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You are here: Home / Open Threads / The Greatest Legal Defense Fundraiser In History

The Greatest Legal Defense Fundraiser In History

by Tim F|  April 13, 200710:57 pm| 45 Comments

This post is in: Open Threads

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If at first you don’t succeed. Some weeks ago I pointed out that Deborah Jeane Palfrey, whose high-priced DC escort service was raided in late 2006, needed funds to mount a proper defense after the feds froze her $500,000 savings. Ms. Palfrey first tried offering her client list to the highest bidder. When the court blocked that move Ms. Palfrey threatened to simply release the list to an unspecified news agency. That way Ms. Palfrey wouldn’t profit from the list directly, but no doubt she would consider changing her mind if a well-heeled client offered to subsidize the defense.

Ms. Palfrey’s plan B must not have paid off, because now we get what can fairly be described as an exquisitely sadistic Plan C. The AP reports that Ms. Palfrey has released exactly…one name. Who he is doesn’t really matter (you can click the link if you really care…perv), but judging by his rank and influence it seems safe to say that this was a warning. To show that she’s serious.

As I see it Ms. Palfrey is going for more or less the same psychological effect as the crime movie staple of shooting one hostage every hour. It seems hard to believe that today’s release will be the only one. Who knows when one’s name will come out? Maybe tomorrow, maybe three months from now. Ms. Palfrey dismissed her court-appointed attorney so she won’t see counsel unless someone either dials up her defense line or (hint for any sweat-stained armpits at the DOJ) unfreezes her bank account. The clients know who they are. She knows who the clients are. Tick. Tick.

Mind you, none of this should be taken to mean that I approve of prostitution, extortion, blackmail or even that this remotely resembles what is actually going through Ms. Palfrey’s mind. Maybe I’m way off and even if I’m right the whole scheme is very, very wrong. But somehow a very damned part of my soul finds this funny as hell.

*** Critical Update! ***

I was unaware that ABC News already has the list. If you really need to find out who’s on the list (perv), tune in to an upcoming episode of 20/20.

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Reader Interactions

45Comments

  1. 1.

    craigie

    April 13, 2007 at 11:03 pm

    So do I deduce from this that Republicans are against sex, unless you pay for it?

  2. 2.

    Jonathan

    April 13, 2007 at 11:49 pm

    I’d rather live next to an honest prostitute than a dishonest CEO.

    I see nothing wrong with what Ms Palfrey is doing, she has been forced into a corner and people in that position do desperate things.

    Personally, I hope the whole damn list comes out and high powered careers all over DC go down in flames.

    It’s no accident that Jesus the Christ condemned hypocrites more often and vigorously than any other group.

  3. 3.

    Jonathan

    April 13, 2007 at 11:53 pm

    I’d rather live next to an honest prostitute than a dishonest CEO.

    I see nothing wrong with what Ms Palfrey is doing, she has been forced into a corner and people in that position do desperate things. Prostitution shouldn’t be illegal in the first place, prostitutes provide a service for which people are willing to pay. Two consenting adults should be free to engage in a business transaction as they see fit as long as no one else is harmed.

    Personally, I hope the whole damn list comes out and high powered careers all over DC go down in flames.

    It’s no accident that Jesus the Christ condemned hypocrites more often and vigorously than any other group.

  4. 4.

    Justin Slotman

    April 14, 2007 at 12:52 am

    This is amazing, and I’m really curious about the backstory of how she got busted. Did she piss somebody off? Did the Feds bust her hoping to embarass somebody in particular? (reads stuff on Internet) Oh, wait–is this part of the Duke Cunningham fallout?

    Her website makes me want to root for her.

  5. 5.

    Baby Jane

    April 14, 2007 at 1:02 am

    even if I’m right the whole scheme is very, very wrong.

    Even if you’re wrong the whole scheme is very, very right.

  6. 6.

    mclaren

    April 14, 2007 at 2:22 am

    This all presupposes that we live in an era when being revealed as a patron of high-class whores would damage your reputation. But we live in an age when Paris Hilton’s homemade sex tape turned her into a superstar. Porn star Jenna Jameson is now treated as a respected authority on fashion and mores. And now there’s speculation that the latest sex tape by American Idol finalist Olivia Mojica may have been professional shot and edited and then purposely released to give an afterbuner kick to her fading career when we washed out of American Idol:
    http://www.tmz.com/2007/04/11/idol-finalist-sex-tape-nastiest-tape-ive-ever-seen/

    We live in an age when O.J. got tapped to write a bestselling book. Why would anyone view patrons of the high-priced D.C. madam with disgust nowadays?

