Is the Daily News in Bed with Madam Kristin Davis?

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On Tuesday, the New York Daily News took the New York Post to task over its new "sex, love and relationship" columnist Ashley Dupre, calling the ex-hooker's advice "useless" and bemoaning the fact Post editors have insisted on giving Dupre a "16th minute of fame." But the Daily News is a friend to publicity-seeking former sex workers, too! Look no further than Kristin Davis, the madam who claims she provided escorts to former Gov. Eliot Spitzer. Over the past 11 months, the News has mentioned Davis in no fewer than 16 articles, many of which link to her website and plug her self-published paperback book. (Just yesterday, she earned a mention when the Daily News' Gatecrasher column interviewed Davis about her plans to run against Spitzer for state comptroller in the event he decides to run himself.) It's almost like the paper has Davis on speed dial, doesn't it?

Davis, in case you've forgotten, was busted in March 2008 for running a high-end escort service and spent close to four months at Rikers before she was bailed out. (She eventually pleaded guilty to the charges and was given time served.)

In February 2009, Davis "published" The Manhattan Madam, a tell-all about her "multi-million dollar business" in which she alleged that she booked dates for Eliot Spitzer over the course of several years. Since then, Davis—or unidentified "sources" "close" to Davis—have supplied the Daily News with a big bunch of other Davis career accomplishments. She's said to have provided escorts to Oscar-winning songwriter (and accused rapist) Joseph Brooks. She supposedly wrangled women for Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez. She's said to have set up "massages" for Bernie Madoff. Jon Gosselin's ex-girlfriend once contacted her about a job. The escort who was murdered in Boston last spring? She once worked for Davis. Tiger Woods' mistress, Cori Rist? She, too, had dealings with Davis at one point in time. If there's a story in the news about prostitution, chances are Davis is connected to it in some way. Convenient!

Davis routinely mentions that her little black book contains more than 2,000 names—it's "one of the largest in the business," according to the News—but she has never publicly disclosed most of the A-list celebrities, top CEOs, and famous politicians who supposedly took advantage of her services. (She's provided a number of names to several reporters. Whether these reporters ever truly verified the info is unclear.) So how much of what Davis has said is true? How much of it made up? It may not matter. She's chatty and she has lots of lurid stories to share (even if they're not true), so it's no wonder that she's become the leading supplier of gossip to the Daily News over the past year.

You can take a trip through Davis' Daily News clips—in reverse chronological order—below:

December 16, 2009
Former madam Kristin Davis will run for comptroller, if Eliot Spitzer does too

December 13, 2009
Tiger Woods babe Cori Rist may have hooker past: source

November 11, 2009
Disgraced ex-Gov. Eliot Spitzer to lecture at ethics center; madam says it's dumb move by Harvard U.

November 1, 2009
Celebrity Side Dish

August 26, 2009
New York's heartbreak hotels: Where high-profile cheaters make trouble

August 8, 2009
Madam Kristin Davis says Oscar-winning songwriter Joseph Brooks abused hookers

August 4, 2009
Kibosh on bash at Spitzers for DA candidate Vance

July 26, 2009
Jon Gosselin's new girlfriend Kate Major denies claims of call girl past

July 19, 2009
Eliot Spitzer not my only governor—hooker who worked for Kristin Davis

April 19, 2009
Slain masseuse Julissa Brisman once worked for madam Kristin Davis

March 23, 2009
Madam Kristin Davis dated Alex Rodriguez and provided him with hookers, sources claim

March 9, 2009
Eliot Spitzer choked her during sex, claims high-end call girl

February 6, 2009
Madam's tell-all book reveals Eliot Spitzer prostitute scandal dirt