Alleged "D.C. Madam" Names A Name

(AP)  A woman charged with running a prostitution ring in the nation's capital made good on her threat to identify high-profile clients, listing a military strategist known for his "shock and awe" combat theories as a regular customer in court documents Thursday.

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, who is acting as her own attorney, said Harlan K. Ullman, a senior associate with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, "is only one of dozens of such officials" who will be exposed as she prepares her defense.

Ullman declined to talk about the claim in a brief telephone interview with The Associated Press Thursday night, saying "the allegations are beneath the dignity of a comment."

The 50-year-old Palfrey was indicted last month by a federal grand jury on charges of running a high-class call girl ring from her home in Vallejo, Calif. She has denied the escort service engaged in prostitution.

In court records, prosecutors estimate that her business, Pamela Martin and Associates, generated more than $2 million in revenue over 13 years, with more than 130 women employed at various times to serve thousands of clients at $200 to $300 a session.

Palfrey had threatened to sell phone records that would identify 10,000 clients to pay for her criminal defense, but a federal judge ordered her not to release them. But Palfrey gave them to ABC News before the order took effect.

Since federal officials have seized her assets in a civil case involving the business, Palfrey argued in court papers Thursday for the judge to reconsider her request for $500,000 to hire an attorney to replace the public defender.

She contends that she needs a high-profile attorney because of the powerful forces that are lined up against her and her need to subpoena Ullman and others.

Palfrey hopes the customers will testify on her behalf that her escorts did not engage in prostitution.

Prosecutors have accused Palfrey of trying to intimidate potential witnesses by exposing them publicly.

Ullman's lawyer, Mike Mukasey, also declined comment, saying the allegations do not deserve a response.

Ullman was the primary author of a 1996 report that coined the phrase "shock and awe," which calls for a massive attack of precision air power that psychologically destroys an enemy's will to fight as much as it destroys the physical ability to fight.

Palfrey said she has 46 pounds of phone records that could expose thousands of clients. Her civil attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, said he gave those records to ABC so it could assist in identifying clients who could testify on her behalf.

ABC said it plans to air a story on Palfrey on its prime-time news program "20/20" next month.

[adian1-2009]

If all people involved in this so called prostitution ring are adults, I fail to see why there should be criminal considerations. If and adult wants to use escort services, the women providing the services are adults who freely chose to lend the services, and there is another person that has the pool of users and the pool of services --agent-- and all of them are adults that freely do their thing, then where is the criminal behavior? Not reporting their income and paying their taxes is another matter, of course. That would be criminal. But running an endeavor that does harm to nobody, where only adults are involved, where they freely take their options, where there is enough discretion for not harming our children. . . Well, why is it criminal? I kind of see the fundamentalist religious behind, one way or the other.

[randalds]

Forgive me if one of you has already pointed this out, I sometimes have trouble reading post after post by people that couldn't even define the words "liberal" and "conservative," yet use them as if they're insults.
Posted by tucson23 at 05:11 AM : Apr 14, 2007

I think most people have their own definition of each word and why they think they fit into one camp or another. I consider myself liberal. To me that means I subscribe to the majority (though not all) of the positions of the more left side of the Democratic party. I believe that government has more of a role to play in the lives of those that can't help themselves as much, such as the poor, handicapped and elderly. I believe in a balanced, but fair budget, which means all pay a fair share of taxes according to their means and ability. I believe in a strong defense, but not in foreign entanglements except as a very last resort. I believe in diplomacy first, war absolutely last. Personally however I differ in that I believe in the death penalty, but only in extreme cases. I also support the right to bear arms, but hunting arms, not sub-machine guns. There's more to be a liberal, but there is a conservative limit on length here. ;-)

[tucson23]

"Palfrey hopes the customers will testify on her behalf that her escorts did not engage in prostitution."

If her escorts didn't engage in prostitution, then what exactly is she implying about Harlan K. Ullman? How is it a threat to expose people who did nothing illegal? Doesn't add up.

Forgive me if one of you has already pointed this out, I sometimes have trouble reading post after post by people that couldn't even define the words "liberal" and "conservative," yet use them as if they're insults.

[randalds]

This country should just legalize prostitution, let them all pay taxes and get health checks like they do in The Netherlands, and these scandals would become a moot point.
Posted by ocfotoman at 04:52 PM : Apr 13, 2007

Makes sense, but just like all ideas like this it makes too much sense to be acceptable by the holier-the-thou crowd. They're the same people who want to keep spending money trying to enforce pot laws because they know that when you smoke pot you play the piano really fast, have wild ***, run people over with your car and commit suicide because you think you can fly. You know, the same idiots who thought Reefer Madness was right. sadly while they aren't that many of these ignorant people in America, they are vocal and have Bush by the short hairs, even though he smoked dope and almost certainly cavorted with hookers in college. You know, a hypocrite, just like they are.

[demkicker]

This country should just legalize prostitution, let them all pay taxes and get health checks like they do in The Netherlands, and these scandals would become a moot point.
Posted by ocfotoman at 04:52 PM : Apr 13, 2007


A typical leftist. Take a bad or immoral human action, sprinkle it with a little BS, tell 300,000,000 people it's ok because 5% - 10% of the population is doing it and it makes them feel good. Then put it on the floor of congress for a vote. Lets make special laws to protect all weird walks of life from facing reality. The reality is: as long as there are people, there is going to hatred, racial tension and the sort. No law will ever stop it. The less one believes in god, the more one has to worry. I would rather go thru life believing in god to find out there isn't one, than to go thru life thinking there isn't a god and find out that there is a GOD. To legalize prostitution, gay marriage etc, etc. would only tear down the moral fiber that this country was founded on. However, the sick left only thinks of themselves and NEVER looks at the whole picture. If everyone had god in there life, these and other issues would be mute.
I will never be friends with anybody that lives in denial, and that includes the far left.

[homespunlady]

Hmm... how long will this drag out. Another diversion now that the Anna Nicole thing has settled some dust. ZZZZZZ...huph, now where were we..Oh yeah, IRAQ, OSAMA BIN LADEN AND War profiteering. Guess they're on the back burner again until the funds battle heats up.
Time for a nap.

[dphaffner]

Clinton didn't have ***. And I can't blame him for lieing about that.

Who in the hell would want Monica ?

Anyone would lie about being with that pig.

I had rather play with my own ding-a-ling.

[asor1-2009]

My dear, religious-right, loyal, busy-as-he11 hubby won't be on your silly list. Signed; Laura B.
Will he?

[bluestardad]

Well at least Republicans did not have to worry about Mark Foley coming up on her list all her escorts were over 16 and female! Guess Ted Haggerd was off this list too.

Did anyone order a Chicken or a Hawk or a Chicken Hawk? How bout them Neocons I hear they like the Dicktater!

[aaabee-2009]

Even though I'm a right wing neocon, I think we could be friends! :)
Posted by Infidel_US at 04:54 PM : Apr 13, 2007

That is very nice of you, Infidel.

Is "right wing neocon" an insult? Because I am tired of insults. I actually think there are many respectable Republicans out there with the same kind convictions and love of country that I have.