Friday, October 26, 2007

Michael Mukasey – will you help me?

(This open letter to the new Attorney General was written by Jeane Palfrey.)

55 years imprisonment and my entire life’s savings – this is what they want to take from me, in my real life ‘David and Goliath’ struggle with the United States Department of Justice.

For the past year, I have discovered myself immersed in the world of the Justice Department; a world, replete with on-the-record faulty memories, omissions of fact and out-and-out lies; one where political motive and groupthink usurp integrity and the rule of law and where as hard as one might try, justice is nowhere to be found. This is the setting I have been placed to do battle with a bureaucratic behemoth.

As I fight for my very life ostensibly on a daily basis, I have experienced a legal and financial pounding– a premeditative orchestration created to best the most resolute among us, by the Department of Justice or the Department of Injustice, as it more widely regarded these days.

On October 4th of last year, a dozen plus federal agents descended upon my sedate, restored Victorian home in Northern California armed with a search warrant and arrested - of all things - my property (my turn came later in March). The process known as civil asset forfeiture allows the government to seize a person’s property and assets, without due process often leaving them destitute, when there is suspicion – not actual proof, but merely a suggestion of wrong doing.

In my case, the Federales claimed I had proffered the unthinkable – pleasures of the flesh - for financial gain, to the male denizens and visitors in our nation’s capitol. Accordingly, I found myself – besides instantaneously broke - charged with over-the-top and obscene federal crimes. My job description was elevated exponentially from retired escort service operator to the powerful, to money launderer and conspirator over night and later to racketeer.

What particularly made and continues to make my case so unusual, actually bizarre is no one ever has been charged similarly to me, in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. Over time, I have come to understand my case is truly one of a kind. Considering there are more adult service businesses than McDonald’s restaurants in operation in the overall vicinity, a virtual array of rich targets for the Feds to pursue – I and I alone appear to be the only subject of their interest. Furthermore, none of the estimated 10,000 or so clients, who patronized my agency or the almost 150 subcontracted women, who worked for me over the years have been charged.

The question begs. Why me and why only me? In part, the answer may lie in the fact I operated a high-end, erotic outcall service continuously (a bit of an anomaly) for a thirteen year period, from 1993 through 2006, in a part of the world laden with politically influential men; many with high level security clearances. Although, my firm routinely was patronized by the typical, garden-variety doctor, lawyer and perchance even, Indian chief; it nonetheless saw more than its share of the high and the mighty.

As flattering as it might be – albeit in a rather perverse way – for me to think I was ever the real object of the DOJ’s attention, it would be sheer folly to believe such. The clientele base, specifically the more notable customers were the true persons of interest and the reason I believe I was surveilled personally and professionally, for at least a five year period, before I decided to close shop and retire to Europe, in August of 2006. Ironically, it was this very decision to shut down the business and disrupt the status quo, in conjunction with my desire to move out of the country, which I feel ignited the raid on my home, in early October.

The combination of selective prosecution, a politically sensitive clientele and an extended surveillance period points to a matter, which has less to do with the goings-on of an alleged prostitution ring than it does with spying activities involving a constitutionally protected, American citizen. As I often have stated, my case has something to do with something, but it sure as heck has very little, if anything to do with a small-time escort business. My case - had it been more customary in nature - would have been under the sole purview of the state courts and never entered the federal realm.

But then the culture at the Justice Department, under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has been revealed – particularly of late with the suspect attorney firings - as one more concerned with the inclinations of the White House, i.e. the GOP than with those of truthfulness and fair dealing toward a society at large; a society, which most assuredly includes me and my idiosyncratic case. The founding fathers desire for a wide divide to exist between the Executive Branch of government and the Judiciary appears to have been profanely abused by former AG Gonzales and his cohorts outside Justice.

I rather suspect that as time marches on, with it will come a multitude of eye-opening disclosures, which will call into question further the practices of the DOJ, the past several years. I believe my case is part and parcel of any such coming revelations. That is of course, if the newly appointed Attorney General – be it Bush nominee, Judge Michael Mukasey or another – chooses to do right by us, the American people; to ally with us and not the current administration. For me in my politically charged case, such a decision by the future Attorney General holds particular weight; quite possibly, whether or not I will spend the remainder of my natural life behind bars or as a free person.

