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By J. Patrick Coolican (contact) 
Friday, April 9, 2010 | 12:50 p.m.
Sen. John Ensign listens to a speech during a Lincoln Day dinner in Fallon Saturday, February 20, 2010.
Sun Archives
Sun coverage
Sun archives
- Deconstructing the facade of John Ensign (4-5-2010)
- John Ensign faces ethics complaint over apartment rent rate (4-1-2010)
- John Ensign: Press has been unfair (3-25-2010)
- Grand jury subpoenas issued in John Ensign probe (3-18-2010)
- E-mails link Sen. John Ensign to job effort tied to mistress' husband (3-10-2010)
Sen. John Ensign has become further politically isolated this week, with two fellow Republicans calling on him to resign and Rep. Dean Heller, another Republican, stopping just short of doing so.
Last year Ensign admitted to an affair with the wife of his best friend, Doug Hampton, who was also his co-chief of staff. Cynthia Hampton had been his campaign treasurer.
Federal authorities and the Senate Ethics Committee are trying to determine if Ensign leaned on local businesses to hire Hampton. Hampton would eventually be hired as a lobbyist by Ensign's chief political adviser; Ensign allegedly helped them find clients.
Authorities are also examining whether Ensign improperly encouraged Hampton to a lobby Ensign and his staff, since ethics laws don't allow lobbying members or their staffs for one year after leaving Capitol Hill.
Sun columnist Jon Ralston reported this week that investigators are also interested in whether Ensign sought to improperly hide a $96,000 payment from his parents to the Hampton family.
On "Nevada Newsmakers," Heller said Ensign is "wounded" and could be a drag on his party.
Richard Scotti and Swadeep Nigam, two former Clark County Republican officials, called for Ensign to resign.
"We are on the verge of great victory come November, but the most long-awaited victory can quickly slip through our grasp unless we immediately put the focus back on conservative issues," they wrote on the blog Nevada News & Views. "We call on all true conservative Republican leaders and activists to speak out now for the resignation of Senator Ensign."
Ensign has previously said he did nothing illegal or unethical and last week his office sent a statement to the Las Vegas Sun.
“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.”
Me too!
Ay, Jocko,
The TV Evangelism show in Rhyolite looks better and better, doesn't it?
And since it looks like you may beat Jimbo to the studio, you will have the pick of spots to best showcase your exquisite "do," which once seen on-air will rival Tammy Faye's. Jimbo will be lagging far behind unless he follows the lead given by "Jocko's World of Hair."
Why hasn't the Tea Klux Klan demanded Ensign's resignation? That's not a partisan group, is it?
I kind of like Ensign, hope he sticks around - maybe he should follow in Wood's and Jesse James' footsteps and pull the "rehab" ploy. I could use some more laughs.
Speaking of which, "the Morning Joke" of a talk show host had a game of softball with Heller, who excerised the same wishy washy presence.
LMAO.....Ensign has never really worked on the issues that are important to Nevada. He has obviously been distracted with his own self serving and unethical behavior. He should resign and save us any further embarassment. I hope he takes that worthless piece of garbage Tom Coburn with him.
"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."
This statement is laughable and totally untrue.
The focus he exhibits lately is to vote no on the last jobs bill. He also voted no on health care reform. And lately, he has been mired in so many legal problems, he does not appear in the public eye anymore, only surfacing to release canned stuff like the above statement. Which probably didn't even come from him, but from his office. He does not grant interviews for fear of being asked questions he has to lie about or deflect or even say no comment to, does not appear before a camera, but he spends a lot of time and money with his lawyers. For someone who proclaims his innocence, he sure don't act like it.
Senator Ensign does not lead. He does not govern. He does not represent his constituents at all. He just performs self-serving stuff in a feeble attempt to try to keep his elected position. And when he does actually do something, he just votes party politics by always voting no on everything.
In other words, he's useless.
Totally useless to us and an incredible embarassment to the Sovereign State of Nevada.
