D’oh!
The problem with Eliot Spitzer’s plan to score political points by going after the rich and powerful is that they’re rich and powerful:
Posted: March 27th, 2006 | Filed under: Insert Muted Trumpet's Sad Wah-Wah Here, Political, Well, What Did You Expect?Two of Eliot Spitzer’s major enemies — former New York Stock Exchange honcho Ken Langone and billionaire Tom Golisano — huddled last week in Florida to discuss a multimillion-dollar effort to thwart the Democratic front-runner’s charge for the governor’s office, sources told The Post yesterday.
The sit-down between Langone and Golisano, who ran unsuccessfully for governor on the Independence Party line in 2002, took place in Naples, Fla., on Monday.
Sources familiar with the powwow said Langone wanted to feel out Golisano about launching a well-funded independent political group that could do things like an “issues-based” ad campaign.
Millions of dollars could be spent focusing critically on Spitzer’s record as state attorney general.
“He’s looking for about $5 million from Tom,” said one source, saying Langone is trying to see if he can cobble together a string of large donations. “[Golisano] is considering it.”
. . .
Langone has been targeting Spitzer’s run for governor for months. Langone, a former NYSE board member, is a co-defendant in a suit brought by Spitzer’s office against former stock exchange head Dick Grasso.
Langone has been actively raising money for Spitzer’s primary opponent, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi, and according to sources is looking for any way possible to damage the attorney general during the campaign.
And Golisano is said to be angry with Spitzer for promising last year to bulldoze over him if Golisano decided to throw his hat in the ring for governor.