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You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / There’s That Name Again

There’s That Name Again

by Tim F|  May 4, 20071:42 pm| 45 Comments

This post is in: Domestic Politics

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Atrios:

Just caught Juan Williams on NPR discussing the cocktail party chatter – apparently it does exist! – about the “DC Madam” story. He says the chatter is that the direction the story is likely to go in is going to be Abramoff like in that it’ll come out that escort services were handed out as part of general influence peddling activities.

Whee.

***Update***

I should probably add one thing – nobody has hinted before that Palfrey’s services were traded for political favors. Kind of reminds me of that hookergate story which dragged down a few CIA figures and then petered out. Explicit influence peddling is obviously a major no-no that can bring down a politician (Cunningham, Ney) faster than almost anything other than inappropriate sex. Trading inappropriate sex for political favors, well, I’m not sure how often that particular scandalrama has even been tried.

Needless to say trading influence for favors implies that the pol has some influence to trade. Looking back at Palfrey’s salad years, that means Republicans. If this plays out a certain way Democrats stand to be embarrassed, Republicans stand to go to jail.

***Update 2***

Weak. From RawStory’s summary of the ABC report:

According to ABC, most of the names just aren’t “newsworthy.” While reports indicated that ABC would reveal at least two client’s names, no new ones were revealed, including the name of the president of a conservative think tank, who was alluded to in earlier reports.

“The phone numbers also track back to Georgetown mansions and prominent CEOs, officials at the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund and lobbyists both Republican and Democratic,” ABC’s Brian Ross reported.

Ross added, “But as usually is the case in Washington, much of it is dull. There were no members of Congress that we could find in these phone records, no White House officials.”

Lesson for the day: people who aren’t smart enough to disguise their identity exaggerate their importance in government, and people who are important usually have enough sense to hide their identity.

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Reader Interactions

45Comments

  1. 1.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    May 4, 2007 at 2:05 pm

    I just hope we can dig up a connection to ferrets from this thing, somehow. Then Rudy Giuliani’s Presidential prospects will be shot.

  2. 2.

    Zombie Santa Claus

    May 4, 2007 at 2:09 pm

    Sorry. That comment’s more appropriate in the thread under this one.

    Although, it’d be pretty hilarious if Palfrey has some dirt on Giuliani, involving ferrets.

  3. 3.

    uh_clem

    May 4, 2007 at 2:36 pm

    On the one hand, careful what you wish for. Libido, and the inappropriate actions that ensue from the lack of it’s proper control, is not limited to one party. Don’t be surprised if several prominent Democrats are swept along on this one.

    On the other hand, DC has been subject to one-party-rule long enough that those one the inside are going to be a lot more sloppy about getting cauht than those on the outs. When you think uncle Karl and uncle Alberto have got your back, you’re more like to be brazen than someone with, say, Janet Reno’s home phone in his rolodex. I’m just sayin’…

    And on the gripping hand, pass the frickin popcorn. This one should be good.

  4. 4.

    Catsy

    May 4, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    Clem wins bonus points for grammatically correct use of “on the gripping hand”. As well as substantially correct–no matter who gets outed in this, it’s going to be entertaining.

  5. 5.

    Dug Jay

    May 4, 2007 at 2:56 pm

    Dream on. The latest from Brian Ross suggests that Dems may have more to fear. Apparently, she also ran a “male service,” and there are a few fairly senior Dems involved.

  6. 6.

    Andrew

    May 4, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    At least Giuliani has the decency to marry his whores.

  7. 7.

    Tsulagi

    May 4, 2007 at 2:59 pm

    I’ve got 20/20 scheduled for recording tonight.

    Dream show: Brownback is identified as on a frequent flyer program at Madame Palfrey’s and has the nickname of bareback among the ladies. That happens, I’ll go to church on Sunday and thank God for his sense of humor.

  8. 8.

    Zifnab

    May 4, 2007 at 3:30 pm

    Libido, and the inappropriate actions that ensue from the lack of it’s proper control, is not limited to one party. Don’t be surprised if several prominent Democrats are swept along on this one.

    Honestly, there are a few Dems I wouldn’t mind seeing swept out with the trash. I can only cross my fingers and hope William Jefferson or some of the more thick-headed war-cheerleader Blue Dogs is on that list.

    But, knowing how the media handles this sort of thing, if one Dem shows up in the middle of a list of ten Republicans, you can bet who’ll get all the limelight.

  9. 9.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 3:31 pm

    uh_clem says:

    And on the gripping hand, pass the frickin popcorn. This one should be good.

