Stormy Daniels

Porn Star Stormy Daniels: 'I Have Nothing To Hide'

Eric Kleefeld | November 11, 2009, 5:10PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Stormy Daniels

Porn star Stormy Daniels, who is running for U.S. Senate in Louisiana against incumbent Republican David Vitter, said in an interview with Marie Claire that she would provide a contrast to the hypocrisy of the incumbent, a family-values politician who was implicated in a prostitution scandal.

Q: Why shoot for the Senate?

A: I was drafted by a group called Draft Stormy, a grassroots movement in Louisiana that wanted someone who was the polar opposite of current senator David Vitter. They figured I would be perfect because I am open and honest about my sexuality, unlike Vitter. I realized that this is my chance to make a difference, to do something unselfish, noble, and to help a lot of people.

Q: You're referring to Senator Vitter's link to a Washington, D.C. escort service . . .

A: I'm not one to judge someone's sexual activity, but what annoys me is that he's so hard-core "family values," and he puts his wife and kids out there, saying he's a Christian family man. Then he's caught up in a prostitution scandal. He's a hypocrite.

Daniels also said that her career won't be a problem. "It's actually starting to work in my favor," she said. "I have nothing to hide. A sex tape of me isn't going to pop up and shame me; there are 150 of them at the video store."

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Census

Louisiana Rumble Over Census As Landrieu Accuses Vitter Of 'Gamesmanship'

Christina Bellantoni | October 29, 2009, 6:47PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

TPMDC has been tracking the progress of Sen. David Vitter's proposed amendment that would require Census workers to ask immigration status during the 2010 count.

The Obama administration helped dodge a first vote on this earlier this month, but a few centrists Democrats we've talked to this week say they may be interested in the amendment as well.

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) sent a terse letter to Vitter (R-LA) outlining the problems she sees in his amendment, including its potential taxpayer cost of $1 billion to reprint Census forms already ready for use.

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LA-SEN

Melancon: 'We Can Only Guess' Vitter's Reasons For Opposing Anti-Rape Amendment

Eric Kleefeld | October 26, 2009, 10:28AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Charles Melancon (D-LA)

Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA), who is running for Senate in 2010 against Republican Sen. David Vitter, is now stepping up his attacks on Vitter -- declaring that "we can only guess" why Vitter voted against a Senate amendment to crack down on rape.

In a new campaign e-mail, Melancon slams Vitter for voting against the Franken Amendment, which would cut off money for military contractors that force employees into arbitration, rather than a court of law, if they are raped:

If a company wants to receive taxpayer dollars, they should not be able to force victims to give up their constitutional rights as a condition of employment.

David Vitter has refused to explain why he voted to allow taxpayer-funded companies to sweep rape charges under the rug. We can only guess what his reasons were.

Tell David Vitter that sexual assault victims deserve their day in court.

(Emphasis in the original.)

Check out the full e-mail, after the jump.

Late Update: NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh sends us this comment: "If Charlie Melancon is truly 'shocked' that David Vitter would vote against this amendment, one can only imagine his thoughts on President Obama and Obama's Department of Defense having the exact same position on this amendment as the Republicans - which they do. Considering Charlie Melancon's strong endorsement of Obama in last year's election, it's fair to ask how Melancon squares this cheap partisan attack today with the Obama Administration's own position on the Franken amendment? Is Charlie Melancon seriously suggesting that President Obama does not care about victims of sexual assault because that would be news indeed. We look forward to his response."

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David Vitter

Vitter's Office On Justice Of Peace: 'Judges Should Follow The Law As Written'

Christina Bellantoni | October 21, 2009, 3:31PM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Keith Bardwell, Louisiana Justice of the Peace

Sen. David Vitter's office has finally offered a comment on the Louisiana justice of the peace who refuses to marry biracial couples.

Though other statewide officials including the governor and his fellow senator called for Keith Bardwell's resignation, Vitter (R-LA) was silent.

But today a Vitter spokesman told the Washington Post the senator's sentiment on the issue.

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LA-SEN

Poll Shows Vitter Leading In Re-Election Bid

Christina Bellantoni | October 20, 2009, 1:27PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Charles Melancon (D-LA)

Despite political setbacks and a determined Democratic opposition, a new poll shows Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) leads his rival ahead of his 2010 reelection.

The Times-Picayune has the details, and shows Vitter enjoys a 48-36 percent lead over Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA).

Key bit:

Vitter had 47.6 percent to Melancon's 35.8 percent, with 16.6 percent undecided, according to the survey conducted last week by Southern Media and Opinion Research of Baton Rouge.

The poll was conducted for Baton Rouge businessman Lane Grigsby, who has contributed mainly to Republicans in the past, including Vitter. The survey is based on telephone interviews with 600 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Vitter's office still hasn't returned our calls about his census amendment and the justice of the peace who refuses to marry biracial couples. We'll keep you posted.

