Yesterday, when I heard that the D.C. Madam, Jeane Palfrey had died and had probably committed suicide, I personally thought to myself, what a shame.Then, I thought, Louisiana’s David Vitter name would be coming up once again.
Well, I was certainly right.On the Internet, there was over 2000 articles involving her likely suicide with his name smack in the middle of the articles naming him as a client of the Madam.Yesterday, I heard Vitter, Vitter, Vitter’s name on news shows every time Palfrey’s name was mentioned.
Flashback:Monday night.Jay Leno refered to a Louisiana Governor who had two women and then Leno uttered the word “unbelievable”.
In the scheme of things, which is more “unbelievable”—a Governor with two women or a US Senator with a hooker and many believe a series of hookers?
The point is that both situations are very embarrassing for Louisiana.
But, right at the moment that when our current Governor Bobby Jindal is getting good press and presenting Louisiana in a positive image, our state’s US Senator is again portrayed on network after network, Internet page after Internet page as one of the clients of a woman caught in a prostitution ring who has presumably committed suicide.
Yet, ironically, this same Senator is authoring various legislation to put people in jail for committing what he considers is a crime on issues that have national significance.
How embarrassing can that be, nationally?The primary way to convict individuals is via sworn testimony.That means that people must be willing to testify about things they feel are unpleasant.And, sometimes, it means these witnesses must testify about things they believe could get them into legal trouble.
Yet, our US Senator felt it was just fine for him to take the fifth amendment.
Instead of being willing to testify about information either he knew was criminal or was not illegal related to the Palfrey prostitution ring, he was only willing to stand mute.
Unbelievable.
As a result of the unfortunate death of the D.C. Madam, Louisiana once again gets a bad name and gets on a bad list that is blasted nationally while our Governor is trying to prove to the nation that we have reformed.Adding to Louisiana’s dirty little secret, our US Senator has the gall to author controversial national legislation where he must hope to get national recognition, that requires testimony to prove a crime, yet, he refused to testify about facts of which he had knowledge bearing on Palfrey’s innocence or guilt.
Scenario:
Prosecutor:Mr. Witness, please state your name for the record.
Witness:I refuse to answer the question.I am taking the Vitter Amendment.
It’s “unbelievable”.It’s laughable.
It is also time for Louisiana Republicans to prove they are willing to fight for the bedrock principals of family values and law and order and find an alternative candidate who will not put Louisiana in bad light, week after week, and who will stand up for what is good for this state and for America instead off sitting down because it is good for him.It is time for Louisiana Republicans to rally the forces two years out just as they did for Bobby Jindal, for Governor.Every day David Vitter stays in office, his past and his present acts of hypocrisy continue to undermine Jindal’s efforts to put Louisiana in the best of light instead of the darkness of self-interests.Every day David Vitter stays in office Louisiana will be known as the state that has that Senator who got caught in a prostitution ring, was taking the Fifth and is authoring criminal legislation that requires people to tell the truth
Unbelievable.
Perhaps, when our Governor speaks before the National Press Club extolling the values of the good people of Louisiana, he can put a new spin on the joke he told on Jay Leno’s show.He might say that half of Louisiana is either under indictment, under water or embarrassing Louisiana to the max.
Perhaps Jay Leno will say once again, “unbelievable”.
OhmahGawd!!!!! U 3 R definetly stuck on stoopid................. Written by Reading the blah blah blah....basketball anyone?
on 5/9/2008
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When are people going to start to get it that Vitter really is all about Vitter above everything else? Just the fact that he's a Republican and a self-righteous moralizer hardly makes it less likely that he is a hypocrite too. Say what you want about Edwin Edwards but at least he was never one to be pretending to be goodie-two shoes while in fact he was something else. Written by Richard P.
on 5/2/2008
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Steve, Gloria seems to be only repeating - and for the second time today - your comments about some bills Vitter has drafted. How about an "S1234" cite so those interested can compare your characterization and interpretation of these bills with the text itself. Not having the remotest clue what I'll find in these Vitter bills, I'll only venture out this far on an unseen limb: "Conviction of crime X shall require testimony from Y witnesses" is NOT the same thing as "Witnesses suspected of crime X shall be given immunity in cases alleging crime Y by others." Specifying a given number number of witnesses is nothing new. For example, treason is, of course, not only quite carefully defined in our own Constitution but it further calls out a two witness requirement; "No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court."