Nonetheless as I begin my second year combating the beast, I do so with significant hope. After a full twelve months of being stonewalled at every twist and turn along the way, including access to discovery materials, by the assigned Assistant U.S. Attorneys - my counsel, Mr. Montgomery B. Sibley, a small band of interested third parties and I have pieced together sufficient reason to believe my case - simply put - is rotten to the core. Since the Government for all intents and purposes has run out of tactical maneuvers to prohibit me from uncovering the truth any longer, I anticipate exposure of considerable wrongdoing by the DOJ, in short order. Additionally, the fact Alberto Gonzales, perhaps one of the most dishonest and politically aligned attorney generals in U.S. history, the very one who has reigned over my specific case this last year has resigned – leaves open the hope that his predecessor may correct the direction of a wayward and seemingly corrupt Justice Department and in its wake my increasingly frightening tale of woe.

However, time will tell. In the interim, I only can remain determined and trust in the final analysis, I indeed will find justice in this dark and terrifying sea of injustice I have been thrust.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cuttin' deals with the Devil and then whinin' because the Devil doesn't play fair. Jeebus.

AitchD said...

Ruth Ellis she's not.

But she may be more intelligent (despite her writing) than Bill Maher, Wesley Clark, and Andrew Sullivan combined, who all ignorantly agreed that the birth qualifications for being POTUS are stated in one of the amendments to the Constitution. Martina had a look on her face like "Huh? No it isn't, it's part of Article 2". I figure they were confusing Article 2 with the 22nd Amendment that prohibits a POTUS being elected more than twice or marrying his own widow.

Do you think Bill will fess up to his boner? Should Cornell change his grades and give him Incompletes? Dammit! I like Maher, his heart's in the right place. And Clark -- I like him too, but now he can never be Hillary's VP choice, can he, if he's YouTubed with NOT KNOWING THE CONSTITUTION! Just a minute. Just a minute. I just got an IM from a very reliable source who says Dennis Miller has turned inside out and is trying to stop the internal sweating.

Anonymous said...

What strange and dramatic comments you've gotten on this one, Joe. Care to speculate?

I'm thinking the right-wing attack machine is still trying to dig up Bill dirt to use on Hillary. It's going to get ugly again.

Anonymous said...

I sincerely hope all charges are dropped against Ms. Palrey. It's near bout unbelievable that her agency was the only agency " busted".
I also agree wholeheartedly that when the proverbial poop hits the fan, the Gonzo DOJ ( o wow what a misnomer) will be humiliated beyond belief.
I have a tremendous case of ignored disability discrimination. A Columbia SC Administrative Law Judge decided to ignore an order for disability issued in 1987 by a senior and fellow Judge in his own office. You cannot even imagine the fall out from that Judge loosing my entire medical file, hearing tape and all the evidence he used to decide the case. And it turned out Social Security's next Columbia SC Administrative Law Judge didn't even NEED or USE a medical file to grant the time the first Judge made me forfeit to approve the claim.
I say ABOMINABLE FOUL AND ILLEGAL>
Get a new AG soon, one that is honest and not a Bush crony PLEASE
*Many Americans are counting on honesty and justice to return to America.

Anonymous said...

As a former Special Agent (1970's) we scrupulously played by the rules and obeyed them........even if the bad guys didn't. We lost some and won most.

My recent experience providing litigation support for attorneys with clients whom have been charged with Federal crimes reveals that both the agents and prosecutors no longer play by the rules imposed on them by law. They lie, cheat, witness tamper, withhold evidence and make outrageous untrue representations to the courts. Overcharging has become a strategic litigation tool for the AUSAs. It is incumbent on our system of justice, in order for it to work effectively, that the government strictly adhere to the rule of law.

Today it seems the winning is everything............the ends justifying the means. It is why we find innocent persons whom have served long jail sentences being exonerated and released on an almost weekly basis nowadays (thank you Barry Scheck and Howard Greenfeld).

I have no idea whether or not Ms. Palrey is innocent or guilty. I am not familiar enough with the intimate facts of her case to form an opinion. But the best criminal defense lawyers have told me that defense work is not about winning acquitals these days.........because it is almost impossible to win............it's about getting the best plea deal that you can. From what seems to be the admitted factual basis of the violations 55 years seems extremely excessive.

Good luck.