Ensign apologizes during lunch with GOP senators

Published Tuesday, June 23, 2009 | 10:56 a.m.

Updated Tuesday, June 23, 2009 | 11:28 a.m.

Courtesy Inside Edition

Sen. John Ensign with his wife, Darlene, and Cynthia and Doug Hampton.

Back in Washington, Ensign received warmly (6-23-09)

WASHINGTON -- At today's weekly lunch with Republican senators, Sen. John Ensign apologized to his colleagues, those present said.

Ensign appeared "contrite," one Republican senator said.

Another, Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, said Ensign was "warmly" received.

After speaking for about two minutes, Ensign received applause from his Republican peers.

Ensign's appearance at the lunch he formerly organized as chair of the policy committee was his first since disclosing an affair last week with a former campaign aide who is married to a former top staffer.

Discussion: 18 comments so far…

By crackedbeak

6/23/09 at 11:09 a.m.

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John Ensign does Brenda Lee, I'm sorry, so sorry, please accept my apologeeeee--- I didn't know, that illicit sex wern't free uh uh uhooo
By steve7952

6/23/09 at 11:39 a.m.

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"Standing ovation from his Republican peers"? Peers? Does that mean they are the same?
By El_Lobo

6/23/09 at 11:50 a.m.

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Hmmmmm......Why am I not surprised that the party of "Family Values" gave Senator Ensign a
standing ovation?

Excuse me, I need to go throw-up!
By IncognitoRebel

6/23/09 at 11:52 a.m.

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Since so many Senators and Representatives preach non stop on the sanctity of marriage how about they do something about it??? Let's propose to make adultery an illegal crime. Make it a felony punishable with prison time. Maybe that will keep those who should'nt be married from getting married and it might just keep some people honest. But i am positive that such a law would never be put on the books in our society today. But if these family value preachers really believe in upholdng the sanctity of marriage then they should fight for such a thing. I mean they fight so hard against gay's being able to get married saying "we must uphold the sanctity of marriage" but they themselves break the bond of marriage probably more so then a "gay" couple would. The sad part is that if you put that up to the voters they would probably be more likely to legalize cocaine then to criminalize adultery. We live in a society today where cheating is the norm. Just look at steroids in sports(not just baseball, more high school students use steroids then smoke pot), how about George W Bush and the WMD's in Iraq(that should be criminal), or your kids taking tests in school(they almost all cheat sometime or another), or your local priest(keep your kids away). It's just that people dont care and they turn a blind eye to cheating because that has become the American way, if you dont cheat you dont get ahead. Those who remain moral good people have a very hard time being successful in life because the liars and the cheaters really dont want moral people around to call them out on their hypocrisy and the people who run this country are the liars and cheaters. sorry folks for my ramble... it's just true
By IncognitoRebel

6/23/09 at 11:54 a.m.

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IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH
By Johnathan_Abbinett

6/23/09 at 12:01 p.m.

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This is NOT just another everyday, garden-variety, adulterous affair people - Ensign committed the crime of sexual harrassment as an employer with one of his employees (the other woman's husband also worked for Ensign) - this issue is about women being free from being preyed upon in the workplace by predatory employers!

Of course, Ensign (and his staff and supporters) want to spin it like it's just another "affair" and much ado about nothing - so the story dies and people forget what happened - and Ensign gets away with his crime and gets re-elected?

That's how people in power commit crimes and get away with and stay in power!

This issue is about women being treated with full equal opportunity, due dignity and respect and upholding the laws that protect all people!

I personally do not care what consenting adults do after working hours in the privacy of their lives - just as long as no laws are being broken, no one ends up beaten, bruised or bleeding - consenting adults may do as they please...but, there are laws to protect employees from employers who are predators!

Ensign, by his own admission that he was the superior/employer and the other woman was the subordinate/employee, committed the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT - that's an established and undisputed fact!

