I know I've been absent for a while here on AZ but I have good reason. Fact is, I've been diligently chasing down a story I originally started working on five years ago. This week, my odyssey has finally led me to a story I feel confident in publishing.
Since 2010, I’ve researched accusations levied against Senator David Vitter that he solicited prostitutes here in Louisiana. He categorically denied the allegation in his press conference on July 16, 2007, stating "...like those New Orleans stories in recent reporting... those stories are NOT TRUE" .
One the main reasons the story interests me is not just the hyprocrisy but Vitter’s relationship with the Louisiana Family Forum, a very powerful state lobbying organization that promotes a “family values” religious agenda. In fact, the President of the LFF, Gene Mills, absolved Vitter of his alleged sins during the 2007 scandal, claiming the Senator had repented and "sought forgiveness, reconciliation and counseling". Shortly after that, Vitter earmarked $100,000 in a federal spending bill to the LFF but that earmark eventually failed to make it through.
The truth is, Senator Vitter has not reconciled anything because he never really admitted to anything specifc. My goal was to find out exactly what Mr. Vitter was alluding to when he said he had committed serious sins in his 2007 press conference.
The Ghosts
Since 2010, I’ve researched accusations levied against Senator David Vitter that he solicited prostitutes here in Louisiana. He categorically denied the allegation in his press conference on July 16, 2007, stating "...like those New Orleans stories in recent reporting... those stories are NOT TRUE" .
One the main reasons the story interests me is not just the hyprocrisy but Vitter’s relationship with the Louisiana Family Forum, a very powerful state lobbying organization that promotes a “family values” religious agenda. In fact, the President of the LFF, Gene Mills, absolved Vitter of his alleged sins during the 2007 scandal, claiming the Senator had repented and "sought forgiveness, reconciliation and counseling". Shortly after that, Vitter earmarked $100,000 in a federal spending bill to the LFF but that earmark eventually failed to make it through.
The truth is, Senator Vitter has not reconciled anything because he never really admitted to anything specifc. My goal was to find out exactly what Mr. Vitter was alluding to when he said he had committed serious sins in his 2007 press conference.
The Ghosts
Most of the leads I chased for the past five years proved fruitless. The most prevalent involved a prostitute named "London Rayne" who I made contact with back in 2010. The rumor was that Vitter had not only solicited London Rayne but sired a child by her. At the time she denied the allegations to me and still does to this day. I've stayed in contact with her the entire time.
There was another story published by the New York Daily News associating a woman named Paula Neeble with David Vitter during the D.C. Madame scandal. That particular post has since been removed but I spoke with Neeble on the phone about three months ago and she, too, denied any contact with the Senator, claiming the New York Daily News story was bogus and that she never met the man.
A third story that surfaced on Gawker revolved around a young Louisiana woman who had exchanged tweets with someone on the Senator's Twitter site. The story speculated that the young woman may have been flirting with Vitter himself. Recently, this young woman also denied any contact with David Vitter.
I don't like listing these women's names because their lives are dramatically affected by the media exposure. In the case of Neeble, I don't mind mentioning her name as she was forced to change it due to the fallout from the New York Daily News stories.
I find it funny that in these scandals usually it's only the women who suffer while the male politicians are able to endure. Perhaps that says something about our society.
The Skeletons
I don't like listing these women's names because their lives are dramatically affected by the media exposure. In the case of Neeble, I don't mind mentioning her name as she was forced to change it due to the fallout from the New York Daily News stories.
I find it funny that in these scandals usually it's only the women who suffer while the male politicians are able to endure. Perhaps that says something about our society.
The Skeletons
About two months ago I was ready to write a post that dismissed all of these rumors and be done with the whole thing.
Then...a new lead came up.
That single lead led me down a rabbit hole of information I am still trying to unravel. It's been a hell of a roller coaster ride but this week I was able to find a source that agreed to go on the record with me. I conducted a video interview with her on October 13th, 2015.
I am publishing the interview today but I wanted to add a little background.
I give you "Wendy"....
Then...a new lead came up.
That single lead led me down a rabbit hole of information I am still trying to unravel. It's been a hell of a roller coaster ride but this week I was able to find a source that agreed to go on the record with me. I conducted a video interview with her on October 13th, 2015.
I am publishing the interview today but I wanted to add a little background.
I give you "Wendy"....
1 comment:
Impressive hypocrisy even by the standards of Louisiana politics. Thanks for pursuing this one Jason.
I saw Clancy DuBos' Gambit article covering this piece, but since yesterday it's been deleted. Has there been pushback from Vitter's people since you posted this?
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