Eliot Spitzer
Since becoming New York state attorney general in 1999, Eliot Spitzer has redefined the role of attorney general through his probing investigations. He has exposed conflicts of interest by investment banks, illegal trading practices by mutual funds, and bid rigging in the insurance industry. He recovered billions of dollars for small investors and other consumers in these cases and was the catalyst for industry-wide reforms. Earlier in his career, Spitzer served from 1986-92 as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan, rising to become chief of the Labor Racketeering Unit, in which he successfully prosecuted organized crime and political corruption cases. He engaged in private law practice before being elected New York attorney general. He has been acclaimed as “Crusader of the Year” by Time magazine, the “Sheriff of Wall Street” by 60 Minutes, and “The Enforcer” by People magazine.
Spitzer grew up in New York City. He graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School, where he was editor of the Harvard Law Review. He and his wife, Silda Wall, formed the Children for Children Foundation, which promotes youth volunteering and community involvement and provides resources to underserved schools. They live in Manhattan with their three daughters.