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11/26/2008 09:46 AM

Congressional Committee To Look Into Investigation Of Spitzer Sex Scandal

By: NY1 News

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A congressional committee will soon open an investigation into the sex scandal involving former Governor Eliot Spitzer.

But House members say their main concern is not the actions of the former governor, but rather why law enforcement officials were investigating him in the first place.

The House Financial Services Committee wants to see whether federal agents had any political motivation when they launched the investigation that eventually led to Spitzer's resignation. Members want to know if agents misused their expanded powers under the Patriot Act.

Agents reportedly began tracking Spitzer after they were alerted to unusual financial transactions he had made.

The reports that revealed that activity are intended to give authorities a heads-up on the kind of transactions that might fund a terrorist plot.

The committee will try to determine whether those reports are actually effective for that purpose.

Meanwhile, a woman who worked for the escort service at the center of the Spitzer scandal was sentenced yesterday.

Tanya Hollander was ordered to serve one year of probation.

She pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to violate the travel act, which prohibits crossing state lines for illegal purposes.
It was alleged that her job at Emperors Club VIP was to arrange sex trysts between pricey escorts and their customers.