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StumbleSUN EDITORIAL:
Time to come forward
Ensign would benefit himself and constituents by answering questions about affair
Sunday, June 28, 2009 | 2:06 a.m.
Sen. John Ensign’s refusal to answer key questions about his extramarital affair with former campaign aide Cynthia Hampton led a government watchdog group Wednesday to file complaints against the Nevada Republican with the Senate Select Committee on Ethics and the Federal Election Commission.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, which targets politicians regardless of party affiliation, was justified in filing those complaints because Ensign is resorting to stonewall tactics.
That organization and other media outlets, including the Las Vegas Sun, have raised numerous questions, including whether Hampton and her husband, former Ensign staff aide Doug Hampton, were terminated because of the affair, whether Cynthia Hampton was paid severance that was not properly disclosed, and whether the Hamptons tried to extort him.
Sun reporter Lisa Mascaro asked the senator some of those questions Thursday in Washington. Ensign’s response: “You can ask me what you want to ask me. The response will be the same. I said what I’m going to say, last week.”
Ensign was referring to his June 16 announcement — reading a 1 minute, 38 second prepared statement — that he had had an extramarital affair, that he was sorry, that he had reconciled with his wife and that he intends to remain in office. After reading his statement he refused to take questions.
That’s not good enough.
Ensign should want to clear the air as soon as possible. A full airing of the facts would be good not only for the senator, but also for Nevada.
Instead, his refusal to answer legitimate questions leaves his constituents to assume that the answers could be damaging to him. This issue goes beyond the hypocrisy of engaging in infidelity after being so heavily invested in his party’s “family values” platform.
There are serious questions about the use of campaign money and whether his decision to terminate the Hamptons employment can be construed — as the watchdog group phrased it — as “discrimination on the basis of sex.”
These questions will not go away anytime soon simply because Ensign is ducking them.
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John "zipper slipper" Ensign is done politically. He could best serve himself, his children and the State of Nevada by quietly resigning as a U.S. Senator.
He is no longer politically viable. All he can do now is cash in on his salary, health insurance and retirement benefits; the latter two items which he has tried to deny to his own constituents, veterans and citizens in this country. He is rebuilding is base so that he can retire in Washington as a consultant.
I, among others, no longer view him as a moral leader worthy of a vote for the U.S. Senate. He like so many others in Washington have betrayed the office and the people they were sent to represent. I feel sorry for him but he would do us all a favor and resign with some degree of grace and dignity.
The Sun and the elite lib media never pushed this question the cigar dude, "There are serious questions about the use of campaign money and whether his decision to terminate the Hamptons employment can be construed -- as the watchdog group phrased it -- as "discrimination on the basis of sex."
The cigar dude's girlfriend was promoted from intern to White House staffer after she demostrated her ability to handle his cigars. Then when the stuff started to hit the fan she "left" the white house and he tried to land her a job at Revlon by using his political muscle (I do not think they were hiring her at Revlon for her cigar skills).
The Sun and elite lib media gave a rat's behind about that back then. Now, they are huffy and puffy about such matters.
Perhaps, it all deals with the "R" vs. "D" thingy.
"That's not good enough."
How Stupid is it to ask someone for an answer which you are pre-disposed to not believe.
As a newspaper the LV Sun must do it own investigation.
Since most of the information is in the public records of congress why does the LV Sun not go get it.
If it is not there use the FOIA - oops Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi do not apply the FOIA to Congress.
But really if the LV Sun wants to know they cannot just ask Ensign - Do your job.
"He is no longer politically viable. "
According to a recent poll taken after the his news conference on the affair, his approval rating in Nevada is higher than Reids.
If Engisn is not politically viable then I guess that makes Reid not politicaly viable either.
That is good news.
Future: I guess you didn't hear that Ensign has refused to answer questions about issues related to his affair? It was in all the papers.
You can blame Viagra for these politicians wanting to have something young. The little blue pill has turned these guy's into 18 year olds.
"I guess you didn't hear that Ensign has refused to answer questions about issues related to his affair?"
What part about "How Stupid is it to ask someone for an answer which you are pre-disposed to not believe." did you not understand
"What part about "How Stupid is it to ask someone for an answer which you are pre-disposed to not believe." did you not understand"
Right...because it's never possible to change someone's mind. Once they've decided they don't believe you, that's the end of it.
By that logic, innocent people who are suspected of crimes should never answer questions from the police because obviously the cops won't believe them.
Thank goodness one media outlet in Las vegas wants to investigate the misdeeds of our elected officials. I think it is well past time for the self-admitted adulterer, John Ensign, to give the people of the state of Nevada a complete accounting of this and every other issue he is hiding.
Promise Keepers are about honesty and faithfulness. I certainly don't see John Ensign as an honest man, especially someone who professes great christian faith and then breaks his marital vows for months on end.
The 5th.
I think SgtRock is really just jfnance. Same style. No interest in rational debate, just trolling for people to react to him. Best to ignore him.
The Ensign family are trash.
Promise Keepers seem to be a front for sexual deviancy.
This is why Republicans are losing votes.
ENSIGN is a shame.