LA-SEN

Vitter Alone In Silence Over Justice Who Refuses To Marry Biracial Couple

Christina Bellantoni | October 19, 2009, 11:09AM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA), Keith Bardwell, Louisiana Justice of the Peace

We've heard from the governor and senior senator in Louisiana and from the White House responding to the justice of the peace who refuses to marry biracial couples, but the state's junior senator, David Vitter, has stayed conspicuously silent.

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) wants Keith Bardwell, justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, fired for his actions. The same is true for Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

We checked in with Vitter's office, and he hasn't issued any public statements about the matter.

We'll update you if we get a response.

Census

Obama Administration Dodges Political Problem As Census Amendment Moved To Back Burner

Christina Bellantoni | October 14, 2009, 3:17PM

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

For the last week folks across Washington - from the Commerce Department to Senate leadership to left-leaning advocacy groups - have had a bad case of heartburn over a potential floor fight on an amendment Republican senators were pushing to force the Census Bureau to ask immigration status during their 2010 count.

I wrote about the issue last week when Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) attempted to attach the amendment to the Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill outlining spending for the next year.

Senate leaders feared the amendment was getting some support from red-state Democrats so the Obama administration worked furiously to get it stripped from the bill, killed or at least pushed down the road to debate when Congress finally tackles immigration reform.

Commerce Sec. Gary Locke made a tough case to senators asking they oppose the amendment, reminding them such a change would cost "hundreds of millions of dollars," and long delays since the 300 million census forms would need to be reprinted and reshipped.

"It is too late to shift gears at this point in the process," Locke wrote in a memo obtained by TPMDC.

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LA-SEN

Melancon Endorses Anti-Rape Law, After Vitter Opposed It

Eric Kleefeld | October 9, 2009, 5:07PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Charles Melancon (D-LA)

In the wake of Sen. David Vitter's (R-LA) vote against the Franken Amendment -- which seeks to guarantee access to the court system, rather than private arbitration, for military contractor employees who are sexually assaulted -- Vitter's Democratic opponent, Rep. Charlie Melancon, has released a statement strongly endorsing it.

Melancon has released a letter through his Congressional office, urging that the Franken Amendment be kept in the final conference report for the Defense Appropriations bill. He does not directly address Vitter's opposition, as this was released through his Congressional office and not his campaign. However, he does have some strong language against those who oppose it.

Let this be a clear signal: Democrats fully intend to hang this vote around Vitter's neck, as well as any other Republicans who opposed a measure designed to protect rape victims. Check out the key quote from Melancon's letter, after the jump.

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David Vitter

Louisiana Young Dems: 'We Can Only Guess' Why Vitter Is Opposed To Anti-Rape Law

Eric Kleefeld | October 8, 2009, 4:06PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

The Young Democrats of Louisiana have sent out a new e-mail against Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) -- the staunch social conservative who was implicated in a prostitution scandal -- declaring that we can only guess at his motivations for opposing legislation to crack down on rape.

The letter blasts Vitter for voting against the amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill by Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), which will guarantee employees of military contractors access to the court system if they are sexually assaulted:

On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate passed an Amendment to make sure taxpayer-funded government contractors cannot deny rape victims a day in court. For reasons only he knows, David Vitter voted against ensuring women have the right to seek justice.

Since David Vitter has not publicly stated why he is opposed to making sure women who are raped or sexually assaulted can pursue their attackers, we can only guess his motivations.

However, it is clear that Vitter regularly votes against the best interests of women.

The full e-mail is available after the jump.

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Census

Republican Senators Vitter, Bennett Attempt To Force Census To Ask Immigration Status

Christina Bellantoni | October 8, 2009, 2:27PM

Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) and Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT) want to amend the pending Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill (which funds NASA and the census, among other things) to force census takers to ask immigration status.

The amendment ties funding for the census bureau to asking of the question on "all future" decennial censuses.

Vitter said because some states have included illegal immigrants in their counts, that's led to more Congressional seats.

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David Vitter

Poll: Louisiana Likes David Vitter

Eric Kleefeld | October 7, 2009, 1:49PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

A new Rasmussen poll of Louisiana finds a result that might surprise some people: Despite the fact that he was implicated in a prostitution scandal in 2007, Republican Sen. David Vitter is actually popular in his home state.

Vitter leads Democratic challenger Charlie Melancon by a 46%-36% margin. Another potential Republican nominee, Secretary of State Jay Dardenne, leads Melancon by 46%-33% -- implying that the GOP doesn't have anything to gain from a new candidate.

Vitter also has a 56% favorable rating, to only 34% unfavorable, compared to a 43%-39% rating for the lesser-known Melancon.

