Responses to the Book's Release – Part 2

Another response to my marketing efforts came from an anonymous e-mailer who wrote in unflattering terms about Jeane . . .

I recently was pointed to your web page promoting the book. I completely agree she was hounded by the legal process and the entire trial was a farce. It never should have happened and the entire ultra-conservative witch hunt was itself evil. However so is your portrayal of her as "Jeane became an internationally known, heroic figure for living her life without excuses and standing up to the Bush Administration’s misogynist, right-wing pandering, political agenda."

She was a manipulating pimp who threatened many of those who worked for her and ruined the lives of a number of them. She was FAR from a "heroic figure". Too bad you don't portray the real businesswoman Palfrey. The one who gave false tips to the IRS about the "millions" her employees earned just because they retired without her consent, putting more than one into legal trouble with the IRS and making them bankrupt as they tried to defend themselves. Or the pimp who would generate reviews trying to trash the rep and business of girls who left her employ because they felt she took too big a cut and they could do better on their own.

Just because she was wrongly prosecuted herself doesn't make her the saint you portray her to be. She was ruthless and cared for few if any of those who worked for her. It was her "record keeping" that dragged other women through the mud in the trial. To what end? "If I am going to suffer, so will they". Because of her phone lists women lost their jobs, lost their families, and more. Any remorse on her part? No. All she cared about was herself.

Again, I am not defending the prosecution--they were equally callous scum, but I am sick of hearing Palfrey almost be canonized in retrospect. This was Capone vs Malone in the Chicago streets, both the government and she were evil. I don't really expect to hear back from you but it would be interesting to hear how you decided she is a "heroic figure" other than it's good press for a book. 

I would write back to her the following day, a post I will make tomorrow.