The most recent scandal to engulf the political realm is that of (former) New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s involvement in a prostitution “ring.” In other words, he’s been sleeping around. Highly ironic considering his promise to help fight prostitution and other social ills in the state of New York. This scandal has given the media something to be excited about. And since its a critical election year, the reaction by the media is as critical as ever.

Amongst all the media hype, well known Harvard Law Professor, and former instructor of Spitzer, Alan Dershowitz attempts to put this situation in “perspective.” The following are excerpts I found interesting in insight and good statements to consider when evaluating the Spitzer scandal (the full articles can be found here and here):

“Throughout our history, men in high places have engaged in low sexual activities. From Thomas Jefferson to Franklin Roosevelt to John Kennedy to Lyndon Johnson to Bill Clinton, great political figures have behaved like adolescent boys in private, while at the same time brilliantly and effectively leading our nation in public.

Because when men think with an organ other than their brain, no matter how smart you are, they tend to do very, very, very stupid things. Whether it’s Bill Clinton or Thomas Jefferson or Franklin Roosevelt or John Kennedy or Lyndon Johnson. These are all people who greatly governed during the day and at night, behaved like adolescent boys. The point is sophisticated people in mature countries understand that you distinguish between personal problems that are family matters and matters of governance…”

The laws criminalizing adult consensual prostitution — especially with $5,000-an-hour call girls — are as anachronistic as the old laws that used to criminalize adultery, fornication, homosexuality and even masturbation. These may be sins, but there are no real victims, except for family members.”

Keep in mind here that this isn’t a case of a sex slave network, like those often found in East Asia and other developing regions. It was women performing a demanded service, with very high price tags.

The statements above beckon a few questions:

#1 Should this even be this big of a deal? The banking records show a transfer of some 15,000 dollars — that’s chump change. It’s not something that banks typically look for in “illegal money laundering.” They’re looking for multi-million dollar transfers. Obviously, someone was looking in on Spitzer. Still, is it worth the time, money, and political capital to pursue this case?

#2 Should Spitzer be impeached for this? Sure, he’s guilty of hypocrisy (and arguably low-level money laundering), but does that hamper his ability to operate as Governor? If that’s the standard, then what’s to be said about slave owning Thomas Jefferson, adulterous (and arguably one of the best president’s of the USA) Franklin D. Roosevelt, or intern lover Bill Clinton? Should they have been impeached and removed? The Clinton case obviously speaks for itself.

#3 Should prostitution be legal? Should the vocation of prostitution be a job that is legal, and therefore regulated and controlled, like in some European countries. In Europe this sort of story wouldn’t of even made the back page news. This is a personal liberties issue that collides with the moral sense factor bound by the likings and dislikings of society. Does this issue, according to a strict scrutiny standard towards personal liberty, meet the threshold of intolerable and thus grounds for government regulation?