CREW Files Bar Complaint Against Sen. Vitter

[XXXMADAM]

Source: CREW

29 Sep 2009

Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a bar complaint with the Louisiana Office of Disciplinary Counsel against Senator David Vitter (R-LA) for violating Louisiana’s rules of professional conduct for lawyers.

In 2007, it was revealed that Sen. Vitter’s telephone number was included in the so-called “D.C. Madam,” Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s, list of client telephone numbers. The senator confirmed he had sought Ms. Palfrey’s services, saying in a statement, “this was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible.” Two other women also alleged Sen. Vitter had engaged the services of prostitutes. Jeanette Maier, the “Canal Street Madam,” claimed Sen. Vitter visited the New Orleans brothel several times in the mid-1990s. In addition, a woman who worked as a prostitute under the name of Wendy Cortez said Sen. Vitter was a regular client of hers between July and November 1999.

Under D.C. and Louisiana law, it is a crime to solicit for prostitution. CREW filed a complaint against Sen. Vitter with the Senate Ethics Committee, which dismissed the matter without action in September 2008.

Louisiana Rule of Professional Conduct 8.4(b) provides it is professional misconduct for a lawyer to “commit a criminal act especially one that reflects adversely on the lawyer's honesty, trustworthiness or fitness as a lawyer in other respects.” By repeatedly committing the crime of soliciting for prostitution, Sen. Vitter violated the rules of professional conduct for lawyers and should be investigated and disciplined for his misconduct.

CREW executive director Melanie Sloan stated, “Sen. Vitter’s zeal to see ACORN criminally investigated for offering advice in setting up a prostitution ring reminded me he has yet to be held accountable for his own role in a prostitution ring. While ACORN’s conduct is indefensible, so is Sen. Vitter’s and what is good for the goose is good for the gander.”

13 former prostitutes were forced to testify at the trial of the DC Madam, who committed suicide shortly after her conviction. Sloan noted that one, a former Navy supply officer and Naval Academy instructor, lost her job because the Navy requires those who serve “to adhere to a standard of conduct that reflects the Navy’s values of honor, courage and commitment.” Sloan said, “It is a shame the Senate has no such standard of conduct. It will be interesting to see what sort of standard the Louisiana Disciplinary Board chooses to apply.”

Read CREW’s bar complaint and exhibits in the Related Documents section on the right.

Read more: http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/42528

[XXXMADAM]

1. Hooker Hypocrisy?

http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/42533

29 Sep 2009 //

If Louisiana GOP Sen. David Vitter wants criminal probes of embattled community activist group ACORN for dealing with a phony hooker ring, then maybe he should be investigated for dealing with a real one, argues Citizens for Responsible Ethics in Washington.

In a complaint filed with the Louisiana state bar officials, where Vitter is admitted, CREW says that Vitter admitted dealings with the DC Madam, and that other prostitutes claim he’s called them. They want an investigation.

“Sen. Vitter’s zeal to see ACORN criminally investigated for offering advice in setting up a prostitution ring reminded me he has yet to be held accountable for his own role in a prostitution ring,” said CREW leader Melanie Sloan. “While ACORN’s conduct is indefensible, so is Sen. Vitter’s and what is good for the goose is good for the gander.”

Vitter spokesman Joel DiGardo says CREW is just trying to take the spotlight off ACORN and Democrats.

“It’s no surprise that CREW, an organization run by a former Democratic Senate staffer, is trying to do anything possible to shift the light off the fact that ACORN has stood hand in hand with the Democratic Party for a long time as it misused taxpayer dollars,” DiGardo said.

It is true that Sloan is a former Democratic Senate staffer. It is also true that more than half her organization’s top-15 list of the most corrupt members of Congress is composed of Democrats.

- Michael McAuliff

[DainBramaged]

2. Rethuglican Freepturds can fuck horses and get away scott free

Clinton got blow job and was impeached. There is NO justice for these fucks.

[apnu]

3. Go get him CREW!!! (hey can someone pass the popcorn?) (nt)

[sasquatch]

4. Take that, diaper Dave

[BOSSHOG]

5. Predictable response from the hooker customer's spokesperson

Allow me to paraphrase. CREW is just a bunch of fucking lunatic American Hating liberals. David Vitter is an honorable man who literally emits family values. He was just trying to financially assist the Lady's organization and got tricked into a very sad situation. So fuck all you liberals, we know the dumbasses in Louisiana will reelect David even if he is caught in bed with a dead boy.

[Hubert Flottz]

7. I don't know what people expect Dave to do...

he already jumped in his own shit!

[Bozita]

6. Recommended with enthusiasm

[Janice325]

8. Happy to k&r.

Diaper Dave is such a f**king, hypocrital scumbag. I hope CREW can make a difference.

[jeremyfive]

9. Why is Scumbag David Vitter still in Washington?

David Vitter very obviously violated all his legal oaths--and very publicly, too.

Why, the GOP throws out a men's room toe-tapper in a heartbeat, but they allow this prostitute's john to just continue on as if nothing happened, dragging down the good name of the country in the process. Vitter knows how to screw America, as well as "the girls".

Despicable. Disgusting. I'm no prude, but Vitter violated his oaths, was a public scandal and fiasco, . . .

. . . yet this grinning prostitute's john continues to serve in our Congress as though he were an honorable gentleman.

Maybe that's honorable in Louisiana, but the rest of the US finds this appalling. This complaint is a very welcome one.

Vitter in 2010: "Want fries with dat?"

[Mr. Sparkle]

10. lol, snap

[funkybutt]

11. "what is good for the goose is good for the gander.” n/t

[KamaAina]

12. This Vitter thread brought to you by...

[Time for change]

13. I'm glad to see Vitter being held to account

But I don't like the phrase "While ACORN’s conduct is indefensible... ". ACORN does not promote prostitution. If some of its employees acted badly (and we don't know the full story on that yet), that doesn't make it correct to say that ACORN's conduct is indefensible, any more than it makes sense to say that the U.S. Senate's conduct is indefensible because of what Vitter did.

ACORN, like almost any other organization, has had some employees who have done things that are wrong. But unlike the Bush administration or Blackwater or many other organizations, when they've discovered wrongdoing they've reported it to the relevent authorities and cooperated with them their investigations.

[No Elephants]

17. My reaction, too. Vitter knew exactly what he was doing. There is no evidence ACORN knew what

those employees were doing.

[Piewhacket]

14. lol

[glowing]

15. You know Ms. Palfrey was suicided when she came down to FL.

[Javaman]

16. Timing is everything...

didn't vitter. the diaper man, say something about maybe running for prez?

All people have to do is bring pampers to anyone of his speech's to finish this guy now.

LOL

[rocktivity]

18. What Vitter did do, renege on his promise

to pay his for crew's drinks?


rocktivity