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StumbleJohn Ensign calls for probe into Internet claim
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2009 | 6:35 p.m.
John Ensign
Sun Coverage
WASHINGTON -- The proxy war between Nevada’s two senators has taken various twists over the years as Sen. John Ensign rose in Republican leadership and Sen. Harry Reid became the majority leader.
But on Wednesday, a new chapter unfolded as Ensign called on the Senate Armed Services Committee to investigate whether the Obama administration improperly threatened closure of a Nebraska Air Force Base to prod that state’s wavering Democratic senator to vote for health care reform.
The claim has been circulating on the Web for several days, citing unnamed Hill sources saying the administration threatened to put the Offutt Air Force Base in southeastern Nebraska on a future Base Realignment and Closure list unless Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska voted for the health care legislation.
Both the White House and the senator denied this week the report was true, according to the Omaha World-Herald.
“To be perfectly clear: these rumors are completely baseless and false,” White House communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement. He called the claim “absurd.”
Nelson has been in multiple talks with the White House, but said no one from the administration has discussed Offutt’s future in connection with health care talks, according to the Omaha World-Herald. He also said his vote is not for sale.
Ensign, however, believes an investigation is warranted.
Ensign and 19 other Republican senators submitted a letter to the Democratic chairman and ranking Republican of the Armed Services Committee calling for a hearing to investigate the issue.
“We do not want to see the name of a base from our state on a BRAC list and think it has been put there to settle partisan scores,” they wrote.
Providing sweeteners to pass legislation is nothing new in Washington. Reid secured an additional $100 million in Medicaid funds for hurricane-hit Louisiana in an earlier draft of the health care bill. Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu had been among those Democrats withholding their support of the bill earlier this month, but eventually voted to advance the bill.
The claim circulating this week also said Nelson was being offered a blank check for his state as Reid is huddled in negotiations to secure 60 votes to pass the health care bill.
Offutt is the home of U.S. Strategic Command, which employs 2,700, including those from four branches of the service and civilian personnel. It handles the nation’s space and nuclear global defense.
No word from the Armed Services Committee if it will be taking up the issue.
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Comment removed by moderator. The comment violated the reader agreement.
Good job staying out of the spotlight and working for the people of Nevada ... oh wait.
I could easily see President Obama doing something like this in a heartbeat he dos not like or even understand the US Armed Forces to begin with. Plus the Democrats can't be trusted with the military at all' They would like nothing better then to fold them into the UNITED NATIONS anyway.
Base closings are - and have been for a long time - set by a nonpartisan commission called BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure). http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/f...
Enstench is just being his usual dumbass self.
Comment removed by moderator. The comment violated the reader agreement.
Senator ensign needs to keep his hands off his best friends wife and resign asap!!!!
typical stupid pathetic lying republican stunt...
when you have breached your ethical standards...
like...
oh...
i don't know...
say...
sleeping with a married staffer who just happens to be married to your best friend's wife...
and oh by the way...
your best friend is also a staffer...
and then getting that staffer a job with a constituent before it is legal to do so...
what you do is...
you accuse others of breaching their ethical standards...
i think that is on page 87 of the karl scum bag maggot rove handbook...
maybe it is page 88...
hee hee hee...
when was the last time johnnie spoke to cindy???
Ensign should not be requesting investigations of ANYTHING.
Maybe Ensign should get outa here!
It'll be a pleasure to vote against John Ensign.
The epitome of an upstanding politician and human being, John Ensign, has the nerve to question someone else being underhanded. Isn't that special!
When are the Republicans gonna stop all this negative bullmanure and join in to return this country and economy to where it should be. They not only are negative about everything that is proposed and are constantly making things up with their false accusations, they also don't propose one positive thing that will benefit the people and this country.
And before any of you rightwingers mouth off about me I'm not a Democrat,I'm an Independent.
Stop supporting people like Ensign he's a slug and he's proven it.
John Ensign's strategy appears to be "throw it up against the wall and see if it sticks".
The reason for the strategy - get the attention off of himself - basic deflection!
Will it work? It's worth a try.
To be expected, based on the headline. Of a long line of posts here, maybe two are related to the story. The rest were written by party hard-liners (with a cumulative IQ of less than 12) who just look for excuses to blast anyone from the other party. Why in the world would you want to comment on the actual story when personal attacks are so much fun?
So, Sen. John Ensign wants Senatorial investigations launched based on unsubstantiated rumors found in local newspapers.
No problem.
Time to give Jon Ralston subpoena power.
Amazing that people are more concerned with Ensign's sex life than if the Democratic leadership or the President are using military bases as pawns in a political game?
"His vote is not for sale."
Now that really is laugh out loud funny.
Ensign has no credibility. Whatever cause he takes up will be met with scorn.
Therefore, he cannot do his job, and should resign.
Resign Ensign
Ensign employs the hackneyed political tactic:
Divert, distract and accuse.
Ensign has certainly proven, on more than one occasion, that "Higher Education" is no guarantee of Common Sense.
Tom Nass
5th Marine Division - WWII
Throw BOTH of the Senators out - they BOTH seem to be less than in touch with the needs of the US: An honest, moral and sincere public servant that is aware of the budget and public concerns.
I'm very happy Johnny boy has decided to make the public aware of what is going on. You know it doesn't matter to me whether it's a Republican or a Democrat breaking laws or just doing something down right stupid, the public should be made fully aware of it cause both parties do it. Maybe this will frighten these no good politicians and make all of them realize that they can fool some of the people some of the time...
Another tactic being employed by the Kenyan Marxist's staff to bring recalcitrant Democrat senators in line to vote for the barf-bag healthcare bill. BTW, who the heck wants to be stationed on a base in Nebraska? Shut it down.
afveteran you let that one go completely over your head. How tall are you?
poor johnny, we hardly knew ye; dont leave us so soon, johnson.
let's remove Nebraska from the Union