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By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
Monday, April 5, 2010 | 2 a.m.
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Last summer, Sen. John Ensign was with his wife, Darlene, at Palace Station for a meeting of Nevada Republican women.
It was a somewhat awkward venue, coming soon after he had confessed to an affair with his best friend’s wife, Cynthia Hampton, who had been Ensign’s campaign treasurer and whose husband, Doug Hampton, had been his Senate co-chief of staff.
Ensign’s chrome-colored hair just so and his shirt stiffly starched, as always, he plowed ahead.
“I want to first acknowledge my lovely bride. My wife, Darlene, is here. Anybody who does this job knows that, without a very supportive spouse, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish the things we were able to accomplish, especially when I go to Washington,” he said, awkwardness filling the air as if from a leaky propane tank.
“I want to share a few thoughts with you tonight. It’s always great, though, to be among such, um, well, beautiful women.”
That odd digression was followed by laughter.
“Gorgeous room here tonight, I know that. But also pretty, energetic women. We’re going to need that energy together,” he said.
For the second-term Republican, who won re-election with 55 percent of the vote in 2006, these tone-deaf — borderline obtuse — comments were just one example of increasingly arrogant behavior that goes back years, Republicans say.
In interviews with the Las Vegas Sun, more than a dozen friends, associates and Republican allies, some of whom have known Ensign for years, describe him as a politician who has grown narcissistic and reckless — a detached, self-righteous figure with almost no regard for those who helped send him to Washington or keep him there.
Ensign’s actions in the wake of the affair, and the resulting investigations by the Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee have bled into the lives of his once-closest aides, associates and friends, as well as largely innocent bystanders and his family.
The sources, most of whom spoke to the Sun on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigations, said what rankles so many in Republican circles is that Ensign seems oblivious to the collateral damage caused by his actions, and unwilling to make the matter disappear by resigning.
Steve Wark, a longtime Nevada Republican operative, said Ensign’s failure to make and maintain relationships has come back to haunt him. “What’s made this more difficult for John Ensign is that when politicians get in trouble, other elected officials come to their aid out of devotion or obligation,” he said.
It is telling that for Ensign, that hasn’t been the case.
“It was always, for the most part, about John Ensign. That is fairly unusual — that lack of involvement and interest in other people’s careers, or in party-building,” Wark added.
Ensign E-mails
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Ensign E-mails, Seg. 2
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Ensign E-mails, Seg. 3
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Ensign E-mails, Seg. 4
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Ensign E-mails, Seg. 1
According to recent reports in The New York Times and on KLAS Channel 8 and confirmed by the Sun, subpoenas related to the Ensign investigation have gone out to area businesses.
Although the investigation is focused on the senator, prominent Nevada businesses — including NV Energy, Allegiant Air, Rogich Communications and R&R Partners — have nevertheless been drawn into the embarrassing case.
“To think I’m even mentioned in this thing,” one Republican roped into the case said in frustration.
Pete Ernaut, a principal with R&R Partners and one-time Ensign adviser, said, “One unfortunate result from this whole situation is that a number of people, including me, have had their good names dragged through the mud when we had absolutely no involvement in any of the alleged improprieties.”
The Ensign investigation apparently seeks to determine if he tried to make his problems with the Hamptons go away by leaning on businesses to hire Doug Hampton as a consultant.
The Times reported last week that Ensign sought financial assistance for P2SA, a small energy company, while he was urging the company to hire Hampton.
Eventually, Ensign’s closest political aide, Mike Slanker, resurrected his dormant consulting firm November Inc. and hired Hampton, and Ensign worked to secure them clients.
Hampton, with Ensign’s knowledge and possibly illegal encouragement, is alleged to have lobbied Ensign’s staff, which if true would violate the law — former congressional staff cannot lobby for one year after leaving their jobs. Ensign has acknowledged that his parents gave the Hamptons $96,000 as a “gift.”
Slanker didn’t return a call. Hampton declined to comment. Ensign apologized for the affair last year, but aside from blanket statements that he did nothing illegal or unethical, he has largely avoided detailed questions about the matter.
