Sin, Redemption and Salvaged Careers

It's difficult to reconcile in one's mind a man who received Rhodes Scholar status, attended both Harvard and Oxford and built his legal career into a powerful business that would cause any lawyer to pause with envy to one who was embroiled in not just one, but three prostitution scandals and a refusal to honor a subpoena to testify. It's true, though. Louisiana's latest political hero, David Vitter, is learning that redemption, once attained, is as solid as the receiver decides to make it.

The New Orleans born boy would grow into a smart college student who received his BA from Harvard and his JD from Tulane University before winning a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford. The conservative Republican moved on to build an impressive career as an attorney and law professor at both Tulane and Loyola in New Orleans. He even married a former prosecutor. After establishing himself as a worth opponent in the courtroom, he began leaning more towards a political career first as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 1999 and in the U.S. House of Representatives. He replaced, via special election, Republican Congressman Bob Livingston who was forced to resign after his own sex scandal came to light. Little did anyone know Vitter had his own secrets as dark as the Louisiana marsh - nor did anyone know those secrets would soon emerge to haunt Vitter and his family, which, by then, included three daughters and a son.

The first scandal broke in the summer of 2007 when his phone number was among those collected after Deborah Jeanne Palfrey, also known as the DC Madam, was arrested. Vitter immediately took a proactive approach and called a press conference where he acknowledged his sin and then said he'd told his wife of this years ago and had received not only her forgiveness but had also confessed to his priest and received forgiveness there too. Little did he know another press conference would be uncovered by a media that never forgets. In this press conference, he said Bob Livingston (whom he replaced) caused a ''tremendous loss for the state” and the he believed Livingston's resignation would make ''a very powerful argument that Clinton should resign as well and move beyond this mess”. The mess he was referring to, of course, was the scandal with Monica Lewinsky. Of course, Clinton did not step down. Neither did Vitter.

Later that same summer, the Canal Street Madam, Jeanette Maier, stepped forward and said Vitter was also a client of hers. Although she had no proof, one prostitute he allegedly commissioned took a polygraph test and passed.

Other senators began demanding his resignation or at the very least, they said he should be censured. Interestingly, the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal broke around the same time. He too resigned; once again, Vitter refused.

These days, Vitter is a vocal representative for his home state of Louisiana. He was aggressive in ensuring his state was not forgotten during Hurricane Katrina and now, with last summer's explosion, he's once again working to ensure his state is properly represented. The biggest surprise for many - and specifically the Democrats - is the support he will surely have should he decide to run for governor.