'Sheriff of Wall Street' Eliot Spitzer ready for comeback after stepping down in prostitution scandal

The Sheriff of Wall Street: Eliot Spitzer (Reuters)

Eliot Spitzer, nicknamed “the Sheriff of Wall Street” because of his aggressive stance towards the financial industry before he resigned as New York Governor five years ago in a prostitution scandal, is ready to return to politics.

Mr Spitzer, a 54-year-old Democrat, has set his sights on the job of New York City comptroller, a post akin to chief financial officer. He was state attorney general before his successful 2006 run for governor. But his time in Albany was cut short after he was identified as a client of a prostitution ring. He stepped down from office in 2008.

In launching a new bid for office, Mr Spitzer is betting that New York City voters are ready to forgive his sexual indiscretions. His run will not be the only such test this year. Former US Representative Anthony Weiner, who resigned two years ago after admitting he had sent lewd pictures of himself over Twitter, is running for mayor of New York.

Julian Zelizer, a Princeton University history professor, said there was a difference between the two scandals: “Weiner’s scandal involved sending a picture, while Spitzer’s was breaking the law, all from the guy who was supposed to uphold the law. We’ll see if the public sees the difference.”

Reuters