Vitter Scandal Update

Well, apparently the New Orleans Times-Picayune has been contacted by and has interviewed one of David Vitter's "escorts," a woman who went by the name of Wendy Cortez, but whose real name is apparently Wendy Yow.

Here´s a shocking selection from this Times-Picayune piece:

Yow characterized the senator as a good man but said she was perturbed that he portrayed himself as a politician who would bring moral authority to his office when he was using her services on the side.

Her former boyfriend Tait Cortez, contacted by The Times-Picayune, said he has seen several photos of Wendy Cortez and Vitter together.

Tait Cortez, who works in construction and often travels to compete in weekend rodeos, said he dated Wendy Cortez for several years in the late 1990s and lived with her for more than a year. The couple never married. Her relationship with Vitter, which Tait Cortez claimed went beyond the brothel business, contributed to their breakup, he said.

"She said she gave exotic massages," Cortez, 40, said. "That's when the trouble (between us) started."

Towards the end of a waning relationship in the summer of 1998, Wendy told him she was an "exotic masseause," Cortez said.

"She told me she had clients lined up; high-dollar people, lawyers, politicians, golfers," he said.

While unpacking boxes following the couple's move to Alabama in 1998, Tait Cortez said he found photos of a smiling Wendy at a formal affair, wearing an evening gown, alongside a man he described as a "city slicker" wearing a suit. In another photo, that same dark-haired man appeared with Wendy at a waterfront party, he said. The man was wearing shorts and a t-shirt next to Wendy in a bikini, Cortez said. "She had his hand on his crotch," Cortez said. "They were smiling."

Cortez said the photo stung him. It was "more sexual" than any others, and he felt that Wendy and the man exhibited more than a business relationship, he said.

"She said it was a client of hers," Cortez said. "She said it was David Vitter, a politician."

Yowza! Still, I´m taking all this with a grain of salt. I want to hear what Vitter has to say.

As usual, Oyster at Your Right Hand Thief is all over the story and has the latest. A big hat-tip to him for pointing me to all these details.

While there still exist some inconsistencies in the details, the situation is looking all the more grim for Vitter.

Where are you, Vitter? We need to hear from you before this thing gets way beyond your control to manage.