    Yep, definitely watching the 20/20 show tonight. Hopefully, if she only outs one, it’ll be a doozy. I wonder, if it’s a married republican will the rest of the republicans who called for Clinton’s impeachment call for their resignation? Wait…who’m I kidding…

  10. 10.

    Zifnab

    May 4, 2007 at 4:04 pm

    I wonder, if it’s a married republican Newt Gingrich will the rest of the republicans who called for Clinton’s impeachment call for their resignation just pack up and go the fuck home already?

    Its not enough to see Newt’s name in there once. I want to see him with frequent flyer miles on that thing. If they can get me an instance where Gingrich, DeLay, and Hastert all gang-banged the same girl on Christmas Morning, I will quit my job and devote myself to Jesus for the rest of my days.

  11. 11.

    srv

    May 4, 2007 at 4:05 pm

    John Bolton profits on his failures

    AEI Fellow and now a nice $250K. You can’t say being a loser isn’t profitable.

  12. 12.

    mrmobi

    May 4, 2007 at 4:12 pm

    If they can get me an instance where Gingrich, DeLay, and Hastert all gang-banged the same girl boy on Christmas Morning, I will quit my job and devote myself to Jesus for the rest of my days.

    Fixed, me too.

  13. 13.

    lard lad

    May 4, 2007 at 4:15 pm

    I knew this li’l imbroglio was gonna be especially bad for the GOP when I caught Sean Hannity – Sean Hannity! – playing down the whole schmear as much ado about nothing.

    Fifty bucks says that some Republican alpha dog rang up Sean and said “we need this story shot down pronto.”

    Rumors are abounding that Grover Norquist is but one of the high-profile clientele at Madam Palfrey’s House of Iniquity. Wouldn’t it be cool is his particular kink involved dunking his “companions” in bathtubs?

    (rimshot)

  14. 14.

    Salty Party Snax

    May 4, 2007 at 4:25 pm

    Uh oh. Pussygate.

  15. 15.

    RSA

    May 4, 2007 at 4:33 pm

    I knew this li’l imbroglio was gonna be especially bad for the GOP. . .

    As long as there was no influence peddling involved, I don’t see a lot of blowback for any Democrats that might have been involved. My view is that it’s a personal morality issue, and the Republican base takes this much more seriously than the Democratic base does (e.g., George Bush may be an incompetent fucktard, but he’s a righteous man–imagine how quickly his base would turn on him if there were evidence of a personal rather than political scandal surrounding Bush). To be clear, Democratic voters aren’t less moral than Republican voters, but my impression is that the former seem to make a clearer separation between private behavior and public, professional behavior.

  16. 16.

    srv

    May 4, 2007 at 4:44 pm

    Tim, we’ll trade you a sex post for a beer blogging post.

  17. 17.

    Andrew

    May 4, 2007 at 4:45 pm

    Tagg/Not-Jenna in 2016!

  18. 18.

    Perry Como

    May 4, 2007 at 4:59 pm

    (rimshot)

    Rim what?

  19. 19.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 5:13 pm

    lard lad Says:
    Rumors are abounding that Grover Norquist is but one of the high-profile clientele at Madam Palfrey’s House of Iniquity. Wouldn’t it be cool is his particular kink involved dunking his “companions” in bathtubs?

    Looking at him I hope he tipped her well because…well…*full body shiver*

  20. 20.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 5:16 pm

    Zifnab Says:
    Its not enough to see Newt’s name in there once. I want to see him with frequent flyer miles on that thing. If they can get me an instance where Gingrich, DeLay, and Hastert all gang-banged the same girl on Christmas Morning, I will quit my job and devote myself to Jesus for the rest of my days.

    Shit if there were pictures of that, and I somehow inadvertantly saw them…I’d devote my life to Jesus too…or at least wash my eyes out with clorox.

  21. 21.

    Tim F.

    May 4, 2007 at 5:31 pm

    Dream on. The latest from Brian Ross suggests that Dems may have more to fear. Apparently, she also ran a “male service,” and there are a few fairly senior Dems involved.

    Either you’re suggesting that being gay is fatal for a dem, in which case you’re living in the past, or you think that some Dems traded sex for favors. In that case the sooner we clear the bums out the better.

  22. 22.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 6:29 pm

    O/T But

    You thought “Conservapedia” was funny?

  23. 23.

    AkaDad

    May 4, 2007 at 6:38 pm

    I so hope Condoleeza was moonlighting…

  24. 24.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 6:40 pm

    AkaDad Says:

    I so hope Condoleeza was moonlighting


    with a mug like that she’d be paying me…

  25. 25.

