to represent her. She is expected to be a witness in the case against four people charged with operating a prostitution ring called the Emperor’s Club V.I.P.