Late Update: Rasmussen originally posted wrong numbers on the favorable sand unfavorables. They have been corrected, while our original point still stands.

David Vitter

Louisiana Dems' New Petition: Defund David Vitter For Prostitution Scandal

Eric Kleefeld | September 24, 2009, 9:39AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

The Louisiana Democratic Party has a funny new online petition, targeting Republican Senator David Vitter, and his campaigns against ACORN.

The petition calls upon Congress to defund David Vitter, citing Vitter's own past involvement with prostitutes. From the party's press release:

Last week, admitted criminal Vitter introduced an amendment that would have kicked innocent families out of public housing in New Orleans if one member of that family committed a crime. Vitter said the federal government should not fund centers of crime.

Just yesterday, Vitter asked the U.S. Justice Department - whose investigation turned up Vitter's phone number in the DC Madame's phone records - to investigate an organization recently implicated in a prostitution scandal. Think about that one for a second.

Vitter said he wants to make sure federal money doesn't go to people who break the law and we couldn't agree more. It's time to defund David Vitter.

David Vitter

Vitter Raising Money Through Deatherism

Eric Kleefeld | September 9, 2009, 11:42AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Sen. David Vitter appears to be sending out a new fundraising letter containing an all-too familiar claim -- that if the Democrats pass their health-care bill, the old and disabled will have their health care cut off by government bureaucrats deciding they're not worth the cost -- the main substance of the "death panel" scare.

Here's the key quote from the letter, which was given to us by the Louisiana Dems after a supporter handed it to them in the past week:

So what about the claims that this plan will reduce health care costs? Well, to do that will simply require a plan to ration existing resource sand restrict benefits for certain medicines, procedures and therapies.

The government will determine who is eligible for what and if you are older or have certain other afflictions, an economist will determine if you are worthy of the government's "investment" in your longevity. That's right, a bureaucrat will be making life or death decisions.

The Vitter campaign did not return our requests for comment.

David Vitter

Vitter: "Character Is Displayed In A Variety of Different Ways"

Eric Kleefeld | September 7, 2009, 10:52AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), the religious-right champion whose career became embroiled in the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal, says he is ready to be confronted with his personal issues during his 2010 re-election campaign.

"I have complete confidence in their (voters') judgment, their ability to look at those issues," Vitter told the Times-Picayune. "I think, quite frankly, character is displayed in a variety of different ways."

Senate '10

Honoré: I'm Not Running Against Vitter -- And I'm Not A Republican

Eric Kleefeld | August 31, 2009, 6:13PM

Lt. General Russel L. Honoré Ret.

Retired Army Gen. Russel Honoré, who has been on a daylong media tour trying to knock down rumors that he was looking at a possible run for Senate in a Republican primary challenge against Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), has given his most specific denial to date, the Louisiana Weekly reports.

Honoré said he did not even know Joe Berry, the Republican consultant who claimed to have met with him to discuss a bid. "I am not running for office," said Honoré. "I don't know who this is. I was not at my home two weeks ago. I have no idea who this gentleman could be."

He also strongly disavowed that he was even a registered Republican, and that an official spokesman named Charles Lamley had said he was not ruling out a run: "I never declared myself as a Republican during the Reagan Administration. I have never lived in Zachary as he claimed. I have never heard of Charles Lamley."

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David Vitter

Report: Vitter Could Face GOP Primary Challenge From General Honoré

Eric Kleefeld | August 28, 2009, 4:58PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

The 2010 Louisiana Senate race, in which scandal-plagued incumbent Republican David Vitter is running for re-election, just keeps getting more interesting.

BayouBuzz.com reported today that Army Gen. Russel Honoré, best known for his role in coordinating military relief in Hurricane Katrina, is strongly considering a Republican primary challenge against Vitter.

Honoré reportedly describes himself as "pro-life and pro-family," which could provide an interesting contrast to Vitter -- who is also pro-life and pro-family, but is also known for patronizing prostitutes. Another famous description of Honoré is the one given to him by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin: A "John Wayne dude."

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David Vitter

Dems Raising Money Off Vitter's Prostitute-Loving Ways

Eric Kleefeld | August 28, 2009, 12:59PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

The national Democratic Party is now going there in the fight against Sen. David Vitter (R-LA): Directly attacking the staunch conservative for having taken in the services of prostitutes. And not just that, but the Dems are raising money off of it.

The DSCC has sent out a new e-mail to its supporter list, going after Vitter and hailing his Democratic opponent, Blue Dog Rep. Charlie Melancon. The e-mail has a list, "FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SENATOR DAVID VITTER," and then goes through various follies of his.

