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Posted on Fri, Mar. 21, 2008
Spitzer Miami tryst alleged
By AMY DRISCOLL
Almost four months before Gov. Eliot Spitzer
resigned in a sex scandal, a lawyer for Republican
political operative Roger Stone sent a letter to the
FBI alleging that Spitzer ''used the services of
high-priced call girls'' while in Florida.
The letter, dated Nov. 19, said Miami Beach resident
Stone learned the information from ''a social
contact in an adult-themed club.'' It offered one
potentially identifying detail: The man in question
hadn't taken off his calf-length black socks
``during the sex act.''
Stone, known for shutting down the 2000 presidential
election recount effort in Miami-Dade County, is a
longtime Spitzer nemesis whose political experience
ranges from the Nixon White House to Al Sharpton's
presidential campaign. His lawyer wrote the letter
containing the call-girl allegations after FBI
agents had asked to speak to Stone, though he says
the FBI did not specify why he was contacted.
''Mr. Stone respectfully declines to meet with you
at this time,'' the letter states, before going on
to offer ''certain information'' about Spitzer.
''The governor has paid literally tens of thousands
of dollars for these services. It is Mr. Stone's
understanding that the governor paid not with credit
cards or cash but through some pre-arranged
transfer,'' the letter said.
''It is also my client's understanding from the same
source that Gov. Spitzer did not remove his mid-calf
length black socks during the sex act. Perhaps you
can use this detail to corroborate Mr. Stone's
information,'' the letter said. It was signed by
attorney Paul Rolf Jensen of Costa Mesa, Calif.
The letter also notes that while Stone believes the
information is true, he ''cannot swear to its
accuracy'' because it is second-hand.
James Margolin, a spokesman for the FBI's New York
office, would not say whether the bureau had
received the letter. A spokeswoman for Spitzer also
had no comment.
The letter was written several months after
allegations were leveled at Stone that he had left a
threatening phone message at the office of Bernard
Spitzer, the ex-governor's father, regarding
''phony'' campaign loans involving his son's
unsuccessful 1994 bid for attorney general. Stone
denied making the call but resigned as a consultant
for state Senate Republicans in Albany.
Spitzer, the crusading attorney general who became
governor, resigned March 12 amid allegations he was
a client of a high-paid prostitution ring. Four
people have been charged with operating the ring.
Spitzer has not been charged. A federal affidavit
described a rendezvous between Spitzer and a
prostitute known as Kristen, since identified as
Ashley Alexandra Dupré, at the Mayflower Hotel in
Washington on Feb. 13.
One of Stone's lawyers, Fort Lauderdale attorney
Robert Buschel, said the letter's release is an
attempt to set the record straight about Stone's
possible part in the Spitzer drama.
Stone confirmed details of the letter, saying a
high-end call girl at an adult-themed club called
Miami Velvet told him she was disappointed to have
missed a call to entertain Spitzer. She said her
friend had taken the call, and she described the
details about the socks, Stone said. He referred The
Miami Herald to his lawyer for comments.
''The conspiracy enthusiasts on the Internet are
going wild over Roger Stone's role in the fall of
Eliot Spitzer. We felt it was important to lay out
for the public exactly what Mr. Stone did tell the
government,'' Buschel said.
The copy of the letter obtained by The Miami Herald
was addressed to the FBI but had the names of the
addressees blacked out.
Buschel is a partner in Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler
of Fort Lauderdale. Stone works as a partner in a
separate public affairs and consulting company with
the same name -- Rothstein, Rosenfeldt, Adler -- in
the same office as the law firm.
''We trust this information was helpful to federal
authorities in making their case against Mr.
Spitzer,'' Buschel said. |
