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D.C. Madam Seeking Subpoenas for ABC News' Brian Ross and Others
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ShareSeptember 12, 2007 2:07 PM
The D.C. Madam wants a date with ABC News reporter Brian Ross -- in court.
Facing racketeering charges related to allegations of running a prostitution ring, a lawyer for Deborah Jeane Palfrey has asked a federal judge to issue a subpoena to compel Ross and other prominent figures to testify at her trial.
Earlier this year, Ross and his investigative team were the first to review a portion of phone records from Palfrey's "sexual fantasy service," Pamela Martin and Associates.
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In a new filing, Palfrey's lawyer Montgomery Blair Sibley also requested subpoenas for Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Cindy Adams, the renowned New York Post gossip columnist.
In an e-mail to reporters Wednesday, Sibley explained he believes Palfrey is the victim of a politically motivated prosecution.
He would like Ross to testify, he wrote, because "the very real specter exists that political pressure was placed on ABC News to 'bury'" names of prominent individuals it found among her phone records.
ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross dismissed the allegations.
"Our decisions regarding what we reported were based solely on what we considered to be newsworthy," said Ross.
Leahy should testify, Sibley said, so he can explain his statements that the Justice Department under President Bush has "allowed our justice system to be corrupted by political influence." Leahy is chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which oversees the Justice Department.
"As chairman, he gets some awfully wacky requests, but this one might make it into the top ten," said a spokesperson for the senator late Wednesday.
Earlier this year, ABC News received a portion of Palfrey's phone records showing more than 30,000 calls made from her business phone number from 2002 through 2006. Ross aired his report on Palfrey in May, identifying former U.S. Agency for International Development chief Randall Tobias as a client of Palfrey's firm. Tobias resigned prior to the story's airing.
Since then, Palfrey has made available to the public phone records covering what she says is her entire period of operation, from 1993 to late 2006. To date, a number belonging to one more prominent American, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., has been identified among her records. In response, Vitter issued a public apology for having "sinned."
A spokesperson for Cindy Adams did not immediately return calls requesting a comment.
This post has been updated.
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September 12, 2007 in D.C. Madam Affair | Permalink | User Comments (7)
Oh cool, I have been waiting for the moment when our lawyer brigade would start mining the trough that the bushbaby cheeny packer club brought to the forefront of our bedrock existence, jurisprudence. The JUST IS department should have a word about this, Miss Prudence, EH??????
Posted by: daddy | Sep 12, 2007 3:25:58 PM
This is nothing, look up "Conspiracy of Silence", this is misdirection and child's play. The reality of where this road truly leads is much, much worse!!!
Posted by: R | Sep 12, 2007 3:48:01 PM
Isn't it safe to assume that ABC news should expect to be called since they willingly accepted the list to the exclusion of everyone else? Or, do they think it was given to them out of the goodness of one's heart for for purposes of their sole exploitation?
Posted by: Surelock Homes | Sep 12, 2007 6:35:59 PM
I would like to know why the Jena 6 case in LA isnt recieving any media attention. The Duke lacross case was on the news for a year. I would like ABC to assist with bringing some more attention to the case there are over 60 thousand people going to Jena LA to protest on 09/20/07.
Posted by: tracy | Sep 13, 2007 5:05:31 AM
The republicans scandals go on and on and on. Sex and money, their first love. By the time all of this is done, their focus on Clinton and Monica seems like a church act. The one on the gay suicide/murder that happened down south involving some prominent republicans should really rock their boats which is now starting to appear on a lot of blogs & if it starts getting prominent status. Don't know much on it yet.
Posted by: Bacchus | Sep 13, 2007 8:36:25 AM
Funny as hell! I bet there are many, many high profile people shaking in their boots over that list of phone numbers. It just makes me laugh out loud when all these bible thumping hypocrites turn out to be the primary perverts and sexual weirdos they condemn so readily in their everyday lives. I'm looking forward to seeing more names!
Posted by: H Michael Hawkins | Sep 13, 2007 6:54:45 PM
Up until 1982 I was a 3 times a week Southern Baptist. In the last 25 years I can not believe what has happened to every thing I believed was good about my religion and my country. There is no taking care of government business(education,infrastructure,safety and security of it's citizens)just pious talk on stuff that is not government business nor does it improve the lives of 90% of our citizens.
All goodness and caring for the needs of the flock have gone out of the churches to build bigger churches and lobby the Congress for what will get votes because people are ignorant.There are 2 institutions to designed for prayer and teaching faith- the home and the church. Let's go back to Founding Fathers basics and leave peoples sex lives to their spouses, health care professionals, or the police depending what is appropriate!! My great grandchildren will pay for this mess of the last 7 years.
Posted by: Peggy Benton | Sep 14, 2007 3:13:45 AM
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