WASHINGTON -- The Federal Election Commission says U.S. Senator David Vitter can use his campaign funds to pay for some of his legal fees stemming from an escort service scandal. However, the commission deadlocked on Vitter's request to pay all of his legal fees using his campaign funds.

(AP Photo/Bill Haber)

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., speaks in this 2005 file photo in New Orleans. Vitter apologized Monday night for 'a very serious sin in my past' after his telephone number appeared among those associated with an escort service operated by the so-called 'D.C. Madam.'

The legal expenses stemmed from the Louisiana Republican being tied to a Washington D.C. escort service operated by Deborah Palfrey, who was convicted of running a prostitution ring that catered to the powerful. She committed suicide about two weeks after her conviction.

Vitter has acknowledged involvement with the service and apologized for what he called a "very serious sin." Palfrey attempted to subpoena Vitter for a pretrial hearing, but Vitter did not testify because the hearing was canceled.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)