On Friday afternoon, Ensign’s office e-mailed a statement: “Sen. Ensign remains focused on the job that he was elected to do at the urging of Nevadans from across the state. He continues to work on those issues that are most important to Nevadans such as strengthening our economy by creating jobs, reining in our national debt and enacting real health care reform.”
•••
Even in the world of politics, where the mirror is everyone’s favorite accessory, examples of Ensign’s selfishness and arrogance are legion.
“Narcissism would be the best word,” a Republican insider said.
“The power changes everything,” another former associate said.
Given all that has since come to light, the person was incredulous describing Ensign’s behavior in early 2009.
The state’s junior senator had been elected to lead his party’s policy committee in the Senate after a stint as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the group dedicated to electing Republicans to the Senate. Republicans lost eight seats.
Sen. John Ensign, shown at a Lincoln Day dinner in Fallon, might feel lonely in his effort to remain relevant.
Ensign had to have been distracted during his chairmanship. He was busy with the affair and then efforts to make it go away.
And yet following that failure and with the cloud of the Hampton mess hanging over him, Ensign trekked to Iowa, the traditional proving ground for potential presidential candidates.
“He be-bops off to Iowa?” the source marveled.
Long before Ensign prompted speculation about a presidential run, the warning signs of what they regard as character defects were there, Republicans say.
A GOP operative witnessed him working as a casino manager, the career bequeathed to him by his father before politics: “He was an ass to his employees, barking orders, acting like a peacock.”
Ensign married his money to political power when he won a House seat in the Republican wave of 1994.
Chuck Muth, former executive director of the Nevada Republican Party and longtime conservative activist, recalled volunteering once at an Ensign fundraiser. “He treated us like hired help.”
After losing to Sen. Harry Reid by a whisper in 1998, Ensign ran again in 2000 and entered the world’s most exclusive club — the U.S. Senate. Republicans say his wife, Darlene, was displeased with the Washington lifestyle, which friends took as a portentous sign that Ensign should have heeded by returning to Nevada.
Instead, he was drawn deeper into the heady air of Washington, prodded on by a small, insular group of advisers, what one Nevada Republican called a “cult of Ensign.”
Sen. John Ensign with his wife, Darlene, and Cynthia and Doug Hampton.
The Ensigns, the Hamptons and the Slankers. They were together so much that there were “wife-swapping” jokes, although no one suspected the worst.
As a senator he was known as a show horse, not a workhorse — neither knowledgeable nor interested in the gritty details of policy or politics.
A Nevada Republican on a trip East to lobby Ensign and Reid said the difference between the two was striking: Reid knew the issues, paid attention, and assigned staff who later followed up.
The Republican might have expected even better treatment from Ensign given they shared a party label. Not so.
Ensign was uninformed. “Two minutes in, Ensign is looking at his watch. Five minutes in, he’s gone. Staff says they’ll get back to me. Never did.”
Staff could hardly be blamed for dropping the ball — Ensign took pride in coming in under budget and giving office money back to the Senate, which meant he paid low salaries.
•••
With his mind focused on Washington and his own ambitions, Ensign paid little attention to Nevada politics or the fortunes of the state Republican Party, including developing political talent here.
Republicans were miffed by his absence; his neglect is still costing the party, which is leaderless, adrift and without much of a bench.
“Years later, when he ran into problems, there weren’t many people willing to have his back,” a Republican insider said.
Something else bothered Nevadans.
“The reason you don’t see people rallying around him is he was so in your face about the morality stuff,” a Nevada Republican operative said.
Ensign was active in Promise Keepers and openly evangelical, gushing with pious intonations.
After being found out and confronted by Doug Hampton, Ensign wrote to Cynthia Hampton to ostensibly end the relationship, and he pulled it off with a religious flourish: “God never intended for us to do this. I walked away from Him and my relationship with Him has suffered terribly.”
