20/20 Gleefully Reports on 'Wall Street Madam' Clients Including NBC VP

February 8th, 2009 6:04 PM

Your humble correspondent has always been somewhat uneasy about newspapers publishing the names and photos of clients of prostitutes. For committing what is at worst a misdemeanor, those clients have a good chance of having their entire lives ruined when their wives and family find out. The punishment seems quite a bit out of proportion to the crime. However,  I must admit getting a bit of a kick out of the ABC News show, 20/20, reporting on the clients of Kristin Davis aka the Wall Street Madam. Hey, why should we feel sympathy for rich clients who feel it is necessary to pay for prostitutes when almost any normal guy with lots of bucks would have little problem attracting women? Apparently there are a lot of folks in both high finance and politics (think Eliot Spitzer) whose personalities are so loathsome that they have to pay for sex.

No client names were actually revealed but plenty of clues were given. So put on your Sherlock Holmes caps and see if you can figure out who were the clients of the special services provided by the Wall Street Madam:

a vice president of NBC Universal

Hmmm... And why was this mystery client placed at the head of the 20/20 list? Brian Ross seemed a bit too enthusiastic in revealing this bit of information about their rival. And would 20/20 have been so interested in a revelation of an ABC News exec as a client?

the part owner of a Major League Baseball team who "loves Kelsey"

Which team? Since this is taking place in the New York, it must be either the Yankees or the Mets.

the CEO of one of the country's largest private equity firms who met "Cameron" at the Peninsula Hotel 

Was bailout money used to pay for Cameron? Inquiring minds would like to know.

a major New York real estate developer who, according to the list, "will come to the door wearing women's panties," and who spent nearly $100,000 

This was my absolute favorite client description. Perhaps some volunteer out there could get a list of big New York real estate developers and knock on their doors while singing out a sexy "Yoo-hoo!" Whatever guy answers the door in his panties would be the mystery client. Oh, and I'm not accusing Eliot Spitzer of anything but isn't he now a major New York real estate developer?

a partner at the Wall Street law firm Cravath Swaine Moore "looking for a party girl to come fully equipped" and spent a total of $20,000 

Very good clue! It has to be either Cravath, Swaine, or Moore. 

Oh, one former client of the Wall Street Madam was actually named. None other than a certain former governor of New York. And it seems he had a very kinky side that caused him to be banned from further services:

In a book to be released Feb. 6, "Manhattan Madam," Davis claims Spitzer had earlier been a client of her service but was banned because of his aggressive behavior trying to get girls to have unprotected sex with him. 

That bit of information is sure to be very comforting for Silda Spitzer...NOT! 

Okay boys and girls---one final mystery for you to solve but I promise it will take almost no investigative expertise. The 20/20 video report stated that New York District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, refused to investigate the client list of the Wall Street Madam to see if they were using corporate funds for her services. No political label was given to Morgenthau in the Brian Ross report. Can you solve this mystery? Put on your thinking caps and I am sure you can figure out Mogenthau's party affiliation in just a few nanoseconds.