    Bruce Moomaw

    May 4, 2007 at 6:49 pm

    I honestly think today’s GOP could turn the sale of Girl Scout Cookies into a major scandal.

  26. 26.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 6:52 pm

    O/T again but there’s going to be another report on 20/20 worth watching tonight. Say what you will about John Stossel but this looks good

  27. 27.

    Dreggas

    May 4, 2007 at 6:54 pm

    Bruce Moomaw Says:

    I honestly think today’s GOP could turn the sale of Girl Scout Cookies into a major scandal.

    In what way?

    Offering “favors” in return for Samoas?

  28. 28.

    McMartin

    May 4, 2007 at 6:59 pm

    I honestly think today’s GOP could turn the sale of Girl Scout Cookies into a major scandal.

    Then we’d have weeks of hearing on the radio how those filthy liberals try to pass off Girl Scout cookies that aren’t made with real Girl Scouts.

  29. 29.

    Tulkinghorn

    May 4, 2007 at 8:26 pm

    . If they can get me an instance where Gingrich, DeLay, and Hastert all gang-banged the same girl on Christmas Morning, I will quit my job and devote myself to Jesus for the rest of my days.

    I would seriously consider a couple years as a Saddu on a bed of nails to be a fair trade for your scenario.

  30. 30.

    p.lukasiak

    May 4, 2007 at 10:03 pm

    wow. watched the show, and not one new person was identified. I had to sit through John Stossel for THAT!?!

  31. 31.

    Scruffy McSnufflepuss

    May 5, 2007 at 7:25 am

    O/T but I just noticed that tiny Doylestown, Pennsylvania has just lost two soldiers in Iraq in the last 4 days. Both of them 1st Lieutenants, one named Tavis L. Manion and the other Colby J. Umbrell.

    Quietly, and without a huge fuss being made about it in the media, some small towns are facing an enormous bloodletting in Iraq. South Portland, Maine, population 23,324 lost two soldiers in March 2007. Pontotoc, Mississippi, population 5,253 lost two in June and July of 2005. Chillicothe, Ohio (2000 population 21,796) has lost two; Watertown, New York (2000 population 26,705) has lost three. Wasilla, Alaska (2000 population 5,470) has lost two. Camden, Arkansas (2000 population 12,024) has lost three. Plant City, Florida (2004 population 30,906) has lost two. Roseburg, Oregon (2006 population 21,050) has lost two. Spring, Texas (2000 population 36,385) has lost five, including the 3,000th soldier to die in Iraq, Spc. Dustin R. Donica.

    There are many, many other such towns. Check out the list, you’ll see. Even in your own state, you’ll probably see a dead soldier or two from some village you’ve never even heard of.

    Make of this what you will. To me, it feels like small town America, which was already dying from demographic factors, is now dying a literal death in the Mesopotamian maelstrom this Administration marched us all in to. Not sure how that will play out in the future, except that America’s future is looking pretty grim on every front at this point, thanks to our MBA President who promised to restore integrity to the White House and to avoid nation-building. (You will note, of course, that nation-destroying was not included in that pledge.)

  32. 32.

    Dug Jay

    May 5, 2007 at 8:47 am

    Sorry, Moonbats, but as usual with those of your ilk, you got all hot and bothered over nothing more than your own wet dreams:

    “WASHINGTON (AP) – A woman accused of running a Washington-area prostitution ring detailed her business in a TV interview Friday night but identified no new high-profile clients.

    “Deborah Jeane Palfrey supplied the ABC newsmagazine “20/20” with 46 pounds of phone records from her escort service, Pamela Martin and Associates, in hopes that its investigation would ferret out clients who would testify that they did not have sex with the women Palfrey employed.

    “Some of the phone records could be tracked to prominent business executives, NASA officials, at least five military officers and exclusive neighborhood mansions, according to the ABC report. But there were no members of Congress or White House officials traced through Palfrey’s records, the network reported.”

    Sadly, one of her male escorts believed to be involved with the key Dem noted above, committed suicide when outed and charged with prostitution.

  33. 33.

    cleek

    May 5, 2007 at 9:09 am

    You thought “Conservapedia” was funny?

    here’s the CEO/founder of QubeTV telling insane Pam that YouTube has serious “first amendment” issues:

    There is increasingly a serious First Amendment and political issue with You Tube. Your experience is not the first.

    fucking knuckleheads

  34. 34.

    Bob In Pacifica

    May 5, 2007 at 9:18 am

    Dug Jay Says:

    “Dream on. The latest from Brian Ross suggests that Dems may have more to fear. Apparently, she also ran a “male service,” and there are a few fairly senior Dems involved.”

