New York Governor Eliot Spitzer told his staff today that he's involved in a prostitution ring. Via NY Times:

Mr. Spitzer, who was huddled with his top aides early this afternoon, had hours earlier abruptly canceled his scheduled public events for the day. He is set to make an announcement about 2:15 this afternoon at his Manhattan office.

Mr. Spitzer, a first-term Democrat who pledged to bring ethics reform and end the often seamy ways of Albany, is married with three children.

Just last week, federal prosecutors arrested four people in connection with an expensive prostitution operation. Administration officials would not say that this was the ring with which the governor had become involved.

Cue the Republican outrage. And a vague statement from Spitzer political state mate, Hillary Clinton.

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer makes our head spin…

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New York's same-sex marriage debate's in overdrive. Just hours after the Judiciary Committee advanced Governor Eliot Spitzer's marriage equality bill, the State Assembly passed it 85-61 after a three hour debate.

While many spoke of the bill's positive political effects, Republican Assemblyman Brian Kolb told his colleagues, "I do feel threatened. I do feel harmed. It's a direct challenge to me and how I was brought up." He must not understand that whole "time's change" thing…

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New York State came on step closer to full equality yesterday, when the State Assembly's Judiciary Committee approved Governor Eliot Spitzer's marriage equality bill.

Though the 16-5 victory may not sound like a big deal, but Gay City News' Paul Schindler says otherwise…

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We knew it was coming, but we never could have predicted how soon. New York Governor Eliot Spitzer's making good on his campaign promise to push for gay marriage rights. Pride Agenda reports that the handsome politician will put the bill forward this morning, making him the first governor to aggressively push for equal rights.

Though certainly an exciting developement, the bill's largely ceremonial. First of all it counts as a program bill - a bill that comes from the governor, rather than the legislature. Further, his progressive politics aren't likely to reach the floor for a vote, a fact of which Spitzer's well aware:

I do not think there is a realistic shot that it gets passed, but I will submit it because it is a statement of principle that I believe in and I want to begin that dynamic.

The move will also help the Democrat etch himself in history as the only governor to ever rally for such a policy. Of the step, an administration official remarks:

The governor is fulfilling his promise to the community and a taking a courageous and historic step toward making equal civil marriage rights a reality in New York.

It is, after all, the thought that counts…

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While peeps in San Fran worry about being shot on the streets, New Yorkers with HIV are worried about living on the streets. Why? Because out-going Governor George Pataki (pictured) and his goons are pushing for rent-hikes in for AIDS patients living in government-subsidized housing.

The Washington Blade reports:

The increases would vary depending on tenants' finances, but some tenants Tuesday said they could have to put 60 percent or more of their small incomes toward rent. Some rents would more than double, according to legal papers filed Monday by the advocacy group Housing Works.
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The state and city play roles in administering the subsidies. City lawyers say the state is insisting on raising the tenants' contributions, which have been capped at 30 percent of their incomes. State officials say the city's cap conflicts with a longtime benefits policy that applies everywhere else in New York state.

Um, NYC ranks as one of the most expensive cities in the world. (Trust us, we know.) Can't people give less-wealthy people in poor health break? Sheesh.

Well, actually, a federal court on Monday gave them a bit of a break by stalling the proposed increase for at least 45 days, approximately 200 protesters took to the streets to pressure the pols into discarding the issue all together.

And, of course, the activists made sure to swing by Eliot Spitzer and John Faso's respective campaign offices to woo the prospective governors.