    On the contrary, her clients will doubtless grow in stature when their names are revealed. And they surely know it. Employers will outbid one another to hire the savvy honchos who reveled in high-priced whores while holding down positions of power in the D.C. establishment. The boards of directors of giant corporations will say to themselves, “Look, this guy was having an orgy with ten premium hookers while he was renegotiating the foreign exchange rate with China! This is a guy we need on board. I bet he can really show our prospective clients a great time even while he beats their brains in at the bargaining table. This is the man to head up our entire Far Eastern operation. Hire him now!‘

  7. 7.

    Captian Avatar

    April 14, 2007 at 2:38 am

    Look, this guy was having an orgy with ten premium hookers while he was renegotiating the foreign exchange rate with China! This is a guy we need on board. I bet he can really show our prospective clients a great time even while he beats their brains in at the bargaining table. This is the man to head up our entire Far Eastern operation. Hire him now!

    It’s all about who has the dickest dick. Always has been, always will.

    FREE IMUS!!!

  8. 8.

    Captian Avatar

    April 14, 2007 at 2:41 am

    I meant…

    It’s all about who has the biggest dick. Always has been, always will.

    Damned alcohol. Anyway,

    FREE IMUS!

  9. 9.

    rachel

    April 14, 2007 at 5:41 am

    Hah-hah!

    Harlan K. Ullman (born March 15, 1941), a United States military officer and political author. Ullman is known as a developer of the doctrine of Shock and Awe.

    Coincidence? I think not!

  10. 10.

    ether

    April 14, 2007 at 6:18 am

    I can finally agree with you on something.

    Hilarious.

  11. 11.

    caleb

    April 14, 2007 at 6:25 am

    The list of clients is already out.

    She gave it to ABC News and is going on 20/20 with an interview with Brian Ross.

    Those screws sure are turning.

  12. 12.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 6:52 am

    Ullman is known as a developer of the doctrine of Shock and Awe.

    As in: The prostitute was shocked by the sight of such a tiny penis and awed that the client dared reveal it.

    Maybe I’m way off and even if I’m right the whole scheme is very, very wrong.

    What’s wrong with releasing the names of criminals? Especially criminals who are part of the Bush “Holier Than God” Crew.

    The world would be a much better place if prostitution were legal and closely regulated. But it isn’t and now this country is run by people who also make an issue of what two consenting adults do even if no money changes hands.

    Of course, people who are inordinately interested in what other people do tend to get up to some interesting things themselves and have no right to complain when the truth comes out. So go ahead and laugh. They deserve every moment of discomfort, including discomfort caused by suddenly crapping their pants.

  13. 13.

    mere mortal

    April 14, 2007 at 7:25 am

    Is my timeline wrong, or is a possible theory that she was busted when she stopped providing the services?

    Regardless, I won’t throw stones at the woman accused of being a prostitue, I listened to Jesus at least in that regard.

    As to all those fellas with their stones in their hands…

    Come to think of it, my favorite biblical passages are the most subversive ones. It took me years to appreciate why my high school english teacher decided to teach the story of Job.

  14. 14.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 7:31 am

    I think mclaren is dead-on. We live in an era when public sexual indiscretion is a marketing tool, used by both sides (the Who-Cares party and the Outraged party).

    It’s always accompanied by entertaining fall-out. In this case, so far we have the following laugh lines:

    The canonical non-denial denial:

    Ullman [said] “the allegations are beneath the dignity of a comment.”

    The non-assertion of innocence:

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

    The internal contradiction (compare this with the previous quote):

    Palfrey said she has 46 pounds of phone records that could expose thousands of clients.

    This is going to be a lot more fun than the Imus Perfect Storm. Question: Will the exposure of an African-American escort bring the unrevered reverends Jackson and Sharpton into the fray mudbath?

  15. 15.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 7:40 am

    It took me years to appreciate why my high school english teacher decided to teach the story of Job.

    You might be interested in William Safire’s book on Job.

  16. 16.

    Paul Wartenberg

    April 14, 2007 at 7:48 am

    You have to remember, this is not about a wanna rich-brat princess trying to be a superstar model, this is about a bunch of power-obsessed men in political office who present themselves as paragons of virtue. And paragons of virtue, and especially married paragons of virtue, do not pay for sex with … with… um, are we allowed to use the ‘H’ word anymore…?
    Anyway, this is a meager scandal compared to the crap that CheneyBushRoveCo is doing to the military, our justice system, and our… hey, sex and nudity and humiliations galore! Damn my short-attention span…!

  17. 17.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 7:52 am

    Ullman [said] “the allegations are beneath the dignity of a comment.”

    Translation: I can’t talk right now, my wife is trying to kill me.

