State Department official resigns over 'D.C. madam'

CNN ^

[gop4lyf]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A top State Department official resigned Friday after revealing to ABC News that he had been a client of the alleged "D.C. madam's" escort service.

A State Department official, on condition of anonymity, confirmed to CNN the reason for Randall Tobias' departure as director of U.S. Foreign Assistance and administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The State Department said that Tobias, 65, resigned for "personal reasons."

ABC reported on its Web site that Tobias, 65, said Thursday that he had used Deborah Jeane Palfrey's escort service "to have gals come over to the condo to give me a massage." He told the network that there was no sex involved.

ABC said Tobias' private cell phone number was one of thousands listed on documents that Palfrey handed over to the network, which plans to air a report on the documents on the "20/20" television news program next week.

On her Web site, Palfrey says she unconditionally gave "copies of certain years of the records ... to ABC News."

[domer]

Why assume? The facts are readily available. Tobias is a Bush appointee. He is not a lifelong government bureaucrat. And he is a Republican. He was head of Eli Lilly in Indianapolis and also held another State Dept. post before he headed AID.

As a longtime reader of FreeRepublic, I am discouraged by the ignorance displayed in some posts. Please do your home work before sharing your thoughts.

[Proudcongal]

Is ABC just going to name Republicans or are they going to be honest and name all the dems too?

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

Ignoring the facts won't make them go away.

What facts? That some state department appointee who nobody on this forum had ever heard of was one of hundreds of names in some madame's little black book?

There's nothing of any consequence to ignore here.

[kabar]

Bravo!!!

[Bainbridge]

This man is certainly no conservative.
A classic Big industry ,mainline institution bigwig
to the core.

[ryan71]

I wish the whole damned liberal State Department would resign.

[mewzilla]

I just went over and took a look at some of the left-wing blog sites. They're ranting about hypocrisy and salivating at the scandal. I'm wondering where all this righteous indignation was during the Toon admin. The lefties think it's okay when 'Rats act like degenerates, but not okay when Pubbies do? The hypocrisy bugs 'em, but the degeneracy don't? Okaaaay......

I say a pox on degenerates of both parties. DC is a cesspool in dire need of draining.

[Former Proud Canadian]

He told the network that there was no sex involved.

Biggest laugh of the day.

[LibKill]

He told the network that there was no sex involved.

ROTFLOL! He's as guilty as a preacher caught in a cathouse.

[SmoothTalker]

“But seriously, prostitution that is conducted behind closed doors should be legal.”

As a libertarian I agree.

[SmoothTalker]

“He told the network that there was no sex involved.”

Depends on what the meaning of “involved” is.

[dsc]

“We have to understand we are living in very dark times.”

Some people try to say that it is only the instantaneous transmission of news around the world that makes it seem so, but I think things really are worse than they used to be — and worsening at an accelerating pace.

“We may be in the end times.”

Who can say? However, things have been bad before.

[Fudd Fan]

Absolutely. I’d be willing to bet that his guy is a leftover clintonista. It seems they’re stretching it to call him an administration official.

[headstamp]

“ABC reported on its Web site that Tobias, 65, said Thursday that he had used Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s escort service “to have gals come over to the condo to give me a massage.” He told the network that there was no sex involved.”

Chortle

[LongElegantLegs]

At least he had the decency to step down himself, instead of defiantly waiting for an investigation or fighting tooth and nail to keep his post.

[M203M4]

The only unfortunate thing about this is that the DC madame did not sell the Democrat names to Fox News and the Republican names to ABC. A purge would be nice. Of course, she is hoping that well-placed people on her list will pull some strings to get her out of legal hot water - thus, her primary targets, conveniently dovetailing with the roster of her primary ideological foes, are Republicans.

While I think prostitution should be legal, one should not be free from the public consequences of it. There is something delicious about hypocrites especially getting burned.

[commonguymd]

What is wrong with these people? At least he resigned.

[cgbg]

In his prior job (involving AIDS) the guy had a serious conflict of interest in my opinion. I am sure it was not a legal conflict--but it was real nonetheless.

The pharma industry has been one of the major forces pushing the AIDS hype (without discussing the behavior that causes the disease) for a couple of decades now. Their goal has been to get the government to pay for their drugs--pure and simple.

His goal in his prior job was to get the government to pay for their drugs abroad.

Good riddance to this guy.

[cgbg]

Who can say? However, things have been bad before.

Caligula's Rome comes to mind. :-)

[RightWhale]

there was no sex involved

'All actresses, your Honor. Off Broadway.'