Ensign, again by his own admission, states that the "affair" went on for several months, even after Ensign confessed to his wife, Ensign continued to pursue the other woman...

...and even after the other woman (and her husband who was also employed by Ensign) left the employ of Ensign, the time-line clearly indicates that Ensign continued to pursue the other woman - these FACTS raise the specific question:

"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Republican-NV) who's obviously GUILTY of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, also GUILTY of STALKING and being A SEXUAL PREDATOR!"
By cnev

6/23/09 at 12:09 p.m.

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Perhaps the Senator's Luncheon could become a support group for both party's lying, cheating unfaithful ways. I would gladly pay extra taxes to hire a therapist dealing with narcissism and over hyped ego issues.
Welcoming him warmly. Sympathetic-"contrite"
I say boot both parties out. It is time to clean house.
Between the lobbyists puppeteers and the roving libido, they have got to go.
I am so sick of reading this scenario-
Do you reporters keep a file and cut and paste the comments from the last one-our legislators are becoming one big cliche.
By CarsonNewshound

6/23/09 at 12:34 p.m.

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Pathetic. If the voters of Nevada don't do something about it...well...uh...they, uh...will be....NEVADANS!! BRING ON THE NUKE DUMP. THERE'S NO INTELLIGENT LIFE THERE ANYWAY!!!!
By crackedbeak

6/23/09 at 12:42 p.m.

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Found footage ... Sen John the early years
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2IN8l6Yo...
By mred

6/23/09 at 1:39 p.m.

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Is he going to refund the Republicans the money he paid his significant other and her family?
I hear her "expert researcher" son might get hired by the other paper in town.

The editor over there is bending over backwards to ignore the financial/legal aspects of this situation, calling it a "poke-a-dillo" and a "roll in the hay."

There's a u-tube audio of him on Reno's Bill Mander's show talking about his 2o year marriage when he was in the middle of his cheating.
By fosimmons

6/23/09 at 1:44 p.m.

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Why are they trying to run our lives? These guys think they know best how we should live. I really resent this. Just get a life. There is a lot of lying going on here.
By BobbyG

6/23/09 at 1:47 p.m.

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"Ensign was "warmly" received.

Ensign received a standing ovation from his Republican peers."
____

That says EVERYTHING about the Repu'ublicist Party.
By sandy99

6/23/09 at 2:06 p.m.

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A standing ovation from his peers? For what? Being a flamin' hypocrite, misusing GOP monies and oh, yeah, cheating on his wife? I guess just as long as it isn't a Democrat or a homosexual acting inappropriately, Republicans think that anything goes.
By tvegas

6/23/09 at 4:20 p.m.

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What a country
By gmag39

6/23/09 at 6:27 p.m.

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perhaps because they are largely a group of old married white guys, the ovation was for Ensign's
having got laid.
By westvegas

6/23/09 at 7:08 p.m.

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Didn't Mr. Ensign once (or more) speak out against the ills of such behavior? Yes, indeed, he did. Hypocrite maybe?
By mred

6/23/09 at 7:19 p.m.

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Look's like Inside Edition found a photo, which means the Hamptons didn't make any money selling one. According to most sexperts who analyze affairs, if the women are about equally attractive, then the attraction is that the new lover does something in the bedroom that the other does not do.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

6/23/09 at 8:21 p.m.

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Oh, "gmag39" I'm ROTFLMAO! I had the same idea - these pathetic, tired, old, white guys would be so happy if any of them were still getting sex from their wives - let alone any other woman - HA!

And maybe it's some sort of perverted right of passage with all the others that have cheated too? Fully accepting Ensign as "one of them" now!

I just want the full story, the questions asked and answers, and the truth - the whole truth, so we can move on to much more important issues ASAP!

"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Republican-NV) who has admitted publicly that he had an "affair" as a superior/employer with a subordinate/employee guilty of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, and, given the length of the time-line, is Ensign guility of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"