D.C. Madam, RIP

Deborah Jeane Palfrey, dubbed the D.C. Madam by the news media, reportedly committed suicide today. Palfrey was convicted just over two weeks ago on federal money laundering, mail fraud and racketeering charges, all of which arose from her operation of an alleged prostitution ring. As readers of this blog know, I have been harshly critical of the federal government’s prosecution of Palfrey. I simply fail to see how one woman runni9ng an escort service purportedly as a front for prostitution ought to be any business of the federal government (for those who will argue that Palfrey’s activities violated the letter of the federal statutes under which she was charged, save your breath – I am well aware of the borad uses to which federal prosecutors put such statutes. My point is – and has been – that reading those statutes so expansively as to include Palfrey is stupid, and a colossal waste of federal resources). So it turns out, as usual, that the only victim in the whole D.C. Madam affair was Deborah Jean Palfrey. This time, the consequences were tragic. Chalk up another win for the feds. One less madam to worry about tonight.