Sen. Vitter Apologizes for Number Showing Up on Phone Records of Alleged Prostitution Ring

FOXNews.com ^ | 10 July 2007

[Aussie Dasher]

WASHINGTON — Louisiana Sen. David Vitter apologized Monday for his telephone number showing up on the old phone records of Pamela Martin and Associates, the alleged prostitution ring run in the nation's capital by Deborah Jeane Palfrey.

"This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible," Vitter said in a statement.

"Several years ago, I asked for and received forgiveness from God and my wife in confession and marriage counseling. Out of respect for my family, I will keep my discussion of the matter there --with God and them. But I certainly offer my deep and sincere apologies to all I have disappointed and let down in any way," he wrote.

The acknowledgment from Vitter, a Republican who recently won praise from conservatives for his opposition to the immigration reform bill, comes days after U.S. District Court Judge Gladys Kessler lifted a restraining order, allowing Palfrey, 51, to distribute pages of phone records that she and her attorney said contains up to 15,000 names.

On Monday, she released the numbers on her Web site.

[LSUsoph]

God may choose to forgive him but I don’t. This loser is a disgrace to Louisiana (and I used to be a huge supporter).

[Dems_R_Losers]

Thank you!!! It is gratifying to see at least some people on this forum "get it." People who aspire to make or enforce laws that govern the rest of us should first and foremost have the self-control to govern themselves. I am a woman and therefore do not understand how any man could risk his career and reputation just for a few moments of sexual release. If sex is so important to you that you have to pay for it when you aren't getting enough of it from your wife, you should find another line of work so you can be with your wife every night. If it's the "thrill" of illicit sex that you cannot resist, you have bigger problems that are also not good in a person who is making laws for the whole nation.

My experience of being around many adulterous men in my career is that men who violate their marriage vows will violate other rules and laws, too. They come to believe that the rules simply do not apply to them, and the longer they get away with the adultery, the more it "adulterates" them and they think they can get away with anything. I worked with a few men in a previous Administration who ended up going to jail for bribery and other abuses of power, and every single one of them was also an adulterer. Bill Clinton is the ultimate example of this type of man. But David Vitter sounds to me like he is cut from the same cloth. Even worse in some ways, because as a Catholic he has committed a mortal sin by violating the sacrament of marriage.

[GreatOne]

Jesus wanted us to be judgmental-- maybe not to 'cast stones' at sinners, but certainly to rebuke them.

Excellent point. I was going to tell another poster to go back and read Matthew's Gospel again about judging others.

[GreatOne]

Major dittos.

Thank you.

[GreatOne]

Thank you. Excellent arguments. I, too, have been around elected officials (including my state's former Senator) who made a huge mess of their personal lives over having an affair. The very nature of politics invites this type of behavior through long working hours away from family and the adulation of supporters or political groupies. If one does not have a strong moral core, one is going to succumb to the temptations.

And what makes people think that failure in this area doesn't translate to failure in others? Haven't we had enough recent history to demonstrate the folly of thinking that "personal life does not affect public life"?

[TornadoAlley3]

Awww, you are disappointed, I could care less, you have your opinion and I have mine. If it differs from you stone throwers, so be it, but do not lecture me. A big difference in forgiving a man for what happened before he was elected and what liberals did with Clinton while he was in office. If you and others disagree with that, fine, you have a right to, as do the voters of Louisiana.

[Dems_R_Losers]

Exactly. I do have some sympathy for people who are married and fall in love with another person, or whose marriage falls apart due to distance and they seek companionship with another person they care about. It happens. But whoring around with prostitutes is another thing altogether, just as being serviced by interns in the Oval Office is.

[TornadoAlley3]

You certainly have the right and I respect that. I just disagree.

http://www.northsidejournal.com/

[RDTF]

yawn

[STARWISE]

Me, too! I thought he was one of the good guys. Damn.

THE LIST OF PALFREY PHONE BILLS

[mom4kittys]

I heard a few years ago that he may be connected to a mother/daughter brothel on Canal St. in New Orleans a few years back. It was quite shocking! How could he be so stupid?

[mom4kittys]

Exactly, such stupidity leaves someone like this open for blackmail.

[fishergirl]

No, he voted against the amnesty bill.

[fishergirl]

Thank you, I’ll be voting for him again, too.

[durasell]

I gotta tell you, I don’t care about a pol’s principles — mostly because I have no way of judging them. I don’t even care who a pol is poking. With my vote I’m hiring a guy to do a job and I’d like to hire the best guy.

[tioga]

While I respect your opinion and your support of Vitter, I find it ludicrous to think he is important enough to bother punishing over his immigration vote.

I have all dems - Clinton/Schumer and Maurice Hinchey in the House.......I envy other’s tarnished Republican Congressman, considering what I have.........however, if Vitter was my Congressman, come election time I would seriously consider someone else.

Is he YOUR Congressman?

[SE Mom]

Pretty sad. Vitter did such outstanding work on immigration- hate to learn about this side of him..

[TornadoAlley3]

While I respect your opinion and your support of Vitter, I find it ludicrous to think he is important enough to bother punishing over his immigration vote.

I have all dems - Clinton/Schumer and Maurice Hinchey in the House.......I envy other’s tarnished Republican Congressman, considering what I have.........however, if Vitter was my Congressman, come election time I would seriously consider someone else.

Is he YOUR Congressman?

No, Inhofe and Coburn, great Conservative voting records, and if it came to light they had done what Vitter did before they ran for senate, I would still support them. I would not be pleased about it mind you, but if it was in their past, they had stopped the behavior, as long as they do the job I sent them to do I would support them.

[tioga]

I hope Vitter has grown up and quit his bad ways.......I saw a reference to a mother/daughter brothel in New Orleans about him. I sincerly hope he is clean, so to speak, and this is in his past. If not he is doomed and we need all the solid conservative votes we can get.

[TornadoAlley3]

I agree. I also hope if he has quit, he does not resign. Dim wit Blanco Louisiana governor will appoint a Democrat to take his place for 3 years.