The woman dragged into the attempted extortion of David Letterman has been revealed as Stephanie Birkitt, his former assistant. Birkitt’s boyfriend (presumably former boyfriend) is 48 Hours producer Robert “Joe” Halderman, who was arrested for attempting to extort $2 million from Letterman. He and Birkitt lived together, and he found her old diaries, letters, and photos which “incriminated” Letterman. From the looks of it Birkitt had absolutely nothing to do with the extortion and is said to be “mortified” by the scandal.

Stephanie Birkitt has been identified as one of the women involved in the David Letterman extortion plot. Birkitt, Letterman’s former assistant who has made several appearances on the “Late Show,” lived with alleged blackmailer Robert “Joe” Halderman, who allegedly “was in possession of Birkitt’s diary, correspondence and photos — which he says incriminated Letterman,” according to TMZ.

Sources tell TMZ that Letterman and Birkitt had a sexual relationship that ended before 2003, when his son Harry was born. Sources tell RadarOnline.com that “Birkitt and Letterman slept together for a period of time before he married his girlfriend Regina had their son Harry” and that Birkitt is reportedly “mortified Halderman is using her fling with Letterman to blackmail her boss.”

So who is Stephanie Birkitt? Birkitt is a 1997 graduate of Wake Forest University who interned in the writers’ department at the “Late Show” in spring 1996. After a stint at “48 Hours” — incidentally, where Halderman worked as a producer — Birkitt moved back to the “Late Show.” After a job as producer, Birkitt applied to be Letterman’s assistant. “I heard there was a job in Dave’s office opening up and I applied, because I didn’t think I was much of a news hound, as it was a little too serious for my personality,” she told the New Hampshire Union Leader in 2004 (via Nexis).

In a 2002 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Birkitt called Letterman “the best boss I’ve ever had.” She expanded on that claim in a 2003 interview with her alma mater, telling a Wake Forest publication. “Aside from being incredibly funny and personable he is generous, kind, and is great fun to play catch with. I really couldn’t ask for a more fun work environment. Dave is truly the greatest boss I could ever have.”

[From the Huffington Post]

Birkitt raves about Dave being the best boss she ever had don’t come off as anything strange to me; somehow it seems her affection for him was more friendship-based. Gawker got an interesting tip today: supposedly Dave paid Birkitt’s law school tuition. I think this is supposed to imply that he’s a sleaze ball or their relationship was based on financial perks. Honestly I think it’s a great thing to do, and it makes it sound like he actually cared about Birkitt and wasn’t just screwing her.

As revealed last night, Late Night host David Letterman could be an especially good boss to some of his more special assistants. The show’s staff has long buzzed upon the attentions Dave bestows upon his favorites.

• Letterman had a cadre of female assistants who fell heavily on the young and attractive side of the ledger. He was said to employ as not less than three of these Special Assistants to the Host last year. The assistant tally however, was said to have climbed as high as five at moments.

• The scuttlebutt on the set had it that current assistant-in-question, Stephanie Birkitt, received extra compensation for duties as his First Assistant, in the form of Letterman picking up the tab for her graduate law studies at the Yeshiva University Law School.

[From Gawker]

I just flat-out don’t find that to be scandalous. I’d think he were sort of a jerk if he was seeing Birkitt and didn’t pick up the tab. Not that he’s obligated, but he’s got so much money, and it’s a kind thing to do. There’s no reason to believe she stuck around longer because of it.

Dave also admitted that he’d slept with “women” on the show – plural. So presumably there are others who might come forward, and it seems like Gawker is preparing for that by noting: “Each Valentines Day, Letterman sent lavish, expensive bouquets of flowers to each and every non-male on the Late Show staff with a handwritten note signed ‘Your Friend Dave.’” Again, not trying to be naive here but all these little tidbits make it hard for me to think the worst of Dave. I have no idea what kind of relationship he has with his wife – who was not legally his wife when he was with Birkitt – but for all we know, their relationship may have been an open one. Probably not, but who knows. But paying the law school tuition of a staff member or a girlfriend and sending flowers to every woman in the office on Valentine’s Day is not something for which we should be docking Letterman points.

Here are a few video clips of Birkitt on “Late Night.”

[Birkitt appears at 3:30]

[Birkitt appears at 1:00]