I'll have some commentary on these new revelations shortly. Stay tuned.
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Update: This story obviously supports Chris Tidmore's original reporting in a big way. Vitter was a regular client of Wendy Cortez for many months. She says the relationship was purely business, but her former boyfriend, Tait, thinks otherwise. According to the article, the former boyfriend says Cortez had a photo of her in a bikini standing next to Vitter. "She had her hand on his crotch" and "they were smiling".
Think how dangerous such an image might be if it fell into the hands of people or organizations who wished to blackmail Senator Vitter. Beyond being a known prostitute, Cortez had a long criminal record. For example, according to the T-P's court research, Cortez was arrested in New Orleans during October 1997 and charged with theft of more than $500. The case was dropped in 1998. According to Tidmore, Cortez met Vitter "through a friend". A mutual friend? And was Vitter regularly doing business with Cortez when her theft case was dropped?
The T-P article continues
Cortez identified a photo of the woman who adopted his name and described the location of the Mid-City brothel where he said he'd been to pick her up when she worked there. A family member also confirmed the photo. [Jeanette Maier], the madam, said the photo was not the woman she knew as Wendy Cortez.
So, Wendy Cortez was a working girl in the French Quarter as well as in the Canal Street brothel, but the Canal Street Madam says that she isn't the woman she knows as Wendy Cortez. How does that make sense? Is Maier saying that there's another Wendy Cortez that worked at Canal and pampered Vitter (so to speak)? That strains credulity. In my opinion, this is one of many claims Jeanette Maier has made in recent print and radio interviews that doesn't fit well with what I know about the matter. There's so many prostitutes and madams and venues and claims and rumors in this story, that I suppose confusion was inevitable.
Which brings us to the response from Vitter's office. Here's a quote from the T-P article interspersed with my commentary:
On Thursday, The Times-Picayune asked Vitter's office whether he had ever hired a prostitute or knew Wendy Cortez. In response, his office issued a statement that referenced his Monday apology regarding the Washington escort service and reiterated that he was not implicated in a federal investigation that led to the closing of a Canal Street brothel in 2001.
"Senator Vitter was very honest and direct in his statement on Monday.
No, Vitter's statement was not direct. It was brief and vague and answered no specific questions about his conduct in D.C.. To use that statement as a response to reports about claims made by a former New Orleans prostitute-- which Vitter has previously and publicly denied-- only raises more questions than it answers. Why doesn't Vitter deny the claims made by Wendy Cortez, and her ex-boyfriend, which confirm Chris Tidmore's original reporting? Are we left to assume that the "serious sin" he apologized for encompasses a pattern of (criminal) behavior?
"Unfortunately, that has resulted in political enemies and those looking to profit from the situation shopping all sorts of false stories.This seems to be directed at Jeanette Meier, the Canal Street Madam, as well as Chris Tidmore, Vincent Bruno and perhaps also bloggers like myself who have reported scandalous details about this ever-growing story.
"Four different lawyers in the Canal Street matter, including the lead defense attorney and the U.S. attorney, have confirmed Senator Vitter had nothing to do with the operation in any way. But sadly the media insists on being completely irresponsible and continues to report rumors and false accusations,'' said Joel DiGrado, a Vitter spokesperson.Well, the lawyers said Vitter's name never came up in the investigation into the Canal Street matter, but that doesn't necessarily confirm that Vitter was never a client of the Canal Street Madam's "operation".
DiGrado said that Vitter is spending important time with his family and soon will return to work in the U.S. Senate.
Last night I heard from a knowledgable source that Vitter is in the New Orleans area with his family, and that he is "contemplating his political future". Other rumors swirled around town yesterday that Vitter had been hospitalized. Some of these came from remarkably well-placed sources, but last night I was told they were false by a knowledgable source I trust. That's good news.
The bottom line in that statement from Vitter's spokesperson is that Vitter is not directly denying questions about Wendy Cortez, as he has done so in the past. He remains here, and avoids telling his side of the story while more and more revelations surface and while hearings, meetings and votes are taking place on Capitol Hill.(Update: Apparently Vitter plans to return to the Senate on Tuesday. The T-P also reported that the D.C. Madam's service called Vitter twice during House roll call votes in which he participated.)
I'm sure I'll update this later with more commentary. (Some minor edits to this post have been made for clarity.)
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Labels: Vitty-cent