The letter was something of a ruse, however, according to Doug Hampton, who has said in previous interviews that Ensign began to pursue his wife again almost immediately.
And here is a key paradox of Ensign’s character, assuming he is not driven by pure malice. How could a man proclaiming to worship Jesus Christ, whose ministry was about selfless devotion to others, discard the lives and emotions of friends, family, associates, staff?
An answer might be found in the house where Ensign wrote that letter to Cynthia Hampton.
It was the now-infamous C Street house, a shared residence where Ensign lived, and one of several properties in the Washington area owned by “The Family,” the shadowy Christian group whose members inhabit the highest reaches of American influence.
D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist who studied The Family or as it is alternately known, The Fellowship, for years, said the group teaches a “soft Gospel” of nonjudgmentalism. “I couldn’t find any instances when they had a word of judgment or condemnation for people in their circle,” he said.
Lindsay said people in the upper echelon of power-soaked Washington “would benefit from greater accountability in these small circles, but it tends not to happen in the case of The Fellowship.” He finds no coincidence in the adultery scandals of Ensign and two other members of The Family, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Mississippi Sen. Chip Pickering, Lindsay said.
Theirs is a religion, in this telling, shaped more by access to power and influence than by divinely commanded ethical precepts.
133 C Street S.E. is registered as a church and affiliated with a secretive Christian group known as The Family. It is the Washington home of several influential conservative politicians, including Sen. John Ensign of Nevada.
Ensign’s residence at the C Street house has led to yet more trouble, as Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed a complaint against Ensign and his housemates — eight senators and representatives, in all — accusing them of paying below-market rent at the house, therefore violating the congressional gift ban.
Jeff Sharlet, whose book “The Family” details the history and influence of the group, said that despite its mostly conservative membership, its theology is far from rigorous or conservative. “They want the juice of piety without thinking it through,” Sharlet said.
“It’s not that you’re allowed to do anything. It’s that what you do is not the criteria for leadership. What matters is not that Ensign is a swell guy. It’s that he’s chosen,” Sharlet said.
Although The Family is a secretive group, determining who is chosen seems relatively uncomplicated: Powerful elected and business leaders are in.
Ensign’s days as a member of elite Washington appear to be numbered, however.
With the FBI investigating, “it’s every man for himself,” a Republican operative said.
And finally, “No one perjures himself for John Ensign.”
Sun reporters Michael Mishak, Lisa Mascaro and David McGrath Schwartz contributed to this report.
CORRECTION: This story was changed to reflect that Ensign is in his second term. | (April 5, 2010)
Ensign has to go and so does this stuff that passes as journalism at this rag:
"For the third-term Republican, who won re-election with 55 percent of the vote in 2006, these tone-deaf -- borderline obtuse -- comments were just one example of increasingly arrogant behavior that goes back years, Republicans say."
"Although The Family is a secretive group, determining who is chosen seems relatively uncomplicated: Powerful elected and business leaders are in."
"Theirs is a religion, in this telling, shaped more by access to power and influence than by divinely commanded ethical precepts."
These statements appear to be the conclusions of the writer since they are not attributed to anyone by the writer. What are the sources of these statements other than Coolican?
Oh, Lord, let him hang on so Rory can appoint the interim Senator. It would be a game changer if Johnny Casino resigned and our current worthless governor appointed, say Sue Lowden. Miss New Jersey would be tough to beat after a few years as a Senator.
And Dean Heller would get what he deserves for playing it safe on the down low: another two years in Congress.
johhny boy ensign is a walking poster child for a stiff estate tax...
right up there with w the scum bag liar loser clown...
a couple of snot nosed spoiled punks...
who rode mommy and daddy's coat tails all the way to washington...
and...
you know who else is a snot nosed spoiled punk...
sue lowden...
me...
i'll take harry reid...
any day...
and twice on sunday...
I can't wait for Coolican's article on the deconstruction of Harry Reids "facade". Oh wait, that's never going to happen.
John Ensign 2012 stay hard and straight and I and many others have forgiven you and put back in office . investigations by the Justice Department and the Senate Ethics Committee good luck .We all pray for you and your family, this Country needs you after Reid will be gone.
