prostitution rampant at strip clubs? GASP (clutches pearls)!!!

well, what did they expect to find? yahtzee tournaments?

Our esteemed Chief of Police, Gil K, said in his breathless and ever-so-important manner that this was the most important criminal investigation that they've ever conducted at the Seattle Police Department.

So, I read over the affidavit...and there's very little "there" there. After reading it, I'm not confident that they'll really be able to bring in much of a case.

Mind you, they've raided these clubs many, many times, and have frequently charged "prostitution" but have not very often been able to make those charges stick.

So, this time, they've cobbled together a whole lot of allegations without much glue, and they provided a lot of show, but in the end, I'm guessing we won't see much result from their efforts.

But, so as to reassure us, Mr. Kerlikowski assured us that this has nothing to do with being the morality police.

Yeah, right.

just thinking, after the supreme court struck down the sodomy laws, didn't they say something to the effect of 'you cant tell adults what to do with their bodies behind closed doors.' ?

can't the above principle be applied to prostitution?

Let's see how many actual convictions these latest arrests will lead to.

why can't we be adults about this, like Portland?

i want an open, inclusive tatty bar atmosphere. with alcohol.

I don't think these charges are really about any sort of morality policing. It's probably more about trying to beef up an indictment against an organized crime figure.

I pay for mine with kisses.

It's the best way.

Read the affidavit. There's very little by way of what you would think of as "organized crime." They are using that term to bolster the import of this action, but I don't think there's much to it.

the only problem with prostitution is that the government can't get its cut on services rendered.

Dan,
Correctamundo regarding your assessment of prostitution. It's ridiculous that we have in this country "Adult Entertainment" protected by the 1st Amendment and yet the states (except for Nevada) aren't allowed to tax & regulate prostitution (that is for our purposes a definition: a gay or straight adult of 18 years or older exchanges money or kind for consensual sex). I'd like to pose this riddle that I thought of:
What is the difference between an adult film star like say Ron Jeremy or Jenna Jameson and a street prostitute or escort? Answer: health insurance.

Good insight Dan. Prostitution should be legal. I wouldn't encourage being a prostitute anymore than being an adult film "actor/actress". However, it remains a personal choice.

Just another day at the office for the Mayor's Morality Squad.

Strippers have to pay to work? WTF?

I think the demand for legal prostitution is all on the demand side. When I was a kid in school, none of the girls I knew picked "whore" when asked what they wanted to be when the grew up. If you could make a living wage as a cashier people wouldn't hook.

hair stylists pay to rent out a chair willie.

and no one picked "whore" as a profession because children generally don't have a concept of sex that progresses beyond a penis going inside a vagina and the concept has no consideration for reason.

Gee, maybe if the city didn't grant Colacurcio a de facto monopoly on strip clubs in the city, he might have a little competition, and not be such an ass hat. Giving him that virtual monopoly also grants him great power. Then we're surprised when he abuses it?

I hope the city is actually able to make something stick to this asshole.

But I also hope the city council and mayor wake up and realize that their antiquated nanny rules about strip clubs contributes to this criminal atmosphere.

I suppose if there's any possibility that one of these women might use the 'boot' that the FBI gave them yesterday, to propel herself into another career path, I'd be happy. It would be wonderful to see her 15 year-old daughter, proud of her for once.

@12 When I was a kid I didn't dream of being in the particular fairly remunerative profession I'm in either. If I had the goods to hook and count on reasonable government-enforced safety regs, I'd much rather do that than what I'm doing now.

Of COURSE the Colacurcios are organized crime -- they're Italian, aren't they? We've all seen the Sopranos, right?

I agree with Reverse pretty much across the board on this. The city looks stupid here.

Don't disrespect the Bing.

I go to the store to buy meat instead of hunting animals myself. I should be given the option of going to a brothel instead of drunkenly chatting up some queer at a bar.
Prostitution is great.