"D.C. Madam" Guilty In Prostitution Case

Deborah Jeane Palfrey Convicted Of Running Prostitution Service That Catered To Political Elites

(AP)  A federal jury convicted a woman Tuesday of running a prostitution service that catered to members of Washington's political elite.

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, 52, sighed as the verdict was read. She had repeatedly denied the escort service engaged in prostitution, saying that if any of the women engaged in sex acts for money, they did so without her knowledge.

Palfrey caused a sensation last year when she announced that to raise money for her defense, she intended to sell her phone records to any news outlet willing to pay. Palfrey said her defunct business, Pamela Martin & Associates, was "a legal, high-end erotic fantasy service" that serviced elite clients.

She was convicted on all counts she faced: Money laundering, using the mail for illegal purposes and racketeering.

Three of Palfrey's clients testified during the weeklong trial in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, explaining how they found the service, how often they called, what they were hoping for and whether they got it during their visits.

"When a man agrees to pay $250 for 90 minutes with a woman, what do most men expect in that time?" prosecutor Daniel Butler said during closing arguments Monday. "In that context, it's pretty clear. Most men want sex."

But the trial concluded without revealing many new details about the service or its clients. Sen. David Vitter, R-La., was among possible witnesses, but did not take the stand.

Vitter has acknowledged being involved with Palfrey's escort service. But after issuing brief statements apologizing for "a very serious sin," he has avoided follow-up questions.

Harlan Ullman, a military strategist who created the concept of "shock and awe" that the United States used to open hostilities against Iraq, also did not testify. Palfrey says Ullman was a regular client; Ullman has declined to discuss what he has called "outrageous allegations." Randall L. Tobias, who resigned as a deputy secretary of state after acknowledging to ABC News that he used Palfrey's service for massages, also did not testify.

Defense attorney Preston Burton argued that what went on during appointments was between the client and the escort. He compared Palfrey to a taxi dispatcher, who shouldn't be penalized for "the route the cab driver took."

Palfrey will remain free pending her sentencing July 24.

Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge James Robertson to lock Palfrey up immediately, arguing that the verdict gives her a motive to flee. But the judge noted that Palfrey has never missed a court appearance.

[michellem99-2009]

The world''s oldest proffion..she is not pretty to boot..that awful lip colouying..I am 53..and female..

[stn_sage]

The real crime here is that Sen. Vitter wasn''t called upon to elaborate on his usage of this call-girl service! It''s not like his testimony would have disgraced the Senate! I think Sen. Craig has already done that, way beyond what Mr. Vitter would have done!

I like the defenses'' analogy of Ms. Palfrey as a cab dispatcher---interesting! And, there was no real reason to deny her bail, I doubt she''s much of a ''flight'' risk! I wish I could have seen this trial!

[forthepeopl1]

if it aint MR. POTATOHEAD, LOOKS PRITTY SCARED DOENT HE. ITS FUNNY TO HAVE THIS INSIDER OF WALLSTREET HAVE SO MUCH POWER..


LISTEN IF THEY ( CONGRESS) WOULD DO THERE JOBS WE WOULDN''''''''T BE IN THIS MESS.

ANYONE THAT TOOK OUT LOANS FROM 2000 TO 2007
REGARDLESS OF WHAT THERE CREDIT LOOKS LIKE RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THIS MESS MOST HAVE LOST THEIR GOOD RATING.


THEY NEED TO COME OUT AND TELL ALL MORTGAGE COMPANYS

TO RE-FI EVERYONE NOW. NO EXCEPTION IF THEY HAVE A
MORTGAGE THAN TAKE 60% OFF THE BALLANCE AND RE-FI THEM AT 1 PERCENT OVER PRIME AND STOP ALL THE BLEEDING FOR ONCE..THAT IS ALL THAT HAS TO BE DONE, SIMPLE,FAST,AND IT WOULD STOP ALL FORCLOSEINGS,BURNINGS OF HOMES,AND STOP 10''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''S OF MILLIONS FROM BEING ON THE STREET..

THIS IS MORE INPORTANT, THAN THIS ***.

OR HOW ABOUT REPORTING THAT WE THE PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THIS FROM CLINTON AND MCCAIN. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY TO THE 374,298 AMERICANS DEAD,HURT,MAIMED IN THIS WAR YOU SUPPOTED FROM THE START..HOW ABOUT ASKING THEM THIS


TIME TO MARCH DOWN AND TAKE THEM OUT..

[forthepeopl1]

SHE NEEDS TO COME OUT WITH ALL THE NAMES NOW..AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS

[culturechang]

I feel much safer now. If only Osama Bin Laden could use a DC escort service, maybe they could finally catch him. Course it helps to be actually looking for him....which they appearently aren''t.

