Eliot Spitzer
A crusading attorney general who took on Wall Street giants, his political career imploded in a shocking prostitution scandal.
Born 1959 (age 67)·Governor of New York from 2007 to 2008·Birthday: June 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Eliot Spitzer built his name as New York's 'Sheriff of Wall Street,' a title earned through relentless, headline-grabbing investigations into corporate fraud as the state's Attorney General. His aggressive pursuit of financial titans made him a national figure and a Democratic star, paving his way to the governor's mansion in 2007. His tenure, however, lasted just over a year. In March 2008, Spitzer was implicated in a federal prostitution ring investigation, leading to a humiliating public confession and his resignation. The fall was spectacular, transforming him from a symbol of ethical enforcement into a parable of personal hypocrisy. In the years since, he has worked in real estate and hosted a cable news program, but his legacy remains irrevocably tied to that swift and stunning downfall.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Eliot was born in 1959, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Eliot Was Born
The biggest hits of 1959
#1 Movie
Ben-Hur
Best Picture
Ben-Hur
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Eliot's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1959Born
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1964Started school
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1972Became a teenager
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Could drive
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1977Could vote
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1980Turned 21
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1989Turned 30
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1999Turned 40
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2009Turned 50
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2019Turned 60
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
2026Age 67 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- As New York Attorney General, he led a landmark $1.4 billion settlement with major investment banks over fraudulent stock research.
- His investigation into corruption at American International Group (AIG) led to the ousting of its CEO and a massive settlement.
- He successfully prosecuted 'Dickensian' labor practices at large retail chains, winning millions in back wages for workers.
- He created a groundbreaking environmental unit that sued power companies for violating the Clean Air Act.
Did You Know?
He was a boxer during his undergraduate years at Princeton University.
His father, Bernard Spitzer, was a wealthy real estate developer who helped build some of New York's tallest residential towers.
After his resignation, he taught a political science course at the City College of New York.
He briefly hosted a primetime debate program on CNN titled 'In the Arena.'
“I have acted in a way that violates my obligations to my family and violates my, or any, sense of right and wrong.”
