WOMAN WHO RAN ESCORT SERVICE MAY SELL PHONE RECORDS TO PAY LEGAL FEES
PAUL KIEL, TPM MUCKRAKER - Back in October, the feds busted a long-time
prostitution service in the Washington, D.C. area. The madam, Jean
Palfrey, soon caught attention by telling a reporter from the Smoking
Gun that they must be going after her as part of a larger investigation
into "some Duke Cunningham-type bigwig client that got caught up in
something" . . . Palfrey hasn't actually named a member of Congress. But
she seems determined to make it easier for those who want to find out.
Though her firm's policy was that "no record is a good record!!" she's
now apparently mulling selling her phone records from the last thirteen
years to raise funds for her defense.
THIS IS ONE OF THE more novel defense tactics we've heard about.
Palfrey's site says, "consideration is being given to selling the entire
46 pounds of detailed and itemized phone records for the 13 year period,
to raise the requisite defense funds. An example from a randomly
selected 6 day period in August of 1996 is available for review now."
http://www.deborahjeanepalfrey.com/
JIM MCELHATTON WASHINGTON TIMES - A California woman who is the target
in an ongoing criminal probe into the operation of her District-based
escort agency has told federal authorities she will "make life
miserable" for former customers and employees unless her case is
dropped, government attorneys say. "I cannot emphasize to you the
terrible and quite unnecessary ramifications this case (civil and/or
criminal) will set off, if permitted to advance for both sides," Deborah
Jean Palfrey wrote in an e-mail to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"The press will have a field day at each of our expense."
Government attorneys referenced the e-mail in a recent motion to
postpone civil forfeiture proceedings against Miss Palfrey pending the
outcome of a criminal investigation. But an attorney for Miss Palfrey
wants to move forward with the civil case, filing court papers last
weekend detailing an attempt to depose former Clinton campaign adviser
Dick Morris. Mr. Morris, a news commentator who resigned from the
Clinton campaign in 1996 amid a scandal involving escort services, is
"the only customer of the service who has publicly admitted using the
services for 'legal' sexual activity," Miss Palfrey's attorney wrote in
court papers. . .
In recent filings, Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Cowden expressed
concern about what he called Miss Palfrey's "recent threat to harass
potential witnesses whose identities remain secret . . . through
calculated public disclosures of former customers' and former
co-workers' identities." Mr. Cowden also said authorities want to hold
off on the pending civil seizure proceedings because it could affect the
ongoing criminal investigation. He said Miss Palfrey's attorney wants
the government to turn over the names of cooperating witnesses. That
could compromise the ability of criminal investigators to gather
confidential information, he wrote.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20070221-121046-1425r.htm
EARLIER STORIES
LARA JAKES JORDAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS - Federal agents have seized more
than $427,000 in cash and stocks from a woman accused of running a
money-laundering scheme from her Washington-based prostitution business,
court records obtained Monday show. The woman, Deborah Jean Palfrey of
Vallejo, Calif., could not immediately be reached for comment by The
Associated Press. . . Palfrey's clients may have included wealthy
doctors and lawyers in Washington and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs,
but no well-known names have so far surfaced, said a law enforcement
official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation
is ongoing. . . The women, all at least 22 years old, told investigators
that Palfrey urged them to work for her at least three nights each week
and charge their clients up to $300, according to the affidavit. . .
http://www.wtop.com
SMOKING GUN - In a TSG interview, Palfrey admitted operating an escort
firm, but claimed that her workers did not engage in "illegal sexual
activities." There are "a lot of erotic activities that one can do
without participating in things that are illegal," she claimed.
Investigators contend that after Palfrey hires a prostitute, she sends
the woman to a "screening" appointment where she is required to have sex
"without payment" so as to ensure that the prospective hooker is not a
law enforcement officer. Palfrey, who spoke to TSG from Germany, said
that agents raiding her home would have found nothing since she did not
keep computerized records and regularly shredded documents. Asked about
the nature of her clientele, Palfrey called the identity of her johns a
"salacious detail" of which she was unaware. "I never kept records," she
claimed. "I protected the client's confidentiality. . . they trusted
me." But Palfrey did speculate that she may have come to the attention
of federal agents because her operation had somehow intersected with a
more high profile case, like that of convicted ex-congressman Randy
"Duke" Cunningham. Investigators are reportedly examining charges that a
defense contractor provided hookers to Cunningham as part of an
influence-peddling scheme. Palfrey did not claim a nexis between her
escort service and Cunningham, but invoked the disgraced pol's name
while saying that she would wager that the basis for the federal probe
of her business "had solely to do with some Duke Cunningham-type bigwig
client that got caught up in something and started to say, 'Do you know
this?' and 'Do you know that?' And that he might have been able to lead
them to somebody." Palfrey, who said she started her service in D.C.
