Was Spitzer the victim of a GOP takedown?

Scott Horton raises the question at The New Republic:

The information now available raises unsettling issues about the conduct of the Justice Department. One close parallel involving a prostitution investigation is the case of the "D.C. Madam." In that case, federal prosecutors have proceeded against the prostitution ring and have shown little interest in the customer list, which is said to include a former high-ranking Bush Administration official (Randall Tobias, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development) and a U.S. Senator (David Vitter, Republican of Louisiana).

The prosecutors' conduct in the "D.C. Madam" case has been remarkably deferential to the public figures involved. That case cannot be squared with the investigation into Governor Spitzer--it points to a double standard.

I'm not sure I buy this. After all, no charges have actually been brought against Spitzer -- same as Tobias and Vitter. And all three men have been humiliated publicly for their involvement in prostitution.

Nonetheless, when you have an administration that has earned a reputation for politicizing the U.S. attorneys in its employ, these questions are going to arise whenever an opposite-party figure gets caught in scandal. That cat is out of the bag.

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