Written by Kelly Haggar
on 5/2/2008
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For all of those who think that this is just about sex and personal life, what was your position on Clinton and Lewinsky? Are you not troubled that a lawmaker would take the 5th and write criminal laws that require testimony to convict? Are you not troubled about what all of this is doing to our state's reputation? Don't you see the inconsistencies between Jindal talking about how good we now are, but we have this rogue US Senator who did not even have the guts to testify. I personally find Vitter's past and present actions disgusting. No guts. No honesty. Just hide and hope the scandal passes without being open to his state. Written by Gloria
on 5/2/2008
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Really, who cares what Vitter did? We all have our personal lives in which some good and some bad takes place. I think if a woman wants to be a prostitute, or whatever, then it is her business. I am, however, sorry to hear she was so upset that she killed herself. Written by Jim
on 5/2/2008
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She wasn't out quail hunting with him, so I think that is hardly the case.... Written by
on 5/2/2008
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Randall, forever is along time............... U Pontificating dumbazz.......... Written by
on 5/2/2008
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Dick Cheney is the type of man who would have no qualms about having someone killed to prevent his name from being revealed at the D.C. Madame's whorehouse. Written by Big Brother
on 5/2/2008
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Uhhhhh,,,, Gloria, here is the solution to your wonderment on the nonperplexing question you posed...."Qui se sierit testarier libripensve fuerit, ni testimonium fatiatur, inprobus intestabilisque esto"……………Bobby O'Sullivan me lad,,, you really do need to get out a bit more and broaden your circle of intimates.. I am only aware of one victim in a case outwardly based upon the trial of a ‘victimless’ crime, that was blown out of proportion to include interstate transportation, and mail fraud……..that was merely intended to placate the flesh ravenous masses in order to firmly nail down a persecution, or a vendetta of sorts so that a pound of flesh could be rendered. Her name is Deborah Jean Palfrey. Her name is not, nor was not ‘The D.C. Madam, nor is it ‘The D.C. Pimp’, nor was it any other name either presented or construed in an attempt on the part of the prosecution to fuel prejudices of the jury ether towards herself, or her approaches to generating income as she operated her business endeavors. She ran a highly successful business, and she was an ultra successful business person, and her employees were well compensated for the services they more than willingly rendered.... So whatever Bobby O'Sulleyman me lad.... Myself, I would wonder if the jury of her peers can sleep with their selves after their decision to imprison a woman virtually for life over what is nothing more than structured and marble pillar clad BULLSHIT.................... It is interesting to note in the end that Deborah Jean Palfrey cheated that jury, and her prosecutor of the fruits and rewards for their act of vengance by taking a different route..... Or perhaps it is considered a victory if people can cause other people to simply give up hope in theirselves and opt out prematurely. I have met many of those type of people in the past, shallow jack asses, shame of it is, everyone else suffers as a result of their actions or inactions.....I hope all the miserable people involved in this farce take a second look at their selves when they look in the mirror each morning........... That includes the media hacks, the keyboard pontificators such as yourself and quite a few select others..... I pray for her family and friends, may she rest in peace..... And if it is something else instead of the obvious, Bobby me lad, go out there and gather the proof and present it on a forum instead of just presenting a weakly cemented 'smoking gun' theory............ While you are at it, see if you can't dig up the Natalie Holloway body down in Aruba..... Dumbazz parents letting their dumbazz kid go to a dumbazz place to do dumbazz things while being supervised by a group of more dumbazzes...................
Written by ...Turning the page..the way I always do.
on 5/2/2008
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Written by It's said that Dick Cheney's name is in the book .
on 5/2/2008
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I agree that David Vitter is reprehensible for what he did. I don't believe for a minute that he was the only one involved with the D.C. Madam. If we are going to cast stones about his phone number being in her book, whatever that might indicate, lets see the book and cast stones at EVERYONE who is in it. I would be willing to bet that there are a lot of familiar Washington names besides Vitter's in there.