because "it's a very liberal, sophisticated, cosmopolitan area,"
advertised her company as featuring women "23 and older, with two or
more years of college education, who either work and/or go to school in
the daytime." Palfrey told TSG that she shuttered her escort business in
mid-August because her female employees were "driving me crazy. They
were a pain in the ass to deal with." She added, "It was just time to
start a different life and do different things, move on."
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1009061hook1.html|
MORE POLITICAL NEWS
http://prorev.com/politics.htm
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OUTLYING PRECINCTS
LOST NATION, NH - Gov Bill Richardson (D-NM) was in NH, saw a lot of
people and made a good impression. He's currently suffering from 2nd
choice syndrome, but that's an enviable spot to be in a year out. This
is NH after all, the little king maker. My guess is that Richardson will
continue to make inroads and be the season's big surprise. Before large
and small crowds, Richardson reiterated his disgust with the Iraq war
and pledged to end it the day he's elected. It might take a bit longer
than that, but his intentions are unambiguous – which plays well with
NH. And he'd close Gitmo on day two – again, an ambitious schedule, but
absolutely right on target. Richardson is a diplomat with an impressive
portfolio, and sees the bigger picture – the more harm we do to Iraq,
the more harm we do to ourselves, both at home and internationally. . .
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH) made the rounds, and many of the same
points. So I have no problem with Kucinich's politics – but enough with
the singing America the Beautiful at the podium and spinning on chairs
to prove he has "no strings attached." I'm not one to stand on ceremony,
but a modicum of decorum, if not dignity, is required.
http://www.lostnation.tv/html/richardson.html
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PAUL KIEL, TPM MUCKRAKER - Back in October, the feds busted a long-time
prostitution service in the Washington, D.C. area. The madam, Jean
Palfrey, soon caught attention by telling a reporter from the Smoking
Gun that they must be going after her as part of a larger investigation
into "some Duke Cunningham-type bigwig client that got caught up in
something" . . . Palfrey hasn't actually named a member of Congress. But
she seems determined to make it easier for those who want to find out.
Though her firm's policy was that "no record is a good record!!" she's
now apparently mulling selling her phone records from the last thirteen
years to raise funds for her defense.
THIS IS ONE OF THE more novel defense tactics we've heard about.
Palfrey's site says, "consideration is being given to selling the entire
46 pounds of detailed and itemized phone records for the 13 year period,
to raise the requisite defense funds. An example from a randomly
selected 6 day period in August of 1996 is available for review now."
http://www.deborahjeanepalfrey.com/
JIM MCELHATTON WASHINGTON TIMES - A California woman who is the target
in an ongoing criminal probe into the operation of her District-based
escort agency has told federal authorities she will "make life
miserable" for former customers and employees unless her case is
dropped, government attorneys say. "I cannot emphasize to you the
terrible and quite unnecessary ramifications this case (civil and/or
criminal) will set off, if permitted to advance for both sides," Deborah
Jean Palfrey wrote in an e-mail to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
"The press will have a field day at each of our expense."
Government attorneys referenced the e-mail in a recent motion to
postpone civil forfeiture proceedings against Miss Palfrey pending the
outcome of a criminal investigation. But an attorney for Miss Palfrey
wants to move forward with the civil case, filing court papers last
weekend detailing an attempt to depose former Clinton campaign adviser
Dick Morris. Mr. Morris, a news commentator who resigned from the
Clinton campaign in 1996 amid a scandal involving escort services, is
"the only customer of the service who has publicly admitted using the
services for 'legal' sexual activity," Miss Palfrey's attorney wrote in
court papers. . .