When Jimbo Gibbons starts his new career in TV evangalism, Jocko Ensign can give him tips on make-up, hair, and - most importantly, -what to do with that $261 (or was it $361) raised through Jimbo's voluntary education support fund. Maybe Jocko will be willing to play "Tammy Faye" to Jimbo's "Jim." Their program will bring new life to Rhyolite.
Poisoned by his silver spoon, spoiled by the accoutrements of wealth, corrupted by power.
I wonder what he sees when he looks in all those mirrors...
In most states this hypocrite philanderer would already have had recall petitions filed on him. He's only your better, Nevada, until you tell him otherwise and the only way to do that is to throw him out. It's no good to let the feds have him, have some respect for yourselves.
Ensign is corrupt. The Ensign family is morally bankcrupt.
John Ensign is what is wrong with this country.
Replace Ensign immediately.
It's plain to see that something inside Ensign's head does not work properly.
After he is forced to resign Ensign should donate his brain to medical science so it can be studied to find out what went wrong.
I dont see what people are bitchin about. He's a repbublican, through and through. He just typical of the party, I mean Ensign, Bohner, same thing, different tanning bed. or maybe not. I hope he get relected so he can keep diggin. I also wish Bush wasnt term limited. IT would have been nice if macain/palin had won, in 08, because jeuse crist himself woulnt not be able to turn this country around in under 10yrs. no jobs , no middle class, ITs not like all the manufacturing plants were shut down, they were shipped out, by people like Ensign, quick silver spoon babies,Bush,ensign, oh hell dems and rep. F123 em all
He is an elitist, plain and simple. He has never understood that he works for the people, not the other way around.
Do Nevada a favor and please resign. Show some class for once big boy.
Sue Lowden supports Ensign and Gibbons...birds of a feather.
His only friends seem to be a few lap dog talk show hosts like Alan Stock of kxnt, who called for his rEnSIGNation (resignation) but flip flopped after a secret lunch meeting and a softball radio station interview, in which, according to a local award winning TV station, the station manager Jack Landreth used a decoy car to help Ensign avoid being asked questions from real reporters. The same station's drive-time "team" includes a former Ensign staffer, Heather Kidd. As one would expect, there lies another well of support for Ensign. However, the panoply of weird views espoused by this duo, might concern even someone as warped as Ensign. e.g. The Gilchrist sanctuary was an arson fire (fire investigators said electrical problem), Obama is a communist, John Kerry (Silver Star Recipient) is a traitor, WMD WAS found in Iraq, U.S. troops who commit suicide are "quacks" (don't ask me what that means), a lack of a college degree does not hamper ones work life (Studies show unemployment almost twice as high for non-graduates verses college graduates. Needless to say the fountain of drive time information has no college degree.) Time and space limit the amount of nut bar assertions put out by this avid ENSIGN supporter.
Ensign, an in your face Bible Thump-er in overdrive, I bet he tries to cut a deal and tries to throw everyone else under his Holly Roller Bus as fast as he can. He already blamed his wife for his affair. Two of his major staffer servants already abandoned him as well.
oh OZ they don't like all CAP posts, they are hard to read anyway.
RHG Why is it all of you self righteous right wing nut jobs refuse to accept responsibility for anything? Instead you use a juvenile school boy ploy of look what someone else did. This is why only 2 of 5 registered Republicans now claim to be Republicans. I wonder just what kind of a job you did your raising children, if the world was unlucky enough for you to have any under your control? How many more prominent Republicans needed to be quoted here for you to get the jest of the article and yet more of your stupidity.
Comment removed by moderator. Name calling.
dhvincent 1 Do you actually know anything about what you write about. C House is a direct violation of ethics for anyone involved. Do some research before you make a fool of yourself,
We need some new blood in politics all around in NV. Someone needs to step up, without political influence or party affiliation for once. Nevada always has the same families of politicians running, and there is no diversity.