Written by Frank WTF
on 5/2/2008
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I don't see how Vitter resigning would have kept his name out of the news of the last few days. It would have been the 'former' Senator from Louisiana, vice the Senator from Louisiana. Like it or not, Louisiana will be in the DC Madam history books, period... Written by Retired Navy
on 5/2/2008
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If your name is on a Madame's contact list you are guilty, so all an organization has to do is put someone's name on the list and their career is over right? Granted Vitter is a whimp and probably committed adultry, but how manty of you out there has not lusted over someone? How many out there can pick up the first stone and throw it? The only way to fix this state's reputation is to elect good honest public servants. If that person proves otherwise, get rid of them...quit re-electing them. If Edwin Edwards ran for office tommorrow he would get alot of votes and that's a sad reflection on our state. Cut the crap about Vitter, you are beating farts out of a dead mule. Written by Sid
on 5/2/2008
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Everyone I know here assumes that the Madame was murdered by someone in the pay of powerful men who feared for their reputations. No one I know believes she committed suicide. Written by Robert Desmarais Sullivan
on 5/2/2008
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Vitter will be forever inextricably mentioned in the same breath as the madame.
A person with his arrogance, hunger to hang on to power and sheer, unmitigated hypocrisy, will find a way to justify, rationalize and spin in order to hang on to his powerful senate seat.
So will his blind ideologues who care more about the "R" for republican behind his name, than they care about anything else, including what is good for the state and the nation. Written by Randall
on 5/2/2008
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Yesterday was Law Day. Law Day was created in the late 1950s, by the American Bar Association to draw attention to both the principles and practice of law and justice. President Dwight D. Eisenhower established Law Day by proclamation in 1958. It is defined in 36 U.S.C. § 113[1]. May 1, which is also International Workers' Day, was chosen as Law Day.
Like Earth Day, Law Day is not an actual government holiday. In fact, few outside the legal community in the United States are even aware of the existence of Law Day. To celebrate Law Day, some local bar associations hold a luncheon, featuring speakers who discuss topics such as justice or the liberties provided for by the United States Constitution. Also, attorneys might visit schools and talk to students about the American legal system.
Written by ....I would wonder,,,,hmmmm.. Law?
on 5/2/2008
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I disagree. I think Stephen made points that really need to be made. How can a man who was taking the 5th then write criminal legislation where testimony is critical? Nobody is contesting his constitutional right to take the 5th. He can do it as a US Senator or as a President. But don't expect your constituents to be happy with you and they have a right to be outraged. There is a reeking pungent hypocrisy when you start to try to rejuvenate your image by authoring criminal legislation that requires people to take risks and testify regardless of those risks. I think Stephen is right on point and is willing to stand up to perhaps the most powerful man in the state. Aside from that, I am downright tired of Vitter putting himself first and Louisiana last causing us almost weekly national embarrassment and ineffectiveness. I think the column was RIGHT ON! Written by Gloria
on 5/2/2008
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It's "unbelievable" that someone might think "... half of Louisiana is either under indictment, under water or embarrassing Louisiana to the max." is a joke. It shows how just a slight change of wording can ruin a joke. Written by Prof
on 5/2/2008
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Shakespeare has a play in which he alludes to the fact that human nature does not change (also a Theological concept). This is the second prostitute catering inside the Beltway (pun intended) to unfortunately die an untimely death. The MSNBC internet story included the context which I cite now:
"One of the escort service employees was former University of Maryland, Baltimore County, professor Brandy Britton, who was arrested on prostitution charges in 2006. She allegedly committed suicide in January before she was scheduled to go to trial.
Last year, Palfrey said she, too, was humiliated by her prostitution charges, but said: "I guess I'm made of something that Brandy Britton wasn't made of."
Whether it is Shakespeare or the Godfather movie, some powerful man/men in Washington D.C. did not want to be outed, and were willing to kill to prevent such occurrence. It was not our Senator, because Senator Vitter already confessed, thereby removing the motive (parenthetically, I do not believe Sen. Vitter to be as ruthless as the real Triumvirate of the American Empire who see murder as a means to an end.)
Written by R.E. Lee
on 5/2/2008
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Steve, what is "unbelievable" is that an attorney with your years of experience could be spouting such nonsense about the relationship between testimony and the 5th Ad. Lord knows I never watered Cheney Joseph's eyes in Crim I or II but he nevertheless managed to get a few things through my thick skull. By all means teach all the CLE you want about coumputers and the Net (and I took one from you in 1997) but please don't go near the podium of any defense classes . . . . Written by Kelly Haggar
on 5/2/2008
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Yesterday, when I heard that the D.C. Madam, Jeane Palfrey had died and had probably committed suicide, I personally thought to myself, what a shame.
