Dusty Can't Catch a Break

This is more of an update on the ongoing saga of bribery and hookers that swept Randy "Duke" Cunningham out of power and ensnared officials from the CIA in a sordid case of indiscretion and corruption, all of it linked to Brent Wilkes.Next time, perhaps these guys should call Paul Wolfowitz and ask him how it went for him when he lined up a great job for his gal pal:

[A] new indictment against Kyle "Dusty" Foggo, a former No. 3 official at the spy agency and a onetime senior CIA ethics officer, alleges that he pressured CIA managers into hiring the woman after she was turned down for a position in the CIA's general counsel office. He also allegedly made false statements about her qualifications, the indictment states.

Foggo, the CIA's executive director from 2004 to 2006, specifically told agency officials he had a "special interest" in seeing the woman hired, and he later berated them when they initially rejected her application. "When the ExDir has a special interest, you had better take notice," Foggo told the general counsel's staff, according to an indictment filed late Tuesday by the U.S. attorney's office in Alexandria.

Federal prosecutors say Foggo's alleged intervention on behalf of the woman was but one of a series of successful efforts by him to manipulate the intelligence agency, many of which went undetected for a time by its spies. Foggo managed to win jobs, money and other favors for friends and business partners while concealing the nature of his relationships from the agency, Justice Department officials allege in court documents.

Foggo, hired to the No. 3 position by then-CIA Director Porter Goss, faces charges of fraud, conspiracy and conflict of interest stemming mostly from alleged favors he performed for California businessman Brent R. Wilkes, a childhood friend and prominent GOP fundraiser.

You have to wonder if Foggo's girlfriend knew about the hookers:

In addition, federal law enforcement sources said the probe continues into "outstanding issues" in the Cunningham bribery case and that Foggo is part of those issues.

After reports surfaced last week alleging Wilkes provided Cunningham with limousines and prostitutes at two Washington hotels, Foggo said he had attended poker parties thrown by Wilkes there.

In a statement issued by the CIA, Foggo said he never saw anything "untoward" at the games, and he said any allegation to the contrary would be "false, outrageous and irresponsible."

"If he attended occasional card games with friends over the years, Mr. Foggo insists they were that and nothing more," the spokeswoman said.

The FBI is investigating allegations that Wilkes contracted with a Virginia company, Shirlington Limousine and Transportation Inc., to procure prostitutes for Cunningham and deliver them to the hotels.

Through his attorneys, Chris Baker, CEO of the company, denied wrongdoing.

Shirlington holds a $21.2 million contract to provide shuttle buses and other transportation for the Department of Homeland Security. Baker has a criminal record that includes two felony convictions and a number of misdemeanors.

And now you know why the "DC Madam" is dead. But you already knew that all of these things were connected, right?

DC Madam Commits Suicide

Palfrey apparently kills herself:

Florida authorities confirmed that Deborah Jeane Palfrey, convicted of running a high-end prostitution ring in Washington, is dead in a suspected suicide, NBC News reported.

The body of the 52-year-old woman was found in a shed near her mother's mobile home Thursday morning in Tarpon Springs, about 20 miles northwest of Tampa. Police said in a statement that she left a suicide note, but they did not disclose its contents or how she killed herself.

Police did not immediately have additional comment when reached by telephone. Her attorney, Preston Burton, did not return a telephone call and e-mail message.

Palfrey, known as the "D.C. Madam," was convicted April 15 by a federal jury of running a prostitution service that catered to members of Washington's political elite, including Sen. David Vitter, R-La. She had denied her escort service engaged in prostitution, saying that if any of the women engaged in sex acts for money, they did so without her knowledge.

I can't help but be a little skeptical, though:

Brandy Britton was a professor at the University of Maryland, with a Ph.D. in sociology when she started to work as a call girl for the D.C. Madam.

Jeane Palfrey: This is a woman who was divorced, who was trying to raise two, ah, high-school children, college-age children. Great job title, the great position, all the respect in the world, but she wasn't making enough money. So she decided to do a little moonlighting.

Last October, as the investigation into the D.C. Madam was gaining steam, Professor Britton was arrested by local police on prostitution charges, making big headlines in Baltimore.

Jeane Palfrey: And she was publicly outed, is a good way to put it, she was absolutely humiliated. Ah, she couldn't take the humiliation. Her whole life was destroyed. And she, she just, ah, ultimately committed suicide.

Jeane Palfrey says she's been humiliated too, but she won't let the government bring her down without a fight.

Jeane Palfrey: I just keep my head high. I guess I'm made of something that Brandy Britton wasn't made of. You know, I, I've got something in me. What that is, it's, it can't be defined, but there's something in me that won't let 'em get away with it. And I'm not going to let these bastards get away with it.