In recent filings, Assistant U.S. Attorney William R. Cowden expressed
concern about what he called Miss Palfrey's "recent threat to harass
potential witnesses whose identities remain secret . . . through
calculated public disclosures of former customers' and former
co-workers' identities." Mr. Cowden also said authorities want to hold
off on the pending civil seizure proceedings because it could affect the
ongoing criminal investigation. He said Miss Palfrey's attorney wants
the government to turn over the names of cooperating witnesses. That
could compromise the ability of criminal investigators to gather
confidential information, he wrote.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/metro/20070221-121046-1425r.htm
EARLIER STORIES
LARA JAKES JORDAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS - Federal agents have seized more
than $427,000 in cash and stocks from a woman accused of running a
money-laundering scheme from her Washington-based prostitution business,
court records obtained Monday show. The woman, Deborah Jean Palfrey of
Vallejo, Calif., could not immediately be reached for comment by The
Associated Press. . . Palfrey's clients may have included wealthy
doctors and lawyers in Washington and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs,
but no well-known names have so far surfaced, said a law enforcement
official who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation
is ongoing. . . The women, all at least 22 years old, told investigators
that Palfrey urged them to work for her at least three nights each week
and charge their clients up to $300, according to the affidavit. . .
http://www.wtop.com
SMOKING GUN - In a TSG interview, Palfrey admitted operating an escort
firm, but claimed that her workers did not engage in "illegal sexual
activities." There are "a lot of erotic activities that one can do
without participating in things that are illegal," she claimed.
Investigators contend that after Palfrey hires a prostitute, she sends
the woman to a "screening" appointment where she is required to have sex
"without payment" so as to ensure that the prospective hooker is not a
law enforcement officer. Palfrey, who spoke to TSG from Germany, said
that agents raiding her home would have found nothing since she did not
keep computerized records and regularly shredded documents. Asked about
the nature of her clientele, Palfrey called the identity of her johns a
"salacious detail" of which she was unaware. "I never kept records," she
claimed. "I protected the client's confidentiality. . . they trusted
me." But Palfrey did speculate that she may have come to the attention
of federal agents because her operation had somehow intersected with a
more high profile case, like that of convicted ex-congressman Randy
"Duke" Cunningham. Investigators are reportedly examining charges that a
defense contractor provided hookers to Cunningham as part of an
influence-peddling scheme. Palfrey did not claim a nexis between her
escort service and Cunningham, but invoked the disgraced pol's name
while saying that she would wager that the basis for the federal probe
of her business "had solely to do with some Duke Cunningham-type bigwig
client that got caught up in something and started to say, 'Do you know
this?' and 'Do you know that?' And that he might have been able to lead
them to somebody." Palfrey, who said she started her service in D.C.
because "it's a very liberal, sophisticated, cosmopolitan area,"
advertised her company as featuring women "23 and older, with two or
more years of college education, who either work and/or go to school in
the daytime." Palfrey told TSG that she shuttered her escort business in
mid-August because her female employees were "driving me crazy. They
were a pain in the ass to deal with." She added, "It was just time to
start a different life and do different things, move on."
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1009061hook1.html|
MORE POLITICAL NEWS
http://prorev.com/politics.htm
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
OUTLYING PRECINCTS
LOST NATION, NH - Gov Bill Richardson (D-NM) was in NH, saw a lot of
people and made a good impression. He's currently suffering from 2nd
choice syndrome, but that's an enviable spot to be in a year out. This
is NH after all, the little king maker. My guess is that Richardson will
continue to make inroads and be the season's big surprise. Before large
and small crowds, Richardson reiterated his disgust with the Iraq war
and pledged to end it the day he's elected. It might take a bit longer
than that, but his intentions are unambiguous – which plays well with
NH. And he'd close Gitmo on day two – again, an ambitious schedule, but
absolutely right on target. Richardson is a diplomat with an impressive
portfolio, and sees the bigger picture – the more harm we do to Iraq,
the more harm we do to ourselves, both at home and internationally. . .
REP. DENNIS KUCINICH (D-OH) made the rounds, and many of the same
points. So I have no problem with Kucinich's politics – but enough with
the singing America the Beautiful at the podium and spinning on chairs
to prove he has "no strings attached." I'm not one to stand on ceremony,
but a modicum of decorum, if not dignity, is required.
http://www.lostnation.tv/html/richardson.html
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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