"With the FBI investigating, "it's every man for himself," a Republican operative said.
And finally, "No one perjures himself for John Ensign.""
Game, set, and match...
Please note Senator John Ensign's FREEDOM INDEX, from http://www.thenewamerican.com/files/Free..., compared to that of Senator Harry Reid.
Nevada
Reid, H. (D ) 10% - - - - - + - - - - 5%
Ensign (R ) 100% ? + + + + + + + + + 95%
The character assassination of John Ensign in the Leftist Las Vegas Sun makes one wonder if the Sun isn't really over-reacting to Ensign's FREEDOM INDEX, WITHOUT EVER SAYING SO.
Note also that this Sun story states that even former executive director of the Nevada Republican Party Chuck Muth attacks Ensign. Is Chuck Muth against Freedom?
Ordinarily, Communists preach immorality. However, they hypocritically can preach morality when it suits them to attack one of their enemies. An example that never gets billing in the Leftist press is Massachusetts Leftist Congressman Barney Frank's homosexuality and his renting out of his Georgetown apartment to a homosexual pimp.
This is not to say that Ensign isn't immoral in his private life. In that sense, he has betrayed and demoralized his Americanist constituents.
But please ask yourself if this story isn't over-the-top.
Also ask yourself "What is the political persuasion of Sun reporters Michael Mishak, Lisa Mascaro and David McGrath Schwartz?"
Freedom or Freedumb that is the qustion.
**Ensign was uninformed. "Two minutes in, Ensign is looking at his watch. Five minutes in, he's gone. Staff says they'll get back to me. Never did."**
I've heard about Ensign's famous "lack of attention and disinterest." A friend was on a renewable energy conference call which included Ensign -- and Ensign actually fell asleep in the middle of it. Geesh. Nevada is in enough trouble -- we need someone with strength and power watching over our state, not someone like him (or the other lazy, disinterested, former DC representative and now our governor). No wonder we are in the mess we are in.
Politicos are like dirty diapers; they should be changed often and for the same reason.
"A GOP operative witnessed him working as a casino manager, the career bequeathed to him by his father: "He was an ass to his employees, barking orders, acting like a peacock."
***
John Ensign -- Nevada's own Leona Hemsley of the US Senate.
We suppport you Mr. Ensign. Tough it out and give 'em hell! Your politicial views are in step with Nevada voters.
I agree with a previous poster, again, this paper shows it's political biases in it's irresponsible reporting. If your a Democrat/Progressive on a reckless journey screwing this country like a drunken sailor they turn the other cheeck, but if you a Republican who had an affair, OMG bring out the flame thrower! The world is comming to the end!! This paper is a joke, period! FireNancyPelosi.com Let's get rid of the REAL villians.
"We suppport you Mr. Ensign. Your politicial views are in step with Nevada voters."
***
Last time I checked Nevada's voters elected
President Obama by a 12% margin and picked Dina Titus by 8% over empty-suit conservative, Jon Porter.
But why let facts or reality get in the way of made-up BS, right?
A very revealing article. I've been following the Ensign saga since it began, and all I can say is, "Wow!" Senator Ensign would have had more wiggle room had he just revealed everything in his first press conference. Voters are more likely to forgive a politician's transgressions if they think he/she has real regret for his/her actions. Everyone makes mistakes, but the better persons are the ones who admit their mistakes fully and work to correct them.
This is a very good article and should be required reading for all Nevada voters.
Thank you, Mr Coolican.
MrEd:
Best post of the year!
The goofball in the morning - Stock - whose IQ is closer to his shoe size than his belt size, coupled with the part time conspiracy everywhere duo -- HeadCasey and "I ate ramen noodles and did it my way" Heather Kidd (come on -- 2 hours a day) would have the floor wiped with Mike Malloy or any other progressive on the air against them.
Rank amateurs -- the whole lot of them.
Keep up the good work!
Ensign - what an embarassment to the State of Nevada. No morals, no ethics, no honesty, no conscience and no decency.
Nevada is ashamed of Ensign.
