Sen. Vitter Apologizes for Number Showing Up on Phone Records of Alleged Prostitution Ring

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Sen. David Vitter apologized Monday for his telephone number showing up on the old phone records of Pamela Martin and Associates, the alleged prostitution ring run in the nation's capital by Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Vitter said in a statement.

"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there --with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way," he wrote.

The acknowledgment from Vitter, a Republican who recently won praise from conservatives for his opposition to the immigration reform bill, comes days after U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler lifted a restraining order, allowing Palfrey, 51, to distribute pages of phone records that she and her attorney said contains up to 15,000 names.

On Monday, she released the numbers on her Web site.

Prosecutors had won two temporary restraining orders to prevent her from distributing the list, first to preserve its availability and then to prevent the harassment of potential witnesses through its distribution.

But prosecutors' arguments did not hold up, the judge ruled. The availability of the list is not in jeopardy and it was not seized or listed with her other assets that were subject to forfeiture, Kessler wrote.

Freezing "the personal property of an individual, not yet convicted of any crime" would be an extraordinary step, the requirements of which government prosecutors failed to satisfy, the judge wrote.

Palfrey is facing federal racketeering and conspiracy charges for running what she says was a legal escort service. Prosecutors say the business netted more than $2 million from 1993 to 2006.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288740,00.html


Judge Lifts Restraining Order Banning D.C. Madam From Revealing Client List

WASHINGTON — A woman accused of running a prostitution ring in the nation's capital is free to distribute thousands of pages of phone records after a federal judge lifted a restraining order on Thursday.

U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler's order granted the request of Deborah Jeane Palfrey, 51, of Vallejo, Calif., to quash restrictions by government prosecutors that prohibited her from giving away the list.

"As a result, Jeane has determined to release those records under certain conditions to qualified individuals or organizations," wrote her attorney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, in an e-mail.

Palfrey and her attorney have said the list contains up to 15,000 names and could shake up Washington by revealing high-profile individuals.

Prosecutors had won two temporary restraining orders to prevent her from distributing the list, first to preserve its availability, and then to prevent the harassment of potential witnesses through its distribution.

But prosecutors' arguments did not hold up, the judge ruled. The availability of the list is not in jeopardy and it was not seized or listed with her other assets that were subject to forfeiture, Kessler wrote.

Freezing "the personal property of an individual, not yet convicted of any crime" would be an extraordinary step, the requirements of which government prosecutors failed to satisfy, the judge wrote.

Palfrey is facing federal racketeering and conspiracy charges for running what she says was a legal escort service. Prosecutors say the business netted more than $2 million from 1993 to 2006.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288341,00.html

I KNOW EXACTLY WHICH NAMES I'D LIKE TO SEE ON THAT LIST! he he he