Bush aide quits amid prostitution probe

WASHINGTON —  Randall L. Tobias, head of the Bush administration’s foreign aid programs, abruptly resigned Friday. His name had surfaced in an investigation into a prostitution ring, according to two people in a position to know the circumstances of his departure.

It was Tobias’ decision to resign, according to one of the people, who said the issue came up in the last day or so. The people spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Tobias was interviewed Thursday by ABC News for an upcoming program about an alleged prostitution service run by the so-called D.C. Madam.

ABC News reported online late Friday that Tobias confirmed he had called the Pamela Martin and Associates escort service to have women come to his condo and give him massages.

More recently, Tobias told the network, he used a service with Central American women.

Tobias, 65, who is married, told ABC there was “no sex” during the women’s visits.

Friday evening, the State Department put out a statement announcing Tobias’ resignation, saying he “informed Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice today that he must step down as director of U.S. foreign assistance and U.S. Agency for International Development administrator, effective immediately.”

“He is returning to private life for personal reasons,” the statement said.

He held two titles and had a rank equivalent to deputy secretary of State.

Rice named Tobias to head the two programs in January 2006. He had been the White House’s coordinator for global AIDS relief.

Tobias’ name surfaced in connection with the investigation involving Deborah Jeane Palfrey of Vallejo, Calif., accused earlier this year of running an illegal escort service in Washington.

Palfrey has said she has 46 pounds of phone records involving clients.

Efforts to reach her late Friday were unsuccessful.

Montgomery Blair Sibley, an attorney who represents Palfrey in noncriminal cases, declined to comment.

Prosecutors have accused Palfrey of trying to intimidate potential witnesses by exposing them publicly.