Spitzer will be missed as a consumer advocate

When I first heard the news about the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal, I felt sadness for his family. Then I wondered whether he’d resign as New York governor. Would the “Sheriff of Wall Street” be able to carry on his work on behalf of consumers?

The answer quickly became apparent. No. He rushed to resign.

Will anyone miss Spitzer? Consumeraffairs.com offered a reflective article on Spitzer’s work as a consumer advocate.

In "Consumer Activists Mourn Spitzer's Downfall," posted March 12, 2008, reporters Truman Lewis and Joseph S. Enoch interviewed leaders of national consumer organizations.

Sally Greenberg, executive director of the National Consumers League, said:

We are heartbroken because Elliot Spitzer is a hero in the consumer community. He was a staunch supporter of consumer protection. He was a very aggressive pro-consumer attorney general. This is a sad day for those of us in the consumer world.

Travis Plunkett, legislative director at Consumer Federation of America, said:

Spitzer was seen as one of the nation's preeminent consumer advocates and his achievements will stand. He forced federal agencies to change the way they operate. There are very few attorneys general who had the impact that he did in such a short time. He will continue to have an impact.

“Consumer Activists Mourn Spitzer's Downfall” includes eight links to articles about Spitzer’s past glories, three of which are included below:

• A groundbreaking fair lending agreement between the state of New York and Countrywide Home Loans Inc., one of the largest residential mortgage landers in the nation.

• Bank of America and FleetBoston agreed to pay $675 million to settle New York state charges that linked them to illegal trading practices in the mutual fund industry.

• Verizon agreed to give greater protections to consumers who have unauthorized third party charges placed on their telephone bills.

Here’s a photo of Governor Spitzer in a happier day, addressing the Association for a Better New York at its annual breakfast in Manhattan on February 28, 2008.