    Where’s Jeff Gannon when you need a man? The Republican Party is gayer than Adolf Hitler.

  35. 35.

    Mary

    May 5, 2007 at 9:19 am

    Sadly, one of her male escorts believed to be involved with the key Dem noted above, committed suicide when outed and charged with prostitution.

    That’s strange. 20/20 focused on a female escort, a university professor, who committed suicide after being outed. No Democratic connection was mentioned at all.

    I think those little voices in Dug Jay’s head are messing with him again.

  36. 36.

    Tim F.

    May 5, 2007 at 10:29 am

    Sadly, one of her male escorts believed to be involved with the key Dem noted above, committed suicide when outed and charged with prostitution.

    You’re just making this up, aren’t you? What a tool.

  37. 37.

    cleek

    May 5, 2007 at 10:58 am

    Bush at 28%

    What a tool.

  38. 38.

    rachel

    May 5, 2007 at 11:04 am

    …the public’s approval of Bush has sunk to 28 percent, an all-time low for this president in our poll, and a point lower than Gallup recorded for his father at Bush Sr.’s nadir.

    He always wanted to beat his dad at something.

  39. 39.

    Tsulagi

    May 5, 2007 at 12:14 pm

    The 20/20 show was a bust for the titillation factor. What a let down.

    Before the show I was thinking how stupid would you have to be not to pick up something like a pre-paid cell phone to use when making your “massage” appointments. Pay cash for the sucker. You can even pick them up in 7/11s.

    You’d have to be pretty dumb to use your office phone or cell tied to your name. But then it has been the reign of the Super Stupids in Washington for the past six years so I was hoping for another name or two.

  40. 40.

    demimondian

    May 5, 2007 at 12:55 pm

    You’re just making this up, aren’t you? What a tool.

    You only just now figured that out?

    Dug Jay is to DougJ as Conservapedia is to Wikipedia. The second isn’t always right, and is occasionally off the wall — but the first has never had a formal introduction to reality in the first place.

  41. 41.

    Chad N. Freude

    May 5, 2007 at 1:35 pm

    I honestly think today’s GOP could turn the sale of Girl Scout Cookies into a major scandal.

    Well, it seems there have already been minor Girl Scout Cookie scandals. Is nothing sacred anymore? Somebody (other than me) should research this to see if the thieves were Republicans.

  42. 42.

    The Other Steve

    May 5, 2007 at 2:19 pm

    Before the show I was thinking how stupid would you have to be not to pick up something like a pre-paid cell phone to use when making your “massage” appointments. Pay cash for the sucker. You can even pick them up in 7/11s.

    Now look at the other side of the coin. Let’s say you are providing a service… one which is questionably legal, as well as dangerous. You are charging high bucks, and as such anticipating a certain level of clientele.

    You are going to screen your customers. You don’t want cops. You don’t want mass murderers. You want people who can’t pay the $2,000 an evening.

    That means:
    – Only calls from confirmed traceable numbers
    – Requests for references
    – Background checks
    – Credit checks
    – Meet in public place, and verify the customer ahead of time

    If something does go wrong, I’m quite certain they want to have on file who you were so they can contact the police. Or if you just refuse to pay they can contact their collection firm of Guido, Lefty and Shorty.

    Not that I have any experience with this. But I did work with a guy once who got arrested for being a pimp. ;-)

  43. 43.

    billfry

    May 6, 2007 at 2:11 pm

    only republicans will be named,bet on it.

  44. 44.

    lard lad

    May 6, 2007 at 6:41 pm

    wow. watched the show, and not one new person was identified. I had to sit through John Stossel for THAT

    As soon as my better half clicked on the TV and I saw that douchebag Stossel, I turned to her and announced “I can’t watch this, no matter how much luscious GOP dirt gets unearthed here… please make this terrible, terrible man go away.”

    John Stossel produces the kind of pressure in my head that (WARNING: music snob reference!) could fell an oboe player in his tracks.

  45. 45.

    Rusty Shackleford

    May 7, 2007 at 8:50 am

    Tim F said:

    I should probably add one thing – nobody has hinted before that Palfrey’s services were traded for political favors. Kind of reminds me of that hookergate story which dragged down a few CIA figures and then petered out. Explicit influence peddling is obviously a major no-no that can bring down a politician (Cunningham, Ney) faster than almost anything other than inappropriate sex.

    Tim,

    Didn’t the investigation into Watergate-gate (or Hookergate, or Watergate 2: Hooker Boogaloo) “peter out” because the U.S. Attorney in charge of investigating those CIA figures (“Duke” Cunningham, Kyle “Dusty” Foggo) was purged?

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