  18. 18.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 7:57 am

    Anyway, this is a meager scandal compared to the crap that CheneyBushRoveCo is doing to the military, our justice system, and our… hey, sex and nudity and humiliations galore! Damn my short-attention span…!

    True, but it does grab the public’s attention and makes the people involved (and their friends) look like the slime buckets they are. Attornies being fired? E-mails missing? Big deal. The Democrats are just trying to make Bush look bad. But when the attorney firing and e-mail hiders also get embroiled in a sex scandal the supporters whip out the tar and feathers.

    FoleyFollies had nothing to do with the war but it sure as hell didn’t do the Republican party any good.

  19. 19.

    demimondian

    April 14, 2007 at 8:34 am

    I’m with Tim here. Extortion is wrong. Sure, don’t frequent a whore if you’re afraid that the revelations of your pay-for-sex…oops, I mean, pay-for-backrub…deals will come back to haunt you. But how many of us don’t have some skeleton in our closets that we don’t want out?

    On the other hand, a certain part of me is currently feeling the same way that Dr. Freud’s nephew Chad was described as feeling…

  20. 20.

    ha ha

    April 14, 2007 at 9:49 am

    You don’nt “approve of prostitution, extortion and blackmail”.

    I on the other hand approve completely, especially when it involves republican politicians.

  21. 21.

    Andrew

    April 14, 2007 at 9:50 am

    But how many of us don’t have some skeleton in our closets that we don’t want out?

    Look it, just because you order a hooker doesn’t mean that you have to kill them and stash their bodies.

  22. 22.

    Paul Wartenberg

    April 14, 2007 at 10:05 am

    Hooker-killing is wrong. The Bible is filled with stories where hookers save the good guys from doom. Hookers should be protected, like weaverbirds or the manatees. ;-)

  23. 23.

    Hyperion

    April 14, 2007 at 10:37 am

    But how many of us don’t have some skeleton in our closets that we don’t want out?

    you mean…a trouser trout in our pants that wants out?

  24. 24.

    Hyperion

    April 14, 2007 at 10:39 am

    I’d rather live next to an honest prostitute than a dishonest CEO.

    how about this choice (given a discussion on a recent thread):
    living next to a confessed sexual predator or a dishonest CEO?

  25. 25.

    Krista

    April 14, 2007 at 10:39 am

    But how many of us don’t have some skeleton in our closets that we don’t want out?

    We all do. And most people are forgiven quite readily when a skeleton in their closet shows up. However, the public tends to be a lot less forgiving when the person in question has been the self-appointed Morality Police, judging everybody else for their behaviour.

    America loves an underdog. America loves a story of redemption. What America doesn’t love so much is hypocrisy.

  26. 26.

    Tsulagi

    April 14, 2007 at 11:24 am

    Looking at the Wiki on Ullman, it also says he was a client of Lisa Berlin, “Germanys Strapon Queen.” Later he wrote a paper with Shock and Awe, Achieving Rapid Dominance in the title.

    Guess during his time with Lisa he had a revelation. Our country thanks you for your service, Lisa.

  27. 27.

    demimondian

    April 14, 2007 at 12:23 pm

    And most people are forgiven quite readily when a skeleton in their closet shows up.

    Absolutely — but.

    Everybody dreads the time after the skeleton steps out of the closet. It’s (almost) never as bad as we fear, but the extortionist exploits the fear, not the reality. You’re a mid-level desk-jockey in some soulless Bauhaus-inspired directorate in downtown DC, and…you had a bad habit. Will your wife leave you? What will happen to the kids, if so? Where will you live after she throws you out? Will your friends ever speak to you again?

    Worse, you know that people will say “Well, you shouldn’t have gone there.” They’ll use that smarmy self-satisfied voice, and you’ll know they’re right. They’ll condemn your hypocrisy, and revel in your being brought down.

    This woman has nothing to lose. She’s going to jail. Her initial attempt at extortion is an utter failure, and, after her conviction, she’s going to face a jury that will hear testimony about her behavior during this period. She’s not coming back for a long time, and I, for one, feel no sorrow at that.

  28. 28.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    April 14, 2007 at 12:35 pm

    All I know is, if you see my name on that list it’s bullshit. I never went near that women, nor her temptresses. Despite what some libelous “list” may say to the contrary, I’ve always been faithful to Mrs. Claus.

  29. 29.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 12:39 pm

    Extort

    1. Law.
    a. to wrest or wring (money, information, etc.) from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like.
    b. to take illegally by reason of one’s office.

    This ain’t extortion unless Palfrey intends to release names until she gets something from one of the people on the list.

    Good luck proving that one.

    Releasing the name a person who allegedly used the services of a prostitute doesn’t differ from releasing the name of a person who allegedly robbed a 7-11. Your friendly neighborhood MSM does it all of the time.