Sound like someone who would kill herself?

Palfrey Convicted on All Counts

A very angry woman? Looking for possible revenge?

A federal jury has convicted Deborah Jeane Palfrey of running a high-end prostitution ring whose clients included members of Washington's political elite.

Palfrey was found guilty Tuesday of racketeering and money laundering.

Palfrey repeatedly denied that the escort service she ran for 13 years, Pamela Martin & Associates, engaged in prostitution. She said if any of the women engaged in sex acts for money, they did so without her knowledge.

Palfrey caused a sensation last year when she announced that to raise money for her defense, she intended to sell her phone records to any news outlet willing to pay.

Sounds like someone might start talking now that Palfrey is facing serious penalties. I honestly don't think we've heard a fraction of the real story about why she was prosecuted in such a zealous manner. I've long argued that her client list contained the names of people with high security clearances, and that makes the story a national security issue, not a sex and gossip story that should have been pursued differently; as in, OK Ms Palfrey--you now have full immunity. Let's have a clear, open and honest look at your clients and let's see who they are so we can revoke or suspend their security clearances and get to the bottom of what went on here.

I mean, if club-hopping arms-dealing Eurotrash gets a reprieve from having to testify before Congress after screwing the taxpayer out of several hundred million dollars, how do you justify going after Palfrey like this?

It isn't the sex, or even the corruption - it's the hypocrisy

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

Whatever, Senator. However you want to try to spin it, it boils down to this:

Yet another powerful, influential man who sits on a committee that deals with issues arising from sex trafficking – has been caught consorting with hookers.

Add this unseemly business to the cloud of suspicion that was already hanging over his head after his less-than-kosher associations with the disgraced lobbyist and convict Jack Abramoff.

In 2003, Vitter attended a fundraiser hosted by Abramoff. Two months after the event, Vitter inserted a provision into an Interior Department funding bill that was favorable to one of Abramoff’s clients, the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, at the expense of the Jena Choctaw tribe – also his constituents. The provision that Vitter slipped in barred the Jena Choctaw from opening a casino that would have competed with the casino owned and operated by Abramoff’s clients, the Coushatta. Vitter has previously confessed to working with lawyers from Abramoffs firm, Greenberg Traurig, in drafting the legislative language for the provision.

This man has proven himself not fit to serve in the position he holds. He should, for the sake of the institution, resign immediately.

I have said from the very beginning that this is not about sex. It is much deeper than that. The sex is just the part that gets the American public in a tizzy. So bless their little hearts. If it takes tits and titillation to get the American people to pay attention to something, well, so be it. I would be tickled pink if people got as excited about bad policy and bad politics as they do bad behavior, but unfortunately, they don’t. So what the hell? We’ll take what we can get so long as light keeps shining in dark corners.

One last thing - if Brian Ross of ABC News knew that a sitting senator was on that list, and he backed off on the story...He should resign in disgrace, too.

UPDATE: About that resignation I think he ought to have the courage to submit...In 1998, he agreed. Think Progress has dug up this quote from the Clinton impeachment era: “I think Livingston’s stepping down makes a very powerful argument that Clinton should resign as well and move beyond this mess,” he said. [Atlanta Journal and Constitution, 12/20/98]

I have some questions...

[UPDATE Below]

I am sitting over here, on the left side of a red state, furiously looking for answers to seemingly vital questions that no one is bothering to ask. This is irritating me to no end.

I don’t care about the sexual aspect of the DC Madam scandal.

I care about the National Security aspect.

Doesn’t anyone else see any parallels with the Profumo Affair? Except the American production features multiple Profumos! Deputy Secretary of State getting massages in his home from $300 escorts and "central american gals" is a big deal and reason for concern.

The war planner that authored the “Shock & Awe” strategy has been named. Multiple Pentagon officers and high level officials have been alluded to. ABC news reportedly has the phone records. It is the responsibility of the national press as a constitutionally protected check against government abuses to reveal this information.

This is absolutely a matter of National Security.

I have a couple of questions for the State Department and the Pentagon.

--What are you doing to ensure national security?

--What is the status of these individuals with regard to their respective clearances and access to secrets?

I am speaking as someone who knows a little something about security clearance protocol. If an Airman from Whiteman AFB gets busted with a hooker on Troost, he ain’t goin’ to complex anymore.

So why are these people, with the highest level access – who actually do the war planning!!! – still on their jobs given the nature of these allegations?

I guess I have a question for the mainstream media too…

Where the hell is the National Security beat? Why is this question not being asked by them?

UPDATE: Dana Milbank at the WaPo has an interesting gossip column take on the case. Yet still no one is asking the hard National Security questions.

[Cross-posted from Watching Those We Chose]