New York State Republicans threatened today to impeach Governor Eliot Spitzer if he does not quit over a sex scandal that has raised questions over whether he could face criminal charges.
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| New York Governor Eliot Spitzer addresses the media with his wife. Photograph: Reuters/Shannon Stapleton |
The threat added to pressure on Mr Spitzer, a Democrat and former state chief prosecutor who made his name fighting white-collar crime on Wall Street, to step down after a report that he hired a high-priced prostitute.
The Wall Street Journalquoted a person close to Mr Spitzer, who is 48 and married, as saying he could resign as early as today but he wanted to deal with his family crisis first.
"If he does not resign within the next 24 to 48 hours, we will prepare articles of impeachment to remove him," said James Tedisco, leader of the Republicans in the state Assembly. "We need a leader in place that has the support of people on both sides of the aisle."
Democrats hold a majority in the Assembly and such a move toward ousting the governor would not succeed unless some Democrats voted with Republicans to produce the required majority vote.
The New York Timesyreported esterday that Mr Spitzer hired a $1,000-an-hour (€650) prostitute and was caught on a federal wiretap at least six times on two days last month arranging to meet with her at a Washington hotel.
Mr Spitzer, who investigated prostitution as New York state's chief prosecutor but was best known for his high-profile probes of Wall Street, apologized yesterday for what he described as a "private matter" but said nothing about resigning. He neither confirmed nor denied the report.
Mr Spitzer, viewed as a rising star in the Democratic Party, spent last night at his Manhattan home with the media camped outside.
Prostitution is illegal in most US states but prosecutors rarely bring charges against clients of prostitutes in such cases.