What Spitzer may be waiting for

The New York Times reports that Eliot Spitzer won’t resign as governor of New York today. Why would he prolong the agony? Here’s a guess: When investigating corruption involving public officials, the feds sometimes consider it a victory if they can merely force an elected official out of office.

If I recall correctly, former Massachusetts House Speaker Charles Flaherty’s resignation from office was part of the agreement he worked out with federal prosecutors. Spitzer knows that once he’s stepped down, he’s lost all his leverage. Better to negotiate from a position of — well, you couldn’t exactly call it strength at this point. But at least he’s still got something to barter away.