Debbie Stabenow, a single mother of two grown children, was 51 years old when she became the first woman Michigan ever sent to the U.S. Senate. Now in her second term, Stabenow sits on the influential Senate finance committee. In 2001, the same year Stabenow arrived in Washington, she began a romance with Tom Athans, 11 years her junior, who briefly ran one of her small state offices. After a short courtship, the two were married in February 2002.
In February 2008, Athans made a 15-minute stop at the Residence Inn in Troy, Mich., to meet “Kasey” (real name: Alycia Martin), whom he’d found through Craigslist.org. Awkwardly, police had already been staking out the 20-year-old Martin (“approximately 5’4” 110 pounds, blonde hair”). Her arrest report (see below and the following two pages) cites the description Athans gave officers (“tattoos on her wrist and hips, and a belly button ring”) after his Cadillac Deville was pulled over as he drove away from the assignation. The report lists how much Athans paid (“he was told to place $150 on the countertop”), what the cops found (condoms, lubricant, lingerie, “a pink marital aid”), and what Athans got for the money (“she performed oral sex on Mr. Athans until completion”; see Page 2).
When the story broke on April 2, Stabenow told the Associated Press, “[T]his is a family matter that is very difficult but we are going to work through it.” Athans said through his lawyer, “My family and I are dealing with this matter in a personal and private way.” Martin would not appear to have the same option.
Send ideas for Hot Document to documents@slate.com. Please indicate whether you wish to remain anonymous.
