Other blogs are already all over this, but to clarify a bit more -- One of Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s outgoing calls (Sunday, January 15, 2006) was placed to an Arlington, Virginia, number listed to registered lobbyist/firm John M. (Jack) Burkman & Associates, 1530 Key Boulevard #1222, Arlington VA 22209. 

Chances of reaching Burkman himself are apparently slim and none, and slim’s out of town, as is Burkman. Other posts including Wonkette (today) have done good work regarding questions about Mr. Burkman already; naturally, quite a few people wonder why a lobbyist for ‘family values’ among other causes and for Dobson’s Family Research Council would be in the alleged DC madam’s little 10,000-number black book.

Starting with ultra fairness, here is Burkman’s own statement, posted on the Web:

“BURKMAN RESPONDS:

Web allegations are simply and completely false, driven by a group of left-wing people seeking to intimidate conservatives and independants.

As my viewers and readers know, I usually do not respond to silliness on the internet. But in this case--given the national and international coverage--I feel I must. The recent allegations concerning sollicitation are false lies. They have been printed and reprinted by websites with a long and intense history of harrassing me and trying to stop my commentary.

None of the sites even so much as contacted me for comment. But I can assure you that they will not succeed. My family and I have been through this before. During impeachment in the 90's, every form of illegitimate pressure that could be brought to bear was brought to bear in an attempt to silence me. But they failed and seven years later, my commentary continues unabated and unphased. And it always will.
Thank you for watching and reading.
-                                 Jack Burkman” 

Bending over backward to the neck-breaking point, it is always possible that Ms. Palfrey was calling Mr. Burkman for business reasons, maybe to hire him as a lobbyist/consultant herself. I’ve placed an email to ask her about that. However, 6:44 in the evening mid-January wd seem an odd time to transact that kind of business, esp on a Sunday evening during a 3-day weekend.

[somewhat later]
And sure enough, as Ms. Palfrey kindly confirms by email:

“Ms. Burns… FYI, this and any calls to the Washington area were business, i.e. escort service related.   

–Sincerely, Jeane Palfrey”

Meanwhile, Burkman’s comment above that “None of the sites so much as contacted me for comment” should not go unchallenged:

-         I do not know which other sites have tried to get in touch with Burkman, but I have tried calling several times. The number listed is still in service, but placing calls to it yields nothing, no answer, not even a recording.

-         Personnel at the condominium address listed above immediately respond “He’s out of town” re Burkman, but there’s no way to leave messages; “you’ll have to contact him directly, but he’s out of town.” According to the personnel, “it’s not a business – we don’t run businesses – these are condominiums that they own” at the address given.

-         There is no directory information, aside from the street address above, for Burkman’s firm; no other contact telephone number listed.

There is copious evidence of Burkman’s work as a lobbyist, including orthodox lists of lobby references here

and here

and here.

Also, wikipedia already has good contributions, as does Sourcewatch. 

Wonkette also did 3-4 short, lively pieces on Burkman back when he allegedly hit on some attractive ladies at a Pride parade. Talk about striking while the iron is cold. He also left his business card.

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: to call these people ‘hypocrites’ is just an insult to hypocrites. Well-paid lobbyists for causes inimical to the public interest are not hypocrites. They’re impostors. The strategy is simple: Keep the uninformed wrought up about sex, drugs and rock-and-roll (while withholding adequate resources for law enforcement to deal with sexual assault crimes and the drugs and weapons commerce). That way their chains are continually yanked – so they distrust all politicians and all news media, unable to form a more accurate critical opinion. And they naturally turn their heads and look the other way, withdraw from the polity to their own gardens etc. Works out well for this country’s biggest beneficiaries of lobbying – the insurance companies, the financial sector, the biggest federal military-security contractors.

Certainly it is not a given that what a much-hired lobbyist says about family life is any reflection of what he actually thinks; these guys know which side their bread is buttered on. But calling this hypocrisy misses the mark. They’re saying what they're paid to say.