Ensign hurts all of us. In this difficult time, the Ensign family should leave the state for the good of everyone.
The Ensign family is bad for Nevada.
I love you Mr. Sun, but using quotes from unnamed sources is not front page "journalism," it's gossip. It's what the tabloids do. A friend of a guy I know told me so.
What ever happened to Mrs. Hampton?? Is she even still alive?? No one seems to have heard anything from her.
That's just what Ensign is ...a facade.
And finally, "No one perjures himself for John Ensign."
Sounds like Government Officials have no problem committing perjury, just not for Johnny! How Pathetic.
LOL : "Americanist" : LOL
Is that a super-noun gone adjective -- I mean, rogue?
John Ensign has to be about the least street smart politician that ever lived. He's a delusional-condescending idiot. He honestly thinks that calling hush money a gift-is gonna pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Like everybody except him is stupid. And he's gonna have an affair & noone will find out. Give me a break. John Ensign is beyond stupid-he's juvenile.
Ensign & Reid have been bed-buddies all along, upon their Land Extortions.
Reid acquired that 160 acres in Bullhead City, the same way Don Laughlin acquired my 160 acres in Laughlin, NV.
The U.S. Supreme Court shall remand the dismissive federal district court of Nevada to abide by the 5 stare decises commandments that the district court (Sandoval) refused to abide by!
Apparently the "Freedom Index" does not count the value and the dollars brought back home to Nevada, since Ensign has done little. On the other hand, Harry Reid has ensured that Nevada is always represented well in congress and continues to bring legislative actions about which benefit this State beyond the ability of the simple mind of "where's my hair-spray & is my tie straight," John Ensign.
We must not forget that loosing such a high ranking member of congress would be devastating to the finances of Nevada. If a junior senator heads to DC, little will come back to this State as a junior senator lacks the status or power of a Harry Reid.
Perhaps Gov Gibbons can sue the congress over that too? The Gov is totally immersed in leaving this State in a fragile, lacking condition with an inability to take care of its own. Little is done in this State to provide for the needs of those who provide manual labor for the elite of this less educated, less healthy State than even those in the middle. How sad.
If it really in this State's best interest to be one above the worst?
Ensign & Reid BOTH voted on that insane war against the sovereign nation of Iraq, to empower the nation of Iran.
They BOTH should be executed for war crimes, the same way the Sheas killed Huesain.
If Reid is dumped, Schummer (who also voted for I-war -get it I-War?) would probably become leader and he would be tougher than Reid.
Oh, I forgot the afternoon looney toon duo over at the "News Station" (sic) said that: a "Mexican radical group" started California forest fires.
These are the people that support Ensign and Gibbons?
That's all folks..
For the good of Nevada, let's dump Harry Reid and elect a junior Republican Senator. That promotes Ensign to Senior Senator from Nevada. Nevada will then have a whole lot of juice in Congress.
Ensign makes Reid look good. Maybe Reid should just resign and then run for Ensign's seat. It should be VERY available.
That a local paper would run a piece like this about a Senator means he is political toast.
When is this phoney gonna face the facts along with Gibbons and realize their careers as Nevada politicians are OVER?
interview his parents. they entered into the situation and if they don't want to provide the Nv voter with an explanation then we know where their son learned his arrogance from.
Why is he still in office? He's the definition of what an "empty suit" is.
In '96, I had a serious problem with the VA. I tried everything but nothing helped, so out of desperation, I called then Congressman Ensign, Senator Reid and the other Senator whose name escapes me at the moment. Ensign's staff called back within an hour and had the problem fixed before the end of the day. The other Senator personally called about a week later and offered to help. Harry, nor his staff, ever called. Still waiting for that call back Harry... call me...
So when does the Sun do their expose on Reid. Reid's done plenty of things that would make all but the most hardened politicos blush. And talk about arrogance. I met Harry Reid once back in '99 or so. Talk about brush off. Harry made my wife and I feel like we were so much trash under his fingernails. His political style has always been, "Might means right." Unfortunately Harry seems to have the most unbelievable trouble getting even the small things done for Nevada. Even finally killing the Nuke dump after 20 years of hard fighting is really a sham based solely on the good will of Barack Obama. Howard Cannon would have killed that thing before it ever started. Have a happy retirement Harry...