And the horrible part is that he is so arrogant and stubborn that he won't step down.
The only thing the taxpayers of Nevada can do is stay tuned to a television set in order to see him on the news being led off in handcuffs.
John Ensign is a sexual predator.
Resign you scum bag. Resign!
didn't christian john live on 'c' st. with other
evangelizing christians.
didn't john ensign denounce clinton for his
thing with monica?
didn't john ensign accuse several people of
immoral behavior?
isn't that called hypocrisy?
He us LDS and C street religon, but then after living here for 3 years, Lord only knows what part of the mormons there is. They preach do as I say ,,, Not what I do......Just give us your money or you will be out of the Ward or whatever it is they call it. They dont ever have any One Pastor or Rev. So no wonder mr ensin is so screwed up. huh
I'm a Nevada Republican who wants him to resign.
"We call on all true conservative Republican leaders and activists to speak out now for the resignation of Senator Ensign."
Here that Rock Republicans? Resignation!
How can we have self respect as a State and let this guy continue ?
Truely amazing, they don't want him to resign because of his disservice to the American people or his government, or the state of Nevada, or even because he has broken any laws... its because his image is hurting the Republican "game" against the Democrats... when will it end. ITS NOT A DAMN GAME.
I wonder if they can add Gibbons to the list they want to resign. He's an insult to Nevada and Nevadans.
It will also eliminate him from running for re-election.
Point taken, AngryVoter, about your comment if he is either arrested, resigns or booted out on his fanny perpendicular before 2012, then Governor Gibbons, who is another knucklehead in the same low slime class as Senator Ensign, will choose a replacement for him.
It is horrible that Nevada has to resort to such sideshows like this.
But what can you do? One thing at a time...
Vote all these idiot Republicans out of office. They really need to wander aimlessly around in the desert for the next generation or so. To figure out how best to serve us. Because they sure don't know how to do that as of this moment. In the meantime, the Republican Party in Nevada is dead...and continuing to die a long, exagerated, theatrical stage death, falling in unbelieveably slow motion.
He should be locked in a cell with Bubba the rapist. His $ won't save him now. Prosecute to the Nth degree. He is not worthy of jack.
The $96,000 is troubling, but is it illegal?
Obviously it is illegal and was never reported for tax purposes.
A gift is only considered a gift if both parties agree to call it that. That's not the case here. The Hamptons said it was severance pay. Besides at $12,000 per four members, they had a third child. Why then was this child left out??
Joe Bagadonuts,a part time Republican from Tonapagh wants him to resign. Maybe we should start polling dead people.
Senator Ensign should resign if he had any honor, but he doesn't and he won't.
He'll just twist in the wind as his corruption investigation rolls on right into the elections in November and he'll drag his morally bankrupted party into the ground.
Stand yer ground, Senator!
dhvincent1 wrties: "While I don't like Ensign and hope he doesn't run, he is also being accussed of somethings that are bogus."
--
What accusations are bogus exactly, in your opinion?
Are you familiar with the facts?
Dippy:
Sorry I was late and missed your post. Thanks for calling me a vulgar name. I hope it made you feel good.
I stayed off this discussion because I did not want to give any credibility to the "lynch mob" who are out to hang Ensign before the verdict is in.
I am giving John Ensign the same benefit of doubt as I am giving Harry Reid.
None?
i don't care what the republicans do or say...
as long as they adhere to the principle that
majority rules.
and as of now obama and the democrats are the
majority.
america just doesn't trust the republicans after
bush and the rest of those war making, economy
destroying right wingers.
yo lar, did harry have relations with his best friends wife and pay her off,this is not just gossip??? What benifit of the doubt are we talking about??? We have copies of the check
Ensign and the republicans are corrupt.
Why is the GOP morsally bankcrupt?
Why is leadership hiding from this illegal activity?
How can we support republicans when they tolerate corruption?
I think Steve Sisolak should replace ensign , at least we know he shows great courage.