Elliott Spitzer: Latest victim of the Mann Act

[clayfoot]

Of course, it's all very embarrassing and sad that Elliott Spitzer's name was leaked to the press, along with an affidavit alleging his involvement in prostitution. Now, will someone please explain why this case was prosecuted by the Public Integrity Section under the White-Slave Traffic Act of 1910? Also known as The Mann Act, this law has been

Comments

[ikkarus01]

I read somewhere that it has to do with the fact that he paid to have the prostitute cross state lines. I don't know the details, though, and I'm way too lazy to look.

[clayfoot]

That is, indeed, how the Mann Act can be applied to such a case. The Supreme Court ruled on the Act in 1913 that, while Congress could not regulate prostitution, per se, it could regulate interstate travel for the purposes of prostitution or other "immoral purposes." Not the best law on record, but very useful if you want to bring down a public figure.

[clayfoot]

Just to clarify a bit, it doesn't really matter that Spitzer transferred a prostitute across state lines. Under the Mann Act, Spitzer (or anyone else) can be prosecuted under the Mann Act for transferring someone across state lines for any kind of extramarital sex, including consensual sex between two single people.

[ikkarus01]

Really? Well that's a pretty bizarre interpretation. That sounds like it's open to a whole array of potential misuses.

[clayfoot]

Try the Google cache or the Internet way-back machine, though those are bound to be swamped, too.

[k_sui]

Slate had the rundown yesterday in their "Hot Document" column.

[clayfoot]

Well, you'd have to judge by looking from the nose, down.

[ariock]

This WHOLE THING started ringing alarm bells in my head when I heard they'd found the information during federal wiretapping.

I wonder if they could show whether or not any of this was found under putative anti-terrorism laws.

[clayfoot]

A good question. According to ABC news, the investigation started when Spitzer's bank reported to the IRS about suspicious money transfers from his account. We're talking in the thousands of dollars, here. Now, why do you suppose the bank contacted the IRS, instead of Spitzer? And how did that report lead to an affidavit filing under the Mann Act?The suspicious financial activity was initially reported by a bank to the IRS which, under direction from the Justice Department, brought in the FBI's Public Corruption Squad.

"We had no interest at all in the prostitution ring until the thing with Spitzer led us to learn about it," said one Justice Department official.

[vectorb]

Why does Mann always gata keep you down?

[clayfoot]

To extirpate extramarital interstate intercourse, apparently.

[vectorb]

Damn the Mann! (act)