Vitter offers apology but gives no answers
by Kate Moran - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

After refusing for a week to answer questions about whether he had ever hired prostitutes, U.S. Sen. David Vitter emerged from seclusion Monday to apologize again for "actions from my past" without owning up to what those misdeeds entailed.

Last week, a woman who said she worked as a prostitute under the name Wendy Cortez said Vitter was a regular customer of hers when he was a state representative in the 1990s.

At Monday's news conference, Vitter responded without being specific.

"Unfortunately, my admission has encouraged some longtime political enemies and those hoping to profit from the situation to spread falsehoods, like those New Orleans stories in recent reporting," Vitter said. "Those stories are not true."

Vitter said he has no plans to discuss the issue further.

His wife tried to pre-empt additional news coverage by invoking the couple's four children, all younger than 13. She said the youngsters endured an "incredibly trying and very sad" week as reports continued to surface about prostitutes in Louisiana and Washington.

A few students from the College Republicans club at the University of New Orleans were there to demand Vitter's resignation. They said he had tarnished the party's reputation and they criticized Vitter for holding the news conference an hour before U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal, another Republican, officially kicked off his campaign for governor.

Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Roger Villere said the Vitters made forceful statements that were likely to help the couple prevail over the scandal, but also expressed disappointment that it nearly coincided with Jindal's campaign launch.

"I think if nothing else comes out, and this is all there is, then three weeks from now, this will all be behind" Vitter, Villere said.