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Senator Denies Prostitution Allegations

By BRETT MARTEL,
AP
Posted: 2007-07-17 12:09:01
Filed Under: Politics News
METAIRIE, Louisiana (July 17) - Sen. David Vitter on Monday denied having relationships with New Orleans prostitutes, a week after admitting links to a Washington escort service that federal prosecutors allege was a prostitution ring.

Photo Gallery: A Senator's Apology

Bill Haber, AP

Appearing at a news conference in Metairie, La., with his wife Wendy on Monday, Sen. David Vitter denied allegations he patronized New Orleans prostitutes. He said he will return to work in Washington this week.

Vitter emerged from a week of seclusion by appearing at a news conference in suburban Metairie while holding hands with his wife, Wendy. He denied the New Orleans prostitution allegations and offered no indication that he would resign. He said he planned to fly Monday night to Washington to resume work in the Senate.

"I want to again offer my deep, sincere apologies to all those I have let down and disappointed with actions from my past," Vitter said. "I am completely responsible, and I am so very, very sorry."

Vitter said that the events in Washington took place years ago, and that he and his wife had undergone marriage counseling.

"No matter how long ago it was, I know this hurt the relationship of trust I have enjoyed with so many of you, and I have a lot of work to do to rebuild that," he said.

On July 9, Vitter apologized for committing a "very serious sin in my past," acknowledging that his Washington phone number was among those called several years ago by an escort service run by Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

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Federal prosecutors accuse Palfrey of racketeering by running a prostitution ring that netted more than $2 million over 13 years, beginning in 1993. She contends her escort service, Pamela Martin and Associates, was a legitimate business.

Telephone records show that the service called Vitter 's number five times from 1999 to 2001, while he was a U.S. representative.

Also last week, the former madam of a New Orleans brothel that was shut down several years ago claimed Vitter was a client in the 1990s. However, her defense lawyer and a U.S. attorney who prosecuted her said Vitter 's name never came up in that investigation.

The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans also reported that Vitter had used the services of another New Orleans prostitute.

Vitter , 46, referred vaguely to the New Orleans-based reports but said that "those stories are not true."

The first-term Republican said he has worked hard on his marriage and on living by the values he has long espoused as a politician.

"I believe I received forgiveness from God. I know I did from Wendy," he said. "Unfortunately, my admission has incurred some longtime political enemies and those hoping to profit from this situation to spread falsehoods, too."

Vitter did not take questions at his news conference Monday, but Wendy Vitter stepped to the podium and called her husband "my best friend."

"When David and I dealt with this years ago, I forgave David and made the decision to love him and recommit to our marriage," she said. "To forgive is not always the easy choice, but it was and is the right choice for me."

Vitter was elected to Congress in 1999 to fill the vacancy left when Rep. Robert Livingston, R-La., resigned amid disclosures of marital indiscretions. Vitter was elected to the Senate in 2004.

U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., said she would have no comment on the matter until she speaks with Vitter .

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. All active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2007-07-16 18:44:12
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Recent Comments

1 - 10 of 4359
4359 comments

peterr1022 07:07:50 PM Jul 19 2007

I bet you called God's name during those sessions.
Give me a break.

Peter E. Rice

yogi199lib 05:56:46 AM Jul 19 2007

David,David,David what were you thinking......A House of ILL REPUTE,you of all people,the man after Bill Clinton ???? THIS WAS YOUR 1 AND ONLT TIME !!! How are we suspose to believe that,when your number was on speed dial. David now you tell us you were forgiven by your Church,the Catholic Church....that has paid out 100's of million for thier priest raping little boys,and the Catholic Church chose to turn,pardon the pun....turn the other cheek !!!!

thumpayil 10:45:00 PM Jul 18 2007

We should move on. Things happen. Things happen for a variety of reasons. Let's move on. Leave Vitter alone. Let him deal with his life. Whatever happened is his personal business. He apologized. Let's move on.

toericm 02:16:28 PM Jul 18 2007

Why didn't the AP reporter ask Vitter about Clinton? Vitter had asked for Clinton's resignation during the Lewinsky scandal, and so the reporters have the duty to report what Vitter said at the press conference or didn't say about his duplicity. As a journalist for 25 years I'm outraged. What is going on with the press these days????

fradyschic069 10:28:00 AM Jul 18 2007

I AM SURE THAT THERE ARE ALOT MORE OF OUR POLITICIANS DOING THE SAME THING.IF THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN YOU OR MYSELF,WE WOULD BE UNDER THE JAIL AND HARRASSED FOREVER MORE.HE SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO GO BACK TO HIS JOB.FIRE HIM OR IS IT THAT HE HAS $ AND CAN WORK HIS WAY OUT OF THIS SCANDEL.MONEY TALKS,HUH. IN HIS CASE IT TALKED AND THEN SOME. I WOULD BE ASHAMED TO BE ON TV WITH HIM IF I WERE HIS WIFE. I WOULD SUE HIS BUTT AND DIVORCE HIM. IN CASES LIKE THIS THE SPOUSE USUALLY TELLS YOU WHAT HE/SHE THINKS YOU WANT TO HEAR.

tanoujin 11:32:55 PM Jul 17 2007

Al-Qaeda is made up of CIA, MOSSAD and MI6 operatives. They're Bush's BOOGEYMEN.
It's Al-Qaeda's job to keep the Iraqi's divided. That's the last thing Bush wants is a united Iraq. When the Iraqi's start to unite, Bush sends in the Boogeymen to blow up a mosque and the civil war starts all over again. LIKE IT OR NOT, THIS IS THE TRUTH!!!!!!

satyenr 10:59:40 PM Jul 17 2007

Can anyone plese confirm that Vitter had employed a Mexican illegal Maid
in 1994. Is this true?I wont be surprised but it will prove he is the biggest
HYPOCRITE and SCUMBAG of all time .

yogi199lib 10:24:15 PM Jul 17 2007

Forgive me father O'malley for I have sinned....give me the strengeth to say out of the HOUSE OF ILL REPUTE,AND STAY AWAY FROM THOSE WOMEN OF THE NIGHT !! When I become weak and want to sin again Father O'Malley I will come to you and Pray for forgivness !! No more sex with those loose women...
ummm,errr,oppps does this incluse your alter boys !!!

larrylcky007 10:23:08 PM Jul 17 2007

gymguy this is my forefathers country established by the white race,i am borned and raised here and don't have any intentions of leaveing,but you blackies need to go back to africa where you came.yall are the reasons why there is so much crime in this country,such as drugs and killing robbing and name it.that is the animal instinct in your kind.yall have the mentatallity of a shved baboon.so don't try to tell the intelegent white man where to go, ty

mrandmrsfrancois 10:22:45 PM Jul 17 2007

I truly understand that that prostitute is out of business and wants to be famous for
having Mr. Senator as one of her clients. Well, everybody makes mistakes and somewhere down the road, they sometimes regret it. Mrs.prostitute, you got paid for
your service already; you just need to shut up and live your life happily ever after for
sleeping with important people like senator Vitter. You are miserable just because you took the fastest and most shameful way. Get a job!

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