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.

[deport]

What’s the difference between Vitter denying he had sex outside his marriage several times and President Clinton denying he had sex outside his marriage several times?

---

Nothing except and if one was consensual and the other wasn’t........ Vitter’s appears to be consensual was all of Clinton’s likewise?

[Zack Nguyen]

Why? He votes the right way. I’d prefer a sinner who opposes baby killing than a sanctimonious pr*ck who supports mass slaughter.

I disagree with your thinking here. As I said in a previous post, if Senator Vitter was telling the truth about this being past behavior, and has sought forgiveness, then I would not stop supporting him if I lived in Louisiana.

However, your statement about is too similar to the feminists allowing Bill Clinton to grope all the women he wants because he is pro-choice in his politics. So in my view no matter what a politician stands for we should demand high stabdards of personal character.

[TornadoAlley3]

I never said I did not object to it. I am just not throwing him under the bus for it.

[Osage Orange]

Because he’s a Republican.............

[TornadoAlley3]

You are wrong, I am not angry. This man made a big mistake, BEFORE he ran for senate. The list is 13 years old. He admitted it, his wife has forgiven him. He has done a great job in the senate.

What are you talking about legalize? My point was all sin is wrong, but God forgives all sin and so should we.

I respect your right to disagree.

[DreamsofPolycarp]

That picture is the most tragic thing I have seen today, and fills me with deep sadness, when I see those children. Four little ones whose respect for their daddy is snuffed out, and who will grow up angry, with a perverted view of who and what men are (the girls), or a hatred of his dad for what he did to his mom (the little boy). I have seen this in kids so, so many times over the last 20 years or so, as I have watched men whom I know make the most dumbassed decisions imaginable. At age 52, now that my own motor will rev, but no longer spontaneously races like an alcohol burning funny car straining at the chrismas tree at the dragstrip, I can see this whole thing thru different eyes. Earlier, I believed the wisdom of Proverbs in the first 7 chapters, with its repeated instructions to young men about sex...., now I see the results, and why the wise man harped on and on about it. Vitter is just one more fool who has (repeatedly, this ain't the first time)traded a roll in the hay for love, respect, contentment, and a bliss that comes from mutual trust and commitment.

The political ramifications are the LEAST of the damage here, and they alone will sink this guy's career.

[Bainbridge]

I am not throwing him under any bus.
I am stating that to pursue the position of US Senator knowing that this is out there to destroy you is evidence of a massive ego and an obvious disregard for his family.
He was not satisfied to live a life that would have allowed him to “put this behind him” He had to be in the spotlight, with the enemy gunning for him KNOWING that this could be used.
He made his choice and now his wife, CHILDREN, and to a lesser extent, his supporters are having to weather this.
He will not triumph over this.

[Osage Orange]

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

Ahhhh....the Clinton defense.

Out of context...though. That scripture doesn't/didn't mean we are not to point out sin.

Tah!

[Sloth]

I'd guess that with his talk about God and sin, this guy Vitter is publicly and fervently opposed to prostitution - if so, he's a hypocrite of the first rank.

He may very well be a hypocrite, but I disagree with your understanding of the word.

[the anti-liberal]

"Nope, an R with a pretty conservative record to boot."

I find it very telling that this R is taking responsibility for his own actions. Just try to imagine a D doing that..

[JohnnyZ]

Most of the married people I know are faithful to their spouse. The few that drifted did so in somewhat a spontaneous way. I don't know anyone who called a prostitute to get their jollies.

If they had, would they have told you?

I'm not trying to debase moral standards, but the fact is that adultery is and has always been a very, very popular sin.

And I don't know that paying a woman for sex is as bad as having a 'lover'. Emotional estrangement would be more serious in terms of hurting one's marriage. Obviously both are very bad.

[TornadoAlley3]

I do not judge a book by one chapter, and I do not think his marriage or his career is over. His wife knew about this BEFORE he ran for senate. They certainly knew this could be made public.

[AU72]

The difference between Republicans and Democrats is that Republicans feel shame and the Democrats have none.

15 years ago 2 Congressmen were sent up to the rostrum to be publicly reprimanded for having sex with an underage partner.

First up was a Republican from Illinois who had a brief fling with teenage girl. He faced the House members looking humiliated.

Next was Democrat Gerry Studds, who got a male page drunk then sodomized him. Cong. Studds turned his back on the House as his reprimand was read by the Chair.

[Do Be]

I’m certainly glad my final Judge will be a bit more merciful....

You mean you hope.

But in what way do you find that I am judging him, at all, much less without mercy.

All I did was ask a few questions. No where did I state that I thought it good or bad that he bangs anyone he wants, paid for or not. In fact, I specifically said "Does it matter to anyone, really, except his wife, himself and the prostitute(s)?"

If my questions made you uncomfortable, I can only speculate that it is because you have a horse in this race or that you or someone you know is using prostitutes. I do not want to know. It's none of my business. Just saying, that's all.

[tioga]

OOps. I was having an exchange with another poster about legalization of prostitution.

HOWEVER, I would be glad to forgive and forget if this happened prior to his marriage. I have a right to judge for myself whether or not to support a candidate who breaks his marriage vows. What else will he sell out if he will sell out his own family. It IS a serious issue for a lot of folks.

And an added point, Hillary has been forgiving as well as this guy’s wife. I will never support Hillary and/or Bill Clinton.

[Mr. Know It All]

This is not new news about Vitter. In 2003, he was contemplating a run for Governor of Louisiana when rumors of his "problems" surfaced. He publicly alluded to "personal issues" and that was that. It was enough, however, to kill his ambitions for Governor.

This is new news. This phone list just came out. The "personal problems" he was having in 2003 were, apparently a year-long relationship with a prostitute in Louisiana. After stepping out of the governor's race, he then went to Washington, where, apparently, he found a new hookup.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Right. Fox finds the first Republican on the list and does a story.

I’m sure there are no Dems on the list. /sarcasm

[Oliver Optic]

In my opinion, any Republican who confesses to any moral failure should be immediately thrown overboard.

That way we can be led by godless, anti-family Democrats who will spend 24/7 shoving perversion and moral relativism down our throats.

Uh ... on second thought ...

[Natchez Hawk]

The numbers were released on her website over the weekend...over the past three months as she has faced the threat of PRISON TIME the prosecution has sought to forbid her from publishing the list.

The prosecution’s request was denied Friday allowing for publication...it was then that Vitter “preemptively” took responsibility.

[Natchez Hawk]

It came up now because the information was released in the context of a trial which would impose a jail sentence on the ‘madam’—who by the way would not avoid prison by asking for ‘forgiveness.’