Have you also thought that while the FBI was chasing
prostitutes in this case and the Spitzer case, federal authorities also knew that children were being molested for 4 years in the Texas mormon compound? They prioritized consenual adult prostitution over child molestation....multiple times.

And Yes, the same politicians who passed the federal prostitution law are the ones who used the service. WOW!. What hypocracy.

[gunownerdan]

Making prositutution illegal will never stop prostitution, it only makes it much more dangerous for everyone involved.

[byeneocons]

The problem is that men are rarely prosecuted for soliciting prostitutes, yet they''re the ones producing the demand.

Vitter is scum.

[mexinvasion]

I sure wish prositution could be legal and maybe regulated by the FDA. Lots of money could come from special taxes. Hot chicks could go to special schools to learn everything in some cohesive fashion. I''m sure it would be expensive. But a fella might be able to get on a web site, pick the partner he wanted, set an appointment, and pay on line with a Visa card. It would be similar to booking a hotel room for a vacation. Maybe he could even request certain color lingerie.

[aaabee-2009]

So Vitter (R) doesn''t get prosecuted?
Foley (R) prosecuted for emailing interns?
Is Larry Craig (R) still in office?
Guilliani (R) didn''t loose his office for keeping a mistress.
Newt Gingrich didn''t when he was watching the impeachment trial of Clinton from his mistresses bed.

Yet Spitzer (D) apologized to America and resigned.

The Dems resign but the Republicans keep their offices and their paychecks and their perks and their parking spaces.

Don''tcha love American idea of fair and balanced government?

[pfd572]

If prostitution is illegal then the ''john'' were breaking the law, too. Why weren''t they prosecuted? Oh, wait, because they were important, high-ranking government officials. If they were given immunity to testify, then why didn''t they? Because in D.C. one doesn''t go after the s e x criminals unless they are Democrats. These men broke the law and got away with it.

[realpatriot1]

If the news media were not in the pockets of the powers that be we would already know the name of every single John.

They shhould all be proecuted the same as her!

[rob416]

This Nation has its priorites all screwed up. Prostitution is one of the oldest professions and is still around now and will likely be as long as the earth is around. For the Federal Government to pay taxpayers dollars to prosecute the DC Madam is ridiculous. One has to wonder what politcal motivations the US Attorney has.

What government on all levels should be doing is regulating the prostitution industry in order to generate revenue and make it safe for customers and hookers alike. Go after the drug dealers, pimps, etc involved, not upscale operations that harm no one.

[gunownerdan]

Just like prohibition of marijuana, prohibition of prostitution causes much more harm than good.

[aerodog]

Unless that''s just a bad picture of her, not a very pretty thing, is she?

[culturechang]

Foley was not prosecutred at all for soliciting a child for ***. That is a serious felony.

The way to keep any vice legal is to get the govt addicted to the special tax revenue from it. This exactly what they did with tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Govt is addicted to the special tax and all the so-called negative effects are swept right under the rug. No way to ever get those made illegal now.

Remember in 2008, its about them....not you.

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by MexInvasion at 04:18 PM : Apr 15, 2008

Now you are a guy whose put some thought into this.

But you know 2-faced Republicans won''t legalize prostitution.

While Face #1 is holding a photo op to say prostitution is against Biblical teachings and a bad example for our young people, Face #2 says to keep it illegal because forbidden fruits make them feel ever so naughty.

[pollroller1]

The way to keep any vice legal is to get the govt addicted to the special tax revenue from it. This exactly what they did with tobacco, alcohol, and gambling. Govt is addicted to the special tax and all the so-called negative effects are swept right under the rug. No way to ever get those made illegal now. Posted by CultureChang at 04:44 PM

I agree. The government should make prostitution legal. Have the ladies tested, and charge a tax.
The government may be able to balance the budget with the tax money.

[xlib]

aabee-so you give our crusading, clean NY state government up, put the john''s behind bars, increase their jail time spitzer a break because he "apologized"?? Give me a break! Talk about double standard.
No mention of studds?? Do believe he was a bit of a perv?? So you want all Republicans to go to jail yet murderers like teddy and his drugged out kid get a free ride.
Our celebrated crusading governor got a free ride. His story ran a total of three days that''s it. I want to know more about what he''s done. We had craig ad nauseum.

[culturechang]

In my town of KC, they have had 4 Chinese poeple in US marshall custody for 1 year now awaiting trial on "trafficking" charges that amount to no more than a consensual prostitution case. They already said no force, restraint or slavery was allegged or charged. They brought in 175 FBI agents for the bust. Made a big media splash. Plane tickets, hotels, cars, attorneys, a year of high security jail time and space. They denied bond to all 4. Who knows how they justified that. No violence involved. They have dumped tens of millions of dollars into this case....all to regulate morality. This is why the govt is taking so much of your money and is still in grave debt.

