My brush with Spitzer/Ashley Dupre Scandal, or I Need a Bath

Monday was a big day for me. By big I mean I interviewed probably the least credible source of my shortish reporting career.

I speak of Jason Jarocki, a man so in need of attention he’s trying to take a media tour to “correct the record” about his tenuous and probably half-true link to the scandal that felled Eliot Sptizer. Except no one cares.

As my wise friend R put it, she now knows “the guy who interviewed the guy who used to screw the girl who screwed Spitzer.”

You can read about my encounter here and below is the video. Both are worthwhile and equally amusing but the video doesn’t make clear how often Jarocki adds 2 and 2 and gets 22, which just happens to be Ashley Dupre’s age.

When I got the assignment I embraced it as a chance to get down in the mud, which is something I never do (I think the media already has that covered). But after I met with Jarocki I tried to spike the story. I don’t think he’s telling the truth and if I talked to him in the course of reporting any other story on any topic, I wouldn’t use him as a source. I hope the story conveys that.

I don’t know the real story either, but my guess is that Jarocki and Dupre had some kind of business relationship. Perhaps he was trying to manage her. I also think he’s trying to turn his connection to her into cash. As his lawyer put it, Jarocki will know the next opportunity to talk about her when he sees it.

OK, enjoy the video: