For years, rumors have swirled in political circles about David Vitter frequenting an escort service, either in the New Orleans area or WashingtonD.C. The rumors were never officially verified and eventually disappeared as Vitter was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. Tonight, they have resurfaced with a vengeance as the Senator admitted to a “very serious sin in my past.”
The bombshell tonight concerning U.S. Senator David Vitter will have ramifications for not only his political career, but also for the recovery of this state. Vitter came forward with his statement after his phone number was on the list associated with the notorious “D.C. madam.” Vitter did not specify the extent of his sin or when it occurred, but admitted to being “completely responsible.”
Vitter did not try to evade guilt for his actions and of course it is politically wise to try to get in front of a negative story and accept any blame; however, it is very doubtful the story will end here. Many lingering questions will be asked, such as how many times did he contact and/or utilize the escort service? When did these episodes begin and end? Were they limited to the D.C. area or did they involve similar activity in his hometown?
The Senator said that several years ago he sought and received forgiveness from both God and his wife in “confession and marriage counseling.” He did not go into further detail saying he would “keep my discussion there—with God and them.” However, he did apologize to all of his supporters across the state and nation who he “disappointed and let down in any way.”
This revelation will disappoint thousands of Vitter’s supporters in Louisiana, as many are Christian conservative voters who were attracted to the Senator’s family values platform.
It is ironic because just a few weeks ago, Vitter’s star was rising on Capitol Hill. At that time, he led a renegade group of U.S. Senators in opposing the immigration bill being pushed by the White House. Vitter and his colleagues were successful in killing the bill. As a result, he was being touted by political analysts such as Robert Novak as an up and coming, fresh, young GOP Senate leader.
Recently, there has even been talk of Vitter being asked to join Rudy Giuliani’s ticket as a vice-presidential pick if the former New York Mayor receives the GOP presidential nomination. Vitter offered regional and ideological balance to Giuliani and was given a huge position in his campaign after making an early commitment to the New Yorker.
Now, Vitter has not only lost his chance to be selected for a presidential ticket, at least for 2008, he also will lose serious clout on Capitol Hill. Republicans in the Senate will not want to give the limelight to a Senator who was on the D.C. Madam’s escort list.
Vitter has three years to recover politically in Louisiana. He does not have to run for re-election until 2010; however, he will need to win over disillusioned supporters across the state. He is fortunate because Louisiana voters are extremely forgiving and will likely accept his plea for forgiveness and his straightforward acceptance of responsibility.
In addition to a blow to Vitter’s political stock, this development will hurt Louisiana’s position on Capitol Hill. Our clout has been declining ever since veterans like Bob Livingston, John Breaux and Billy Tauzin left Congress. Now, Louisiana’s waning influence on Capitol Hill will be lessened even more. Among Louisiana’s nine congressional members, we have a congressman under indictment and now a U.S. Senator on a madam’s escort list. At a time when this state needs full and effective representation, this news is a catastrophe.
Jeff Crouere is a native of New Orleans, LA and he is the host of a Louisiana based program, “Ringside Politics,” which airs at 8:30 p.m. Fri. and 10:00 p.m. Sun. on WLAE-TV 32, a PBS station, and 5 till 9 a.m. weekdays on WGSO 990 AM in New Orleans and the Northshore. For more information, visit his web site at www.ringsidepolitics.com. E-mail him at jeff@ringsidepolitics.com.
Amusing the responses to Jeff and Steve's articles depend upon whose ox is being gored. As a life-long Republican who has never voted for a Demo. for President, this revelation will have negative implications for La. for years, and makes one question Vitter's morals and common sense.
"Everybody does it"and "We all make mistakes" does not justify this behavior(we now learn repeated behavior). We elect our politicians because they espouse our views and when they constantly trumphet "family values" and then ring up a hooker, I have a problem with that. Am I spelling hypocrisy correct? what about his constant praising of the institution of Marriage? His constant urging of abstinence for juvenilles andadults until marriage and monagamy thereafter rings hollow. His call for Clinton's resignation and disdain for Livingston following his admission of adultery are almost laughable now. At least Livingston got up on the floor of the House and resigned. Vitter sends out a press release, his office will make no further comments to the press, and he's hiding somewhere in a cave and his family cannot even be located.
Charlie Gibson had video of hypocritical statements from "Mr. Family values" on the ABC news tonite as did Keith Olbermann on his hour long show and then Dan Abrams on his show. Thanks a Bunch David because Olbermann and Abrams wonder what's in the Louisiana waters with Livingston and citing EWE!s statement that the "only way he could lose an election would be if he was caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy".
When Vitter asks other senators to sign on as authors to a bill helping La. what is their response going to be? They will at least pause and think how it could adversely affect them in their re-election.
Where is Vitter's common sense? why do the FBI spend so much time, $$$ and effort into investigations of escort services and Prostitution? Because very often they involve organized crime and can be used for blackmail purposes. Additionally, the boy genius gives his phone number or fails to call from a pay phone. Does he also give them his Visa # ? Idiot. Moreover, he is enhancing the continuation of a criminal enterprise. what about AIDS, venereal disease. Fool
Apologized "for a very serious sin". Only one visit to the DC Madam? How many to the Canal St.whorehouse? "Sin" or "Sins". What happens if he has a relapse? DC and Canal St. we know about now and ONLY because they have come out? Were there other incidents, and if so, when and how often??
"Unlike Clinton at least Vitter stood up and admitted it". Actually, he only admitted it because the federal judge dissolved the injunction preventing the DC Madam from releasing the phone #s of all the "Johns" who frequented her services. She published the numbers this Monday and he promptedly issued his "statement" and then disappeared. It's what politicians call "damage control"; get out in front of the story, admit your wrong and hope the storm blows over.
Discussions of Clinton who should have resigned and Jefferson who is a crook are irrelevant. We are discussing Vitter and he's a total phony and has done untold damage to our efforts to recover.
Written by george
on 7/10/2007
Thank God we have a senator that lies to the people.One who has demanded others to resign for the very acts he commits.Thank God he has shown how much better he is than Clinton who he also demanded for him to resign for committing such an act of sex with someone besides his wife.I would not even care except this man has told others how vile and disgusting they were,while he was doing the same thing.It must make a republican proud to know Vitter walks free while the women go to jail for just supplying what he wanted.Thank God Vitter will be the one protecting your daughters.He wants us to live up to his high morals, then lies,cheats on his wife,and watches the woman who just supplied him his girl ,go to jail.
Written by Susan
on 7/10/2007
Our local, state, and U.S. congressional leadership is truly a poor testament to the people living in Louisiana. Vitter was, by far, the most productive Louisianian in Washington -- all others were weak, in comparison. The Greater New Orleans Area has been really short-changed, having Jefferson and Jindal as representatives -- at least we had one spokesperson for the state; now, our beacon has been, seemingly, extinguished.
Written by Maxwell
on 7/10/2007
I have read EVERYONES comments and I have to agree both sides make good points. I would however like to remind you of a story I heard... A woman, (No they didn't bring the man) was caught in adultery, CAUGHT IN THE ACT I am lead to believe, and drug before the judges of her time, the judges had heard of a man that was considered to be wise, and seeking to trick him into saying something contrary to the law, they took her to him and told him what she did, he said nothing but began to write in the dirt, Now I have heard different versions of what he wrote I would like to believe that he wrote in the dirt the names of the women and MEN they had slept with or maybe were still sleeping with. When he was done he looked around and said to her "Woman where are your accusers?" for not one of them remained, she told him "they are gone" to which the wise man told her "As are your sins go and sin no more" Aren't we being like the crowd, willing to judge and cast stones shouldn't we be more like the guy that said "Go and sin no more?... Just a thought from an ole Jarhead
Written by Ole Jarhead
on 7/10/2007
What 2 adults do behind closed doors is none of the government damn business and no one elses damn business, prostitution
should be legalized.
Written by
on 7/10/2007
Sen. Vitter's "past sins" with prostitutes are more than private issues between him, God and his wife. First, there are the women with whom he contracted for sex. They are subject to criminal prosecution, and he is apparently going to evade any such punishment. Why? That particular crime requires two people in its commission.
He's also put a lot of focus in his legislative career on regulating and punishing what other people do in the privacy of their relationships. But he wants the veneer of privacy for his transgressions? He's aimed at all the usual soft targets: he called for Bill Clinton to resign over sexual transgressions, and he's always ready to scream about gay people ruining marriage. He's a hypocrite.
Finally, why should anyone assume his repenting is anything more than crocodile tears, or that his "sins" are in the past? We know he's moved from one brothel to another, so why should we assume this is something from the past?
He's sorry he got caught. That's about it. Let him take the consequences.
Written by Beth Blankenship
on 7/10/2007
So another leader is above the laws they help write.This proves only the middle class and poor have to follow the law.If he can say i am sorry should not any man who has been proscuted for solicitation of a hooker be let go by just saying i am sorry.Why should the woman be charged who just supplied the service they used.If the men committed no crime by using her service,how can she be guilty of the crime of providing the service.BTW Vitter has called on other men to step down from their jobs for the same thing.
Written by Susan
on 7/10/2007
Mr. Vitter's behavior was, indeed, disappointing. That he admitted it and tried to put it behind himself is commendable. But in the big scheme of things, this is, as he says, a matter between himself and his God and his family. If voters cannot forgive him this pecadillo, or if he cannot show himself to have been genuinely contrite and rehabilitated in their minds, then they can oust him in the ballot box next time up to the plate. But that's where this matter should end as far as David is concerned.
But to suggest that this misdemeanor is the moral equivalent of the allegations against Mr. Jefferson, or even similar to Mr. Clinton's perjerous testimony under oath (as it is elsewhere in this edition of Bayou Buzz by Mr. Sabludowsky)is at best hyperbole, and at worst shows a very immature perspective for a person who runs a publication that he wants to be taken seriously.
The real crime in this whole matter was that of the Madam who, more than anything else was running a business that promised discretion and confidentiality and who now, in an effort to cash in on her misfortune, is naming names and making headlines. There is a name for people like this, but I won't use it here in this family friendly chat space.
She may or may not be guilty of Federal racketeering (because she apparently engaged in wilful multi-state telephone and other activities that might be categorized as racketeering under Federal statute), as Mr. Sabludowsky alleges, but her call girls and their Johns (or Davids) are, even if arrested, subject to only misdomeaner municipal charges.
This is really only a Democrat inspired tempest in a teapot. Oh, I'm sorry, I had said I wasn't going to use the D word.
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