All's Fair ...

Published May 02 2007, 07:37 PM by Wendy Kaminer

        It may not be news that public officials sometimes use escort services and enjoy extra-marital perks; but a Washington D.C. madam (or, rather, alleged madam,) outing her clients is not the “non-story” that Harvey considers it. Hypocrisy among public officials is usually worth reporting, however unsurprising it may be. Personally, I want people to know when high ranking appointees in an Administration that advocates abstinence education and opposes family planning, sexually explicit speech, and prostitution are caught patronizing escort services.

        So, while I lament the anti-libertarian biases of our culture that support the Administration’s positions on sex and sexuality, (and the criminalization of prostitution,) I can’t summon up much sympathy for now disgraced, former deputy Secretary of State Randall Tobias. Before being appointed to his recent, late position in the State Department, Tobias was the Administration’s AIDS “czar,” and, as such, he advocated demonstrably ineffective abstinence strategies in the fight against AIDS, instead of striving to increase condom use. He also opposed prostitution. According to ABC News, he was responsible for enforcing Administration policy requiring recipients of AIDS funding “to swear they oppose prostitution and sex trafficking.” (You have to wonder if he signed a similar pledge or made similar assurances as the recipient of coveted political appointments; this is, after all, an Administration not averse to loyalty oaths.)

        Hypocrites are often cowards, and Tobias seems to be no exception, offering the laughable defense that he had only paid for massages from his escorts, not sex. At least this may be helpful to alleged Madame Jeane Palfrey, who has cleverly threatened to name clients so that they can come forward and support her claim that she was selling fantasies and other legal services (like massages,) not sex. Prosecutors have called this blackmail. I call it only fair.