[Mr. Bird]

I don't know, you would have to ask the attorney. If the client's name and number appeared in the DC Madame's phone records, it doesn't prove anything other than a phone call occurred. If it was innocent or lawful, I would think that ABC may be risking a defamation or libel suit.

Only if ABC reported that the names on the list had done something untoward. If they were to simply report the names on the list (as gathered through the FOIA), no harm no foul. I would tend to believe (at this point) that the decision was due to the lack of players on the list.

I assume (yeah, yeah, never assume) anyone here is free to plow through the records and report out; how could ABC or any other venue get exclusivity?

[mware]

If the client's name and number appeared in the DC Madame's phone records, it doesn't prove anything other than a phone call occurred. If it was innocent or lawful, I would think that ABC may be risking a defamation or libel suit.

Actually I think you have the reason they did not release the names. On Friday during the special they mentioned that they called a member of a conservative think tank several times because his number was on the list. The guy insisted he was not one of the clients.

When they checked the numbers again they found the same number, with a different area code. Apparently the dc madam got the area codes mixed up.

ABC only has to be wrong once for them to get a major libel suit.

[Jack Black]

I assume (yeah, yeah, never assume) anyone here is free to plow through the records and report out; how could ABC or any other venue get exclusivity?

No, they are not in the public domain. The madam turned them (phone records) over to ABC News.

[TommyDale]

"Only if ABC reported that the names on the list had done something untoward."

Hasn't that been the story all along, that the Madame had been running a prostitution ring, and all these "Johns" were going to be exposed? That has been the gist of the story from the beginning. I think the attorney called their bluff and they backed down like the cowards they are. The attorney may have even had the names of ABC personnel that had been clients.