Eliot Spitzer announced his resignation from his post as New York state governor on Wednesday amid allegations he was a client of a high-priced prostitution ring.

Elliot Spitzer announces his resignation Wednesday in his offices in New York City. His successor will officially take over on Monday, March 17.Elliot Spitzer announces his resignation Wednesday in his offices in New York City. His successor will officially take over on Monday, March 17.
(Stephen Chernin/Associated Press)

His resignation will take effect on Monday, at which point Lt.-Gov. David A. Paterson will take over.

"I am deeply sorry I did not live up to what was expected of me. To every New Yorker and to all those who believed in what I tried to stand for, I sincerely apologize," he said at a news conference in New York, with his wife, Silda, at his side.

"I look at my time as governor with a sense of what might have been. But I also know that as a public servant, I and the remarkable people with whom I worked, have accomplished a great deal.

"There is much more to be done, and I cannot allow my private failings to disrupt the people's work."

When Paterson takes over as the state's 55th governor, he will become the first African-American in the post. Paterson, who is legally blind, has been nationally recognized as a leading advocate for the visually and physically impaired.

In a written statement, he said he was saddened by the recent developments, but was ready to take on duties in Albany, the capital of New York State.

New York Lt.-Gov. David A. Paterson, shown in February, will be New York's first black governor.New York Lt.-Gov. David A. Paterson, shown in February, will be New York's first black governor.
(Evan Agostini/Associated Press)

"It is now time for Albany to get back to work as the people of this state expect from us," he wrote.

Media outlets were buzzing before Spitzer's resignation. Camera crews in helicopters and on the street kept a close eye on Spitzer and his wife leading up to the news conference, broadcasting their every movement between leaving their apartment on the Upper East Side to arriving at his office in midtown Manhattan.

Spitzer, 48, appeared calm and composed during the news conference, while his wife remained expressionless but looked visibly tired.

After a short speech, Spitzer wrapped up by saying that he has ruled out a return to politics and plans to focus on his family for a while.

"Then I will try once again, outside of politics, to serve the common good and to move toward the ideals and solutions which I believe can build a future of hope and opportunity for us and for our children." He didn't take any questions.
22-year-old blues singer tied to scandal

Later Wednesday, the New York Times identified a New York City rhythm and blues singer as the woman who was the prostitute Spitzer allegedly hired for $4,300 US. The woman, known in court documents as Kristen, allegedly met Spitzer in a swanky Washington hotel room on the night before Valentine's Day.

According to the Times, Kristen is actually Ashley Alexandra Dupré, a 22-year-old who left a broken home on the Jersey Shore at the age of 17 to start singing in New York's nightclubs. When reached by the Times on the telephone, she gave few details about the scandal she is now linked to.

Ashley Alexandra Dupré, the woman who was allegedly hired as a prostitute by Elliot Spitzer, is seen in this 2006 photo obtained from a MySpace web page.Ashley Alexandra Dupré, the woman who was allegedly hired as a prostitute by Elliot Spitzer, is seen in this 2006 photo obtained from a MySpace web page.
(Associated Press)

When asked when she met Spitzer and how many times they had seen each other, she said she had no comment.

"I just don't want to be thought of as a monster," she said, noting that the past week has been very stressful for her.

She did not say when she started working for the Emperor's Club VIP, the high-priced prostitution ring where clients can pay about $1,000 per hour. Spitzer, a millionaire, allegedly spent $80,000 on the call-girl service.

Dupré's mother, Carolyn Capalbo, said her daughter went through a rebellious phase as a teenager, but is now close with her family. Her daughter changed her last name recently, from Youmans to Dupré.

"She is a very bright girl who can handle someone like the governor," Capalbo said. "But she's also a 22-year-old, not a 32-year-old or a 42-year-old, and obviously she got involved in something much larger than her."
Spitzer apologized Monday

The scandal surrounding Spitzer first erupted Monday in a New York Times report.

Hours later, the married father of three made a brief apology for what he described as actions that violated the trust of his family and the public, but did not directly address the swirling allegations.

Since then, calls for the first-term Democrat to resign had grown to include not only Republicans but also members of Spitzer's own party.

On Tuesday, the leading state assemblyman, Jim Tedisco, a Republican, announced that he would begin the process of seeking Spitzer's impeachment if the governor did not step down within 24 hours.

Spitzer does not currently face any charges. U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Michael Garcia dismissed speculation that a plea bargain might be in the works allowing Spitzer to use his resignation as a bargaining chip to avoid indictment.

"There is no agreement between federal prosecutors and Eliot Spitzer, relating to his resignation or any other matter," said the written statement released on Wednesday.

Dupré has not been charged in the scandal either. On Monday, she made a brief appearance in federal court, where a lawyer was appointed to represent her. She is expected to be a witness in the case against four people charged with operating the Emperor's Club.

The allegations against Spitzer were made public after prosecutors charged the four.

Prosecutors allege Spitzer was heard on a wiretapped phone arranging payments and an encounter with a prostitute in Washington. The affidavit filed by an F.B.I. agent in a New York City federal court refers to a Client 9 — whom officials identify as Spitzer.
Traders celebrate

Spitzer began his term as governor on Jan. 1, 2007, and before that, served eight years as New York attorney general.

During his time as attorney general, he gained Time magazine's title of Crusader of the Year in 2002 for his landmark settlement with some of the country's largest securities firms over charges of misleading investors.

A Harvard and Princeton graduate, he is also well-known for his probes into Wall Street crimes following the Enron, WorldCom and Adelphia collapses.

On Wednesday, traders on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange were transfixed by TV monitors broadcasting Spitzer's resignation, and his ruin drew scattered applause. One trader said some firms even cracked champagne open — a ritual usually reserved for when the Dow hits a milestone.
With files from the Associated Press