Assembly Minority Leader Jim Tedisco describes Governor Spitzer as "Illegal Eliot" with good reason. Yesterday he pardoned Frederick Lake of Brooklyn, who served a six-year sentence for armed robbery. In the news release Governor Spitzer said:
“Mr. Lake has presented his arguments to the courts, and the courts have upheld his conviction, but whether or not Mr. Lake committed this crime, he now has two young sons who depend on him for emotional support and physical supervision, and who would be devastated by his deportation.” (Emphasis added.)
But whether or not Mr. Lake committed this crime? So taking guilt into consideration for armed robbery doesn't matter when the Governor of 18 million people issues a rare pardon? This from the so-called Sheriff of Wall Street?
What an absurd statement.
How about whether or not Maurice Greenberg committed a crime. Or whether or not Howard I. Smith committed a crime. Or whether or not Dick Grasso received excessive compensation. Or whether or not securities fraud is a crime. Or whether or not payola is a crime.
Governor Spitzer is a real tough guy when he's going after Wall Street executives and their rampaging briefcases. Yet when he has to defend a pardon for an individual convicted of a violent crime New Yorkers get a dismissive "whether or not Mr. Lake committed this crime."
