Back in March, in response to the Elliot Spitzer scandal, I did a Lucky Ducky comic on prostitution laws. I basically took the position that it is deeply hypocritical that these laws, which ostensibly exist to help and protect disadvantaged people (mostly women) from being compelled to sell their bodies, are primarily enforced against the sellers, and not against the buyers (mostly men).
There were several responses to the comic that stated that the Elliot Spitzer case was a poor one on which to make this case, since the buyer here was losing his job as Governor of New York, and was probably going to jail.
Now that the legal dust has cleared, what's happened in the case? As far as I can tell, the prostitute in the case was not prosecuted, but only because she was forced into a deal in which she got immunity in exchange for her testimony. The booking agents pled guilty, and while not serving jail time, are now convicted felons.
And the John/Elliot? The government never sought charges against him. Yes, he resigned from his governorship, but this was not part of any criminal prosecution, nor legally required; it was a voluntary/political act.
From a legal perspective, I'd say that Spitzer ended up pretty much the same way Hollingsworth Hound did in the comic. Isn't the embarrassment punishment enough for the guy?