In the local papers, the Michigan junior U.S. Senator was on the front page--along with her husband and his hooker. by Bob Nightingale
(libertarian)
Friday, April 4, 2008
At a time when Michigan is trying to get national attention for its high unemployment rate of 7.2% and other economic problems, I'm sure this is the last bit of publicity that Sen. Debbie Stabenow wanted.
Her husband, Thomas Athans, was caught by the Troy police with Alycia Martin, a 20-year old exotic dancer, in a local sting operation. He met her met through an online want ad. He told police that he paid Ms. Martin $150 for sex. He won't be charged, but he agreed to testify against her in the future. The Detroit Free Press website has the full story here ([link edited for length]), with a copy of the police report.
Unlike the sex scandals involving the governor from New York or that senator from Idaho, Sen. Stabenow didn't do anything wrong. She must be disappointed in her husband's behavior.
No one would blame her if she didn't stand by her man. He hasn't done her any favors here. His career, as a radio executive, formerly of Air America and now TalkUSA, might actually get a boost from this untimed publicity.
Gambling is legal in nearby Detroit, but prostitution isn't anywhere in Michigan. He knew better.
Will this hurt the Senator? In the long run, probably not. It's just tacky and embarrassing. If anything, she's getting a lot of sympathy. What was he thinking?
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I just don't understand why prostitution is illegal.
You can sell your blood, your sperm, your time, your ideas, why not access to your oriffices? What is the issue here? To me this is classic government over reach and the direct opposite of free market. Furthermore, what is it with this country and sex? Why do we all still pretend like people don't have sex? Sex is great why is it so vilified in this country? People in prominent possitions make pigs of themselves in so many other ways on daily basis and it never makes the headlines like the revelation that they have sex.
The difference between the former governor of NY and the Senator's husband is that this man did not occupy any public office, did not use public funds, paid much less, and DID NOT PROSECUTED PROSTITUTES like the governor. Unfortunately the police is forcing him to testify against the young entrepreneur. Apparently the Troy police does not have enough murderers and robbers to go after, so they do a sting operation against a nice young lady entrepreneur who offers her personal services in the oldest profession.
The senator will have no political problem because she did not do anything wrong. Nevertheless, the press and the police intruded into her personal life and all of that should be private matter.
Until the government stops staying out of our bedroom, these lady entrepreneurs should be smarter and tell all of their customers that the money paid is for 'company' or 'massage' or any other legal service and that the sex is for FREE!
If sex for FREE is legal and sex for money is not, then shouldn't divorce settlements be illegal as well? If you get married for sex, aren't you exchanging all of your assets with your partner for sex? Isn't that a money transaction? If you buy a drink or dinner to a girl and later have sex, isn't that prostitution also? I paid money to my Urologist and he touch me in places I did not feel comfortable, is he a prostitute? We are all prostitutes to some extend so we should all be put in jail then.
At the federal level prostitution is NOT illegal. It is the states and the municipalities that keep playing this holier than thought attitude intrusive into our personal and private matters.
As long as there is no coercion, theft of services, rape, assault, slavery or under-age, there is not reason why prostitution would be illegal.
Okay he wasn't charged. Did no worse than Bill, and he "didn't have sex with that woman." But don't the Detroit Police confiscate autos used in prositution investigations even if an arrest isn't made?
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