With the trial of the DC Madam Deborah Jeane Palfrey now scheduled for April 7th, local news reports circulated the possibility throughout the weekend of whether Senator David Vitter could be forced to testify.
Not mentioned locally was that if the US Senator admitted under oath that he was guilty of solicitation, he could still be prosecuted for the crime under Federal law or a relevant state law.
Up until now, Vitter has not specifically provided any information about any facts regarding any allegations other than claiming that he engaged in a “very serious sin in my past” after it was his telephone number was revealed on the DC Madam's phone list.
According to Newsweek magazine, federal prosecutors have based their case against Deborah Jeane Palfrey on a provision called the Travel Act, which prohibits use of the mail and interstate travel to promote gambling, unlawful distribution of narcotics and prostitution.
Like Kristen, who went by Amtrak from New York to Washington to meet Gov. Elliot Spitzer, Palfrey's D.C.-area employees allegedly crossed state lines to see clients in the District, Virginia and Maryland.
Since Palfrey was based in California, prosecutors say, every phone call and payment from clients violated the law.
Vitter, by telephoning Palfrey over state lines could also be prosecuted under the Travel Act, according to legal experts that Bayoubuzz.com has consulted, putting the Senator in a similar legal position as the resigned former Governor, and potentially silencing critics who have said there were no parallels between the cases.
The statute of limitations is 10 years for violating the Travel Act, leaving Vitter open to prosecution even today.
Palfrey has argued that she did not engage in prostitution, calling her $200 fees to low for such activities, and may call the Senator to the stand to back up her argument.
Newsweek also reported that Palfrey is already at work on a memoir in which she portrays herself as a helpless victim of hypocritical "federales," "Bible thumpers" and heartless prosecutors out to conduct a "witch burning." She writes of growing up in a Pennsylvania steel town and dreaming of a better life.
"Had I not left … my life could have existed of stamping price stickers on cans of green beans at the local A&P supermarket." After failing to find "Mr. Right" or a solid career, she went to San Diego, where she was sentenced to 18 months in prison for running a prostitution ring. On her release, she moved north to Vallejo, Calif., and in 1993 opened her "little cottage industry," Pamela Martin & Associates. For 13 years, she ran her "snooze fest" of an escort service from a desk next to her washer and dryer, daily from 2 to 9, "except for holidays and snow days."
In Palfrey's story to Newsweek, she was a model citizen. "I paid my taxes on time every April 15th," she writes, and says she filed tax forms for her employees with the IRS. "Empowerment was the goal,"
writes Palfrey. She says many of the 143 escorts who worked for her throughout the years were college graduates, and some held doctorate degrees. She urged them to save and invest. When the Feds came calling in 2006, she realized that "the government in the course of a 24 or so hour period could wipe out my entire life's work and savings. And I had to take it." The former governor of New York couldn't have put it better himself.
The "Honorable" Senator Vitter is a disgrace both to the office he holds and the citizens he represents. It is a black eye in the sight of the rest of the nation, thus reinforcing the banana republic image and the negative reputation the state has in the eyes of the nation. None of that matters to the erstwhile junior senator--the only relevant issue is holding on to political power. The only issue that matters to his groupies and ditto head followers is the "R" for republican. Those of us who put the interests of the nation ahead of petty, political interests are increasingly becoming a smaller and smaller minority. Written by Randall
on 3/24/2008
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A true Christian should ask and recieve forgiveness. If you can, then it's over. Perhaps never forgotten. If you can't ask or give forgiveness, well, then it may just be your problem. I choose to forgive. "Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.” Thomas Paine. "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." John Wooden....... Really, Mr. Tidmore. What is your character? You state: "My worries about the political fortunes of the Republican Party and the post-Katrina recovery as a whole has been a prime driver in calling for Vitter’s resignation, not partisan politics. It is a point that I have tried to make to strangers, and to the myriad of friends and political allies that have written me in the last few days."......No wonder you have trouble making the point when it is premised on support of Mr. Vitter when you needed it, when the Demo Gov. in office, and opposition now that Repub. Gov., Mr. Jindal, is in office.................... Whose the hypocrite now?
Written by lakeview man
on 3/24/2008
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The erstwhile "Honorable" then-Congressman Vitter was taking phone calls from the madame while voting on issues on the floor of the House of Representatives. His disgraceful antics and shameful behavior is far worse than that of his predecessor, the then "Honorable" Bob Livingston. Livingston, unlike the hypocritical Vitter, actually did show a little honor. To be phoning the local whorehouse when one might be actually voting on national security issues is reprehensible to say the very least, not to mention shameful, disgraceful, odious, outrageous and possibly dangerous.
Those of us who can see past republican or democrat are quickly becoming an endangered species. I fully supported the impeachment and removal of President Clinton, not because he is an immoral, utterly lacking in any character whatsoever person, but because he lied in a federal court of law. Likewise, Spitzer, Vitter, Sen. Craig of Idaho, need to go. Might the day ever come again when I can tell my grandchildren that those "public servants" who represent us are in any way, shape or form whatsoever some kind of role model? At least a tiny minority of us are consistent--we don't condone and excuse one and persecute the other simply for the sake of petty, partisan and perfidious party politics. Written by Randall
on 3/24/2008
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Let's see the possibility of the Alberto Gonzales' Dept. of (In)Justice prosecuting someone who is a fellow Republican are about slim to nil. Newsflash: this issue was covered months ago and resulted in the Bush's Mexican Lackey being forced to resign, exactly what the whole scandal was about, political prosecutions. Of course Spitzer would be prosecuted, because he made the Insurance Companies pay when they broke the law, not so for Lincoln's party members. Written by Jeb
on 3/24/2008
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His acts ought to qualify for indictment under the Travel Act, even if he (or his defense lawyer) told the media, and his constituents, that his "serious sin" happened too long ago for him to face criminal charges under federal laws against prostitution. Written by Wendy King
on 3/24/2008
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'ALLEGED' AND 'MAYBE'......JJJEEEEZZZZZZZ......... Written by BOB
on 3/24/2008
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Glad to see you guys going the route of gossip mags.
When it is in court(if), Vitter is charged, then do some sound journalism for us. Written by Jinny
on 3/24/2008
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