[kaviz]

If she was the first person I met at a brothel, I would have taken my business elsewhere, for fear she was the best looking thing they had.

[Hybdiesel]

Just look at the lips on that woman''s picture, are they made for eating bananas or something I''am not allowed to talk about?

[pfd572]

culturechang: You can thank the power behind the current admin and crop of Republican/conservative members of congress: the fanatic right of the conservative Christian coalitions. The demand action against prostitution on the federal level-big bucks spend, want Marriott to stop providing adult movies on pay-per-view, and get they get a grade school to end a long term ''fun'' day because they said it promoted a homosexual lifestyle and confused children (?), (seems funny in their distorted views that little girls wearing jeans, t-shirts and sneakers aren''t promoting lesbianism) and boycotted Ford because they donated to charities weren''t anti-abortion. They scream and yell about THEIR free speech, but love to try and deny it to others. Blackmail and extortion are their weapons of choice. They cost us millions, if not billions, of tax payer dollars on their pet peeves.

[aaabee-2009]

aabee-so you give our crusading, clean NY state government up, put the john''''s behind bars, increase their jail time spitzer a break because he "apologized"?? Posted by Xlib at 05:01 PM : Apr 15, 2008

There isn''t a lick of double standard about me. All laws apply to everyone equally.

Where in my post did I give Spitzer a break? He done the crime, he can pay for it.

My point is about your boys. Okay to let them off the hook because they are big super-important persons with fat paychecks and lawyers on retainer?

How about all of them apologizing to America and getting their filthiness the heck out of public office.

[haoli25]

She may have been the only ''honest person'' in DC. I can see why the government would need to lock her up.
''Delivering what is promised''....how dare she!! lol

[dowjones20k]

Interesting that only 3 politcal sickos were divulged .. and wonder how many more are in the black book?

I wonder if we might see a few from both the controlling parties?

I cant imagine her service only catered to Repubs ... or are all the dems not interested?

HAHAHAAHA

I bet here are more selacious details forthcoming .. depends on how many years she gets ... you can bet the phones will be ringing off the hook now that she knows what kinda time she is looking at.

[carpriddler]

If you can pardon Scooter, they can pardon this wonderful woman.

[carpriddler]

Money Laundering, what a joke. So she was washing dollars. How many in DC are washing dollars on tax day. All of them! Who did she hurt. Are blaming her for the behavior of the clients?

[ov442]

jeez, if they feel they have the gall, the nerve, and the audacity to prosecute this woman for the actions of her clients and ''contractors'', then every single one of the ''johns'' should be outed and punished in every possible fashion that Spitzer was accused of.

[ov442]

- kaviz - shes not a prostitute, shes the "DC madam" no brothel. she worked out of her home in CA and contracted women to go to Politicians and meet them for illegal activities. Im sure Senator Vitter, would pick an attractive women from her online portfolio.
-- CultureChang -- Dont you get it yet?... they have never been spending Billions in man hours, political timewasting and money to regulate Morality. They have done that to regulate Morality for everyone but THemselves.

[babooph]

Prostitutes are better than clergymen-at least what their selling is theirs.

[veteran72]

Let''s see, the GOPervs get a walk, while the poor girls who had to endure so much time with the Fatasssed Slimy Scumbags, go to jail???
That''s sounds like everything else they''ve been doing for the last 7+ years.....*** ALL of us, and charging US for the privelege...Time for a Revolution.
Vote out every GOPerv and Demohog Incumbent Scumbag in Washington and in Every State Office.
Vote in Regular Honest American Citizens in their
place. Take back our Nation from these Traitors.

[antonia62]

To run an escort service, she doesn''t have to be pretty; just smart. If you study history, men in power have had mistresses/concubines/courtesans since time began. It''s only in the last few hundred years in the US that everyone''s having a fit about it. Prostitution should be legalized and made safe for the escorts and their clients, then it would be a non issue.

[pollroller1]

Somebody pass me a banana. I''m getting hungry.

[rushlimpdrug]

""D.C. Madam" Guilty In Prostitution Case"

Shouldn''t that read "alleged" D.C. Madam?

[pollroller1]

With a set of lips like that, she could really suck on a banana. hahahaha

[watcher269-2009]

Does Railroaded mean anything?

[gunownerdan]

Guilty of prostitution?
She should run for congress, she''d make a great senator.

[libh8er]

Prostitution should be legalized and made safe for the escorts and their clients, then it would be a non issue.
Posted by Antonia62 at 08:49 PM : Apr 15, 2008

All libs say that when dems get caught. WHen republicans get caught, they demand congressional investigations and jail time.

[keithle1]

Do you have enough lipstick on, Madam?

Only one reason men hang around with young women:
s e x. It''s definitely not for the scintillating conversation. What do young women have to say that men want to hear?