Former lawyer wants 'DC Madam' records released, could be relevant to presidential election

WASHINGTON - It was a story that rocked Washington D.C. back in 2007. Known as the "D.C. Madam," Deborah Jeane Palfrey was convicted of federal racketeering and other charges stemming from a prostitution business she ran catering to Washington power players.

Now, Palfrey's old lawyer is trying to get her business records released because he says the data could affect the 2016 presidential race.

Palfrey's records were sealed by a judge back in 2007 and the reason for it is still unknown.

Attorney Montgomery Blair Sibley, who represented Palfrey back then, has filed a judicial conduct complaint against Chief Judge Richard Roberts, who in charge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Sibley says his efforts to unseal the records of Palfrey's prostitution business are being stalled by the judge - who is refusing to give the motion a hearing.

In 2007, the "D.C. Madam" case was one of the biggest sex scandals ever to hit the nation's capital. Palfrey's company provided prostitutes to D.C. power players. Sen. David Vitter (R-Louisiana) as well as several Democratic and Republican political consultants and administration advisors admitted to being on Palfrey's client list.

She was charged by the Justice Department and put on trial in 2008 where she was she was convicted of racketeering, money laundering and mail fraud.

Just weeks after the verdict, Palfrey committed suicide by hanging at her mother's home in Florida as she awaited sentencing.

Now, in his judicial misconduct complaint, Sibley says the chief judge refuses to consider his motion to release 40 escort agency phone records that contain 815 names and addresses of Palfrey's former clients.

Sibley says those records "may contain information relevant to the upcoming presidential election." However, the filing does not say what those names are or how they are connected to the 2016 election.

FOX 5 conducted a series of interviews with Palfrey during the scandal. She never denied the nature of her business, but claimed she was unfairly prosecuted and convicted.

We spoke with Sibley and he says despite filing his motion through the District Court, it has failed to even appear on the docket and they have essentially ignored this filing for more than three weeks.

Sibley says his goal is to get the truth out over what exactly was in Palfrey's prostitution records once and for all.