Politics

Sen. Shaheen To Campaign At Home Of Lobbyist Tied To D.C. Prostitution Ring

Chuck Ross Investigative Reporter
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Democratic New Hampshire U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen is set to campaign at the home of a lobbyist tied to a number of scandals, including the so-called “D.C. Madam” prostitution ring.

Bill Broydrick, a prominent lobbyist in Wisconsin and Washington D.C., will host a fundraiser at his home in Washington Wednesday evening.

The cost of attendance is $1,000 per individual or PAC and $2,500 to sponsor. Checks should be made payable to Shaheen for Senate, according to an invitation obtained by The Daily Caller.

Broydrick’s home, where he lives with wife Cindi, is a curious choice for the fundraiser — Shaheen’s first for the general election, in which she will face off against former Massachusetts U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who won the GOP primary Tuesday.

That’s because Broydrick was tied to Deborah Jeane Palfrey, the so-called “D.C. Madam.”

In 2007, the Associated Press reported that Broydrick’s phone number was found in phone records released by Palfrey. The lobbyist received three calls from her in 2004. Each of the phone calls lasted for less than a minute, according to the report.

Broydrick told reporters at the time that he was not willing to comment on the matter.

Palfrey contended that her business, Pamela Martin and Associates, was above-board. But she was charged with racketeering for operating a prostitution ring that netted more than $2 million, the Associated Press reported. She was convicted in 2008 of racketeering and money laundering. She was found dead by hanging later in 2008. The death was ruled a suicide.

Broydrick’s ties to Palfrey are not his only foible.

According to the Capital Times out of Madison, Wisc., Broydrick pleaded guilty in 1989 to providing an illegal gift to former Wisconsin state Sen. Gary George.

Broydrick’s lobbying efforts center mostly on the health care industry. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Broydrick’s largest clients so far in 2014 include the Wisconsin Medical Society and Exact Sciences, a pharmaceutical company.

He was also paid $10,000 this year to lobby on behalf of Egan-Jones Ratings Co. According to Bloomberg, the SEC issued an 18-month ban on the company from grading government-backed debt and other asset-backed securities for misleading the agency.

According to lobbying disclosure reports, Broydrick is lobbying both chambers of Congress on “SEC Regulations and financial ratings and financial services legislation.”

The fundraiser for Shaheen is not Broydrick’s first for a sitting senator. He hosted Louisiana U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, who is locked in a contentious re-election bid of her own, back in February.

Broydrick and his wife have donated heavily to both parties, but tend to favor Democrats. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the Broydricks gave just over $400,000 to Democrats between 1990 and 2013. The couple gave just over $147,000 to Republicans during the same period.

The Shaheen campaign did not respond to TheDC’s request for comment. Broydrick did not immediately respond either.

Correction: The article originally identified the American Medical Association as a lobbying client of Broydrick’s. The article has been amended to reflect that Broydrick’s client is the Wisconsin Medical Society.

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