Oh and Joy, you need to run your numbers again. Reid maybe one of the pork kings, but most of his pork dollars go to other states. Only a pittance comes back here to Nevada. Ensign on the other hand dollar for Nevada dollar, far outperforms Reid on bringing money back to the state. The only thing Reid is interested in is recruiting the next Barack Obama. Fat lot of good he's done us"
Joy go to: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ralston...
And click on the link to the "Earmark report."
I understand that everything in Las Vegas is all a mirage, much as it is here in LA but Ensign has crossed the line...BY A LOT!!
If the outrage gets loud enough and the voters get bent out of shape bad enough, either a resignation is in order or a recall election is in your future...!! This guy is a pandering loser with the silver spoon hanging out of his pants !!
Shoot ... you talk about lack of attention span ... I've written his office on issues at least 2 dozen times. When you fill out his email form, you have to declare your title (Mr./Ms./Dr./Prof./etc). I always select MS. ... and every single response comes back to MR. What? I must be a man because only MEN can express an opinion? Sorry buddy, but I'm an intelligent, informed woman and very proud of it. You've crossed far too many lines, adultry, ethics violations, etc ... you need to go.
Comment removed by moderator. ALL CAPS
Is this the core make up of the Republican Party's DNA?
Patric Coolican wrote:
"It was always, for the most part, about John Ensign. That is fairly unusual -- that lack of involvement and interest in other people's careers, or in party-building," Wark added.
Even in the world of politics, where the mirror is everyone's favorite accessory, examples of Ensign's selfishness and arrogance are legion."Narcissism would be the best word," a Republican insider said.
Ensign had to have been distracted during his chairmanship. He was busy with the affair and then efforts to make it go away.
A GOP operative witnessed him working as a casino manager, the career bequeathed to him by his father before politics: "He was an ass to his employees, barking orders, acting like a peacock."
Ensign married his money to political power when he won a House seat in the Republican wave of 1994.
As a senator he was known as a show horse, not a workhorse -- neither knowledgeable nor interested in the gritty details of policy or politics.
Ensign was uninformed. "Two minutes in, Ensign is looking at his watch. Five minutes in, he's gone. Staff says they'll get back to me. Never did."
Republicans were miffed by his absence; his neglect is still costing the party, which is leaderless, adrift and without much of a bench
With his mind focused on Washington and his own ambitions, Ensign paid little attention to Nevada politics or the fortunes of the state Republican Party, including developing political talent here.
If you cheat on your spouse and s/he doesn't have a problem with it, who am I to criticize? If you treat your friends like dirt, it's up to them to deal with you. Practice any religion that interests you, it's none of my business. I only ask that you don't tell me what to do with my body, my marriage, or my relationship with the Higher powers -- something Sen. Ensign does on a regular basis.
Furthermore, when I am a voter, I believe I have a right to expect a certain level of business ethics from people who purport to be "public servants." One of those is that they don't accept payments or gifts they have no right to. The other is that they don't spend the public's money unwisely, let alone illegally.
If Sen. Ensign is indeed guilty of improper payments to the Hampton's teenage son for work NOT done for the Republican Party, he should be removed from the party for that alone. If he is guilty of appointing an unqualified person to mismanage his campaign funds, then his campaign donors should vehemently object to that alone. If he is guilty of finding Mr. Hampton a job outside the guidelines provided to senators, he should be removed from Congress for that alone. If he is guilty of accepting room and board at the C Street House from The Family and not reporting the fair market value on his income taxes, then he should be investigated by the IRS for that alone -- because you can bet YOU would be.
So disregard the adultery, the bad behavior with friends, and the egotistical piety. There are still FOUR separate reasons John Ensign should be removed from office. And I would bet my house that he's guilty of all four.