Last on the list: "5. David Vitter Confessed to Using D.C. Escort Service. In a revelation embarrassing to the entire state of Louisiana, Vitter in 2007 admitted to being a client of the infamous "D.C. Madam" after his phone number showed up in her records. He later apologized for his "very serious sin."

Check out the full e-mail, after the jump.

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Charlie Melancon

Melancon Announces Senate Campaign Against Vitter

Eric Kleefeld | August 27, 2009, 11:30AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) and Rep. Charles Melancon (D-LA)

Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA), a leading Blue Dog in the House, has officially his announced his much-expected Senate campaign against Sen. David Vitter, the Republican and staunch conservative whose career became mired in the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal.

This race could end up as a top-tier battle, with lots of money and lots of attacks between the two camps. A survey from a month ago by Public Policy Polling (D) put Vitter ahead of Melancon 44%-32% -- that is, the incumbent is below 50%, and the challenger lacking in name recognition. At the same time, the Republicans could be favored to pick up Melancon's House seat, as John McCain carried it by 61%-37% in 2008.

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David Vitter

In Ethics Complaint, LA Dems Claim Vitter "Engaged in Campaign Activity" with "Appropriated Funds"

Brian Beutler | August 21, 2009, 10:48AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

We've now obtained the complaint Louisiana State Democratic Party chairman Christopher Whittington has filed with the Senate Ethics Committee, charging that Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) used "appropriated funds to pay for town halls at which he engaged in campaign activity.

It was reported that on August 3, 2009, Senator Vitter held a breakfast town hall event.... The town hall was described as "not a campaign stop but part of his routine and his job as an elected official."... On information and believe, the expenses for this event were paid with Senate appropriated funds.

Instead of focusing on his official duties, the news articles described Senator Vitter as using this gatering to "compare[] his stance on health care to that of his likely future opponent, U.S. Rep Charlie Melancon...."

You can read the entire letter here. It also cites a separate event on August 17 at which Vitter reportedly urged the crowd to "keep up the pressure on" Melancon, and other Democratic congressmen--which may cross the line into political campaigning. Let's see how the Ethics Committee, and Vitter, respond.

Late update: Vitter says, "The Democrats' reaction to these town halls across America is to try to shut down the debate and suggest that it's somehow out of bounds. Well it's not out of bounds because this is still America."

"Instead of trying to shut down free speech, why doesn't Charlie Melancon have at least a single in-person town hall this month?" he added. "Sen. Vitter is having 19."

David Vitter

LA Dems To File Senate Ethics Complaint Against Vitter

Brian Beutler | August 21, 2009, 9:52AM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Later this morning, Louisiana Democrats will send a clear message to Sen. David Vitter (R-LA): If you want to bash your political rivals at your rigged town halls, don't do it on the public dime.

State party chairman Chris Whittington is sending a letter to the Senate Ethics Committee requesting an investigation into whether Vitter has violated the Senate code of office conduct by, among other things, using the publicly sponsored forums, where he takes pre-screened questions, to "compare his stance on health care to that of his likely future opponent."

We'll post the letter from Whittington as soon as it's available. Vitter is likely to face a challenge from Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA) for his Senate seat in 2010.

Ironically, for all relevant purposes, the two probably aren't as far apart on health care as you'd assume. Though surely Democrat Melancon has taken some stances to the left of Vitter on certain provisions, he voted against the final health care reform package in the House Energy and Commerce Committee last month.

David Vitter

Vitter: Destroying Canada's Prescription Drug System Will Lower Prices For Americans

Eric Kleefeld | August 20, 2009, 4:14PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Here's a video being distributed by the Louisiana Democratic Party, which was provided to them by a supporter, of Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) explaining how he's supported prescription drug re-importation from Canada, as a means of destroying Canada's prescription drug system -- which he says will cause prices to go up for Canada, and down for America:

Vitter's economics seem like they might just work -- or maybe not. Canada and other countries negotiate lower prices with the drug companies, who then demand exorbitant profits from U.S. consumers and our relatively free market. Arguably, by overwhelming other countries with American demand, their systems would break down. The next step here, is that Vitter believes this will cause prices to go up for everyone else, and down for us. (But we'd be curious what health care economists would say).

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David Vitter

Vitter: My Goal On Drug Reimportation Is To Destroy Other Countries' Health Care Systems

Eric Kleefeld | August 20, 2009, 12:42PM

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) isn't content to fight attempts at government-run health care here -- he wants to destroy it in other countries, too.

The central Louisiana newspaper The Town Talk reports that Vitter was asked at a town hall meeting about the fact that he opposes government health care, but supports re-importing prescription drugs from, as a constituent said, "countries that have socialized medicine." Vitter has campaigned in the past on re-importing drugs from Canada.

"My ultimate goal," Vitter explained, "is to use that (re-importation) to cause that (pricing) system to collapse."

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