    This looks like plain old revenge served at room temperature.

  30. 30.

    Jimmm

    April 14, 2007 at 1:47 pm

    I’m on that list. But I’m not sweating things, because she paid ME for sex.

    I. Am. That. Good.

  31. 31.

    Fledermaus

    April 14, 2007 at 1:55 pm

    needed funds to mount a proper defense after the feds froze her $500,000 savings.

    I just want to say that police should not be allowed to do this. It pisses me off every time.

  32. 32.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 2:20 pm

    This ain’t extortion unless Palfrey intends to release names until she gets something from one of the people on the list.

    Apparently, it’s blackmail. (The reference is a pdf file.)

  33. 33.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 2:24 pm

    I just want to say that police should not be allowed to do this.

    It’s done to prevent the accused from using the funds to finance a disappearance.

  34. 34.

    Rome Again

    April 14, 2007 at 2:37 pm

    how about this choice (given a discussion on a recent thread):
    living next to a confessed sexual predator or a dishonest CEO?

    Funny you should mention that. I was recently watching a movie that contained both call girls and corporate wrongdoers, and I realized halfway into the movie that I considered the whores to be the corporate wrongdoers, not the hookers at all.

    I’d have to go with the confessed sexual predator myself.

  35. 35.

    Rome Again

    April 14, 2007 at 2:41 pm

    I. Am. That. Good.

    No, you aren’t… you’re just that narcissistic.

  36. 36.

    Rome Again

    April 14, 2007 at 2:43 pm

    This looks like plain old revenge served at room temperature.

    The only thing that raises that temperature is the importance of those names and what hypocrisy their behavior displays.

  37. 37.

    mrmobi

    April 14, 2007 at 3:29 pm

    I’ve always been faithful to Mrs. Claus.

    I’ve always wanted to ask, ZSC, is Mrs. Claus undead also?

  38. 38.

    mrmobi

    April 14, 2007 at 3:30 pm

    Prediction: Popcorn stocks will soar in the near future.

  39. 39.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 6:15 pm

    Apparently, it’s blackmail. (The reference is a pdf file.)

    A form of extortion. Unless she is doing it (solely or in part) to get something from someone on the list revealing a fact about a person isn’t blackmail, no matter how much the person would rather you didn’t.

    In the case of public officials she could say she’s doing it to let America know their tax dollars go to buy hookers. Or she could be doing it because she wants her clients’ spouses to know the truth. Or simply to expose the hypocrisy of the people involved. That’s how Ted sHaggard became a household name.

  40. 40.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 8:09 pm

    Unless she is doing it (solely or in part) to get something from someone on the list

    That’s the presumption.

    A quick Google of extortion vs blackmail yielded a distinction but frequent conflation, sort of a candy mint / breath mint thing.

  41. 41.

    Chad N. Freude

    April 14, 2007 at 8:10 pm

    Clarification: She may be doing it to induce some of her clients to fund her defense.

  42. 42.

    jake

    April 14, 2007 at 9:29 pm

    Clarification: She may be doing it to induce some of her clients to fund her defense.

    Sure, but aside from innocent until proven guilty (assuming we still have that quaint little thing), this gets you into intent and the difficulty of proving state of mind absent any other evidence. If Palfrey was stupid enough to tell a friend “I’m going to scare these bastards until they cough up some cash,” she’s fucked (har).

    I guess the PA could argue she should have known her actions were likely to cause someone to crap his pants and hand her a blank check but it wouldn’t be that easy.

    But I also know ABC didn’t take (buy?) the list without permission from its lawyers, so my money’s still on Revenge. And lots of popcorn.

  43. 43.

    Scruffy McSnufflepuss

    April 15, 2007 at 7:21 am

    Laugh now. But if Clinton is on this list, you moonbats will soon be singing a different tune!

  44. 44.

    Temple Stark

    April 16, 2007 at 5:26 am

    Two things, the “Raw Story” link itself mentions ABC News has the information, so read the whole thing takes on renewed relevance.

    Two, it’s not a Raw Story link at all, it’s the Houston Chronicle and AP, and the way the frame is set up is pretty damn dishonest. It allows Raw Story a top ad placement on top of words and design from someone else. That’s disgusting.

    I guess on the scale of things – all the shit hitting the fan at once – this should be forgotten for things that matter. If it’s juicy though it will be a distraction.`

  45. 45.

    Nancy Irving

    April 16, 2007 at 8:12 am

    Why was her bank account frozen? They didn’t do that to Scooter Libby.

    By the way, I noticed (yes, I clicked) that the guy’s name starts with a “U.” Does this mean she’s starting from the end of the alphabet, and working backwards? :)

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