Liveblogging Ashley on 20/20: or, Diane Sawyer Is So Pimp

Irreverence, yes, but with how much gravity can we approach yet another tv news feature on prostitution? I did kid when I said we were all in our La Perla. Okay, I am, but also combat boots. And a cocktail.
9:29 PM Lubricating with “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” The hooker memoir nerd in me [...]

Spitzer Won’t Be Charged With Prostitution

When it rains hooker news, it pours: Spitzer to go uncharged?
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Michael J. Garcia said today that his office had uncovered no evidence that Spitzer used public or campaign funds in a series of payments to a shell company, QAT Consulting.
“We have determined that there is insufficient evidence to bring charges against Mr. [...]

Another Guilty Plea for Emporer’s Club V.I.P.

In Case of Escort Ring Tied to Spitzer, a Fourth Guilty Plea From a Booker

A holistic health counselor who worked as a part-time booker for the escort service that the authorities say was patronized by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer pleaded guilty on Monday to a federal prostitution conspiracy charge.
The counselor, Tanya Hollander, 36, told a [...]

And The Next Plea Deal Goes To . . .

3rd Guilty Plea in “Prostitution Ring”
A 62-year-old former tax specialist who ran the high-priced online escort service that was patronized by Eliot Spitzer pleaded guilty on Thursday to federal prostitution and money laundering charges.
I know we’ve touched on this here before, but the use of “prostitution ring” irritates me. What does that mean, really?

Ashley Alexandra Durpre’s Birthday in Page Six

Ms. Dupre celebrated her 23rd birthday at Marquee in Manhattan earlier this month, and Page Six was all over the story.
‘Kristen’ Steps Out at Hot Club

Plea Expected for Primary Booker in “Prostitution Ring” Linked to Spitzer

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/13/nyregion/13plea.html
Several former prosecutors and defense lawyers said the movement toward resolving the charges against Ms. Lewis and her codefendants suggested that prosecutors were nearing a decision on whether to prosecute Mr. Spitzer. The pleas do not indicate clearly what decision the government might reach, they said.
“It’s an indication — it’s not definitive” that a decision [...]

TODAY! Meditation remembrance for the DC Madame…and keeping it together.

Hey lovers,
Deborah Jeane Palfrey.  I can’t stop thinking about her. Her death cut me deeper than I ever could have imagined.
Her death has been heavy on the hearts of many a sex worker, indicative as it is of this juggernaut of a system that could grind us into nothing if we get caught up.  For [...]

XBN SWOP East Broadcast Network on Blog Talk Radio

Here is the latest updated program listing. All shows available at www.xxbn.net www.blogtalkradio.com/swopeast Times listed are Eastern time. All programing subject to change. All previous programs are archived, please check for great guests. Thank you to Liz Berlin of Rusted Root and The Naked Heroes for their music for [...]

Another Spitzer twist Encounters “Sex Trio” caught with pants down

http://media.www.theticker.org/media/storage/paper909/news/2008/03/31/TheTickler/Encounters.sex.Trio.Caught.With.Pants.Down-3291811-page2.shtml
They had tied their captives to the walls.
Encounters “Sex Trio” caught with pants down
.. Encounters’ staff members were arrested in what campus peace officers call “a sick and twisted case.” The organization was found to be running a sex ring from their office in the Newman Vertical Campus. Police officials plan to bring charges of [...]

NY Times Makes Attemp at Correction

Editors’ Note: March 30, 2008
An article on March 16 profiling three sex workers in the wake of Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s resignation after revelations that he patronized prostitutes misconstrued how two of the women, identified by the pseudonyms Faith O’Donnell and Sally Anderson, said they earned a living. The resulting misrepresentation [...]

Twitter, iPhones Let Sex Workers Spread Their Gospel

By Regina Lynn at Wired
When the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal heated up headlines earlier this month, every media outlet in the country suddenly began scrambling to talk to a sex worker.
The downfall of Spitzer, the New York governor who resigned after his private sex life unexpectedly became public, generated an enormous amount of interest [...]

Spitzer linked to most recent NYC bust

Woman arrested by NYC Vice still no legal consequences for Spitzer…

From Gawker:
We never thought we’d see the day when the Governor of New York’s illegal sex trysts would give us only a renewed sense of ennui, but: Okay, we get it. The guy liked hookers. If the Post keeps this up, lots of other valuable [...]

In (Partial) Defense of Eliot Spitzer

by Tristan Taormino the Village Voice
When news of Eliot Spitzer’s link to a prostitution agency first broke, “Why Do Powerful Men Cheat?” stories sprang up all around us, from morning shows to the nightly news. Within the framework of the cheating-husband narrative, no one made the distinction between employing a sex worker and having an [...]

Kristen’s Mom

…she wasn’t worried about her daughter after news erupted that she was the prostitute Spitzer slept with, causing his fall from power. “She is a very bright girl who can handle someone like the governor,” she said.
NY Post 
Has anybody been able to find interviews with Spitzer’s parents?

The Music Biz and The Moral High Ground

Jay Smooth. Intelligent and cute!

How the NYT Got an Interview Wrong

Posted on behalf of Faith O’Donnell, with permission.
I was really disappointed by a New York Times article made in my likeness.
For one thing, basic details were wrong, but too many identifying details were included, despite my request to the contrary (I wish I had paid off my student loans!). Most of all, though, I feel [...]

Kristin’s Friends Support Her

Despite the comments about “everybody makes mistakes” this is a really great interview with friends who’ve done music gigs with Ashley Alexandra Dupre. See sex workers are people with real friends and personal relationships and we’re not all damaged and disfunctional.

Red Light District Chicago: Chicagoans Offer their opinions on Spitzer scandal, prostitution

SWOP-Chicago members kittenINFINITE and Red Wednesday go on the street and ask Chicagoans their opinions of Elliot Spitzer and prostitution laws.

Melissa Farley Words v Actions: Ethics or Not?

Melissa Farley has taken a stand opposing Governor Spitzer’s hiring of the escort Kristen. Does she deserve to be congratulated for doing the right thing and criticizing Spitzer’s hypocrisy of spearheading a campaign against prostitution while hiring escorts despite the fact that until his arrest he was advocating similar political strategy as her? [...]

Prostitution 2.0

A very interesting article on a techie website describes for laymen how to find an escort online:
A Girlfriend Experience Is Just A Click Away
The controversy surrounding New York Governor Eliot Spitzer has shed light (a red light) on a number of underground activities. Besides government corruption and the sex trade in general, Spitzer’s use [...]