The Daily Background

In an unexpected twist to the ballooning Washington brothel scandal involving alleged “DC Madam” Jeane Palfrey, one of her admitted clients is threatening to turn the tables on her.

Palfrey’s original plan to try and escape the prostitution-related racketeering charges federal prosecutors have brought against her alleged Washington based brothel “Pamela Martin and Associates” was to call clients in hopes of having them testify that they had never paid for sex in order to avoid embarrassment. But now one prominent former client, whom Palfrey named in court documents last month, is signaling he would testify against her if brought into court.

A lawyer for Harlan Ullman (pictured above right), the former Bush Administration military strategist who first thought up the “shock and awe” campaign which kicked off the Iraq war, has now told ABC News that “Any notion that Ms Palfrey has that Mr Ullman will help her in any way is incorrect.”

Ullman was first named by Palfrey in mid-April according to court documents. At the time, he refused to comment on her accusations that he had been a frequent client (so frequent that he earned the nickname “Mr U”), saying that such allegations “do not dignify a response.” Ullman has apparently changed his tune.

Palfrey has said that if Ullman testifies against her, federal investigators should file charges against him as well. “If Mr Ullman committed illegal acts, he can be charged with racketeering as well, since he would be a part of the overall conspiracy the government is alleging… It takes two to tango.”

According to Palfrey, Ullman was considered “a disagreeable character” by some of her employees, who complained about him and refused to provide whatever services they provided for him a second time.

On April 27th, a second Bush Administration official was implicated in the DC brothel scandal: Deputy Secretary of State Randall Tobias.

Tobias had, ironically enough, championed highly controversial requirements among American charities receiving federal aide that they not help any prostitutes in third world countries by providing them with education or medical help. Tobias, while not acknowledging that he did anything illegal, resigned abruptly after it was revealed he was a former client of Palfrey’s business.

The White House has since said that Mr Tobias made the right decision by resigning immediately. Tobias claimed at the time that he had only received massages from Palfrey’s employees, and that it was as mundane as “ordering pizza.”

Filed under: Z-Feature