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It seems Eliot Spitzer, former governor of New York, just can’t seem to stay away from a good scandal.
The politician was accused on Saturday of assault at the Plaza Hotel in New York by a Russian woman with whom he’s been friendly with. The woman, Svetlana Zakharova, also known as Svetlana Travis, was taken to the hospital with wounds to her wrists. She told police that she and Spitzer had gotten into a verbal argument that turned physical. Travis claimed he choked and pushed her while inside the hotel.
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Spitzer showed up at the hospital with a skull cap to obscure his face and gave the front desk a fake name (George) in an attempt to see her, although Spitzer’s spokeswoman denied he used a fake name in order to get in, according to CNN.
The police received many pieces of evidence from Travis, including broken glass and her cell phone.
According to Andrew Kaufmann, a lawyer who represents Spitzer, he and Travis have known each other for sometime.
“She had lived in California and was returning to her native Russia through New York. At her request, Mr. Spitzer agreed to meet her at a room previously booked for her at the Plaza Hotel,” Kaufmann’s statement said.
However, authorities later received an email from someone claiming to be Travis that says she made up the story in order to not be hospitalized for mental health issues, according to the Daily News. She claims she tried to cut her wrists Saturday night, but Spitzer pushed her on the bed to stop her.
“If I didn’t say Eliot started (it) all, I think I would be hospitalized in some mental home for a few months. I made up the story in order to not be hospitalized,” the person claiming to be Travis wrote in an email to the Daily News.
In a statement Kaufmann wrote, “He saw her becoming highly emotional and threatening to self-harm. She dialed 911 and said she was having a breakdown.”
Spitzer has not been charged with any crimes as of yet and Travis has not officially retracted her accusations, according to CNN. She is currently in her native Russia where police say they have not spoken with her.
