Ensign Quits Senate GOP Leadership Post After Admitting Affair

WASHINGTON — Republican Sen. John Ensign of Nevada has stepped down from his leadership post one day after admitting he carried on a marital affair with a woman who was on his campaign staff.

Ensign conveyed his decision in a phone call with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who said he had accepted the resignation.

Ensign was chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-ranking spot in the leadership.

He remained away from the Capitol during the day, and aides declined to answer additional questions about the affair.

A timeline issued Tuesday said Ensign was involved in a "consensual affair" from December, 2007 through August, 2008. There has been no indication of why the senator decided to announce his infidelity when he did.

Comments

[FredDobbs]

when will Republicans learn they will always get into trouble when they behave like Dems?

[Gatorray11]

I didn't know affairs were either Democratic or Republicans.

[Palspal2]

Affairs are both parties. Hypocricy is the province of Republicans - they can't help themselves - red states are higher in all ethics transgressions. That's why they are so keen on these things - they do it.

[ez duz it]

President Clinton & Monica Lewinsky, adulterous affair, 11/1995 to 04/1996

President Clinton on DOMA, 9/20/1996:

“Throughout my life I have strenuously opposed discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans. I am signing into law H.R. 3396, a bill relating to same-gender marriage, but it is important to note what this legislation does and does not do.

I have long opposed governmental recognition of same-gender marriages and this legislation is consistent with that position. The Act confirms the right of each state to determine its own policy with respect to same gender marriage and clarifies for purposes of federal law the operative meaning of the terms "marriage" and "spouse".

This legislation does not reach beyond those two provisions. It has no effect on any current federal, state or local anti-discrimination law and does not constrain the right of Congress or any state or locality to enact anti-discrimination laws.

I also want to make clear to all that the enactment of this legislation should not . . . be understood to provide an excuse for discrimination, violence or intimidation against any person on the basis of sexual orientation. Discrimination, violence and intimidation for that reason, as well as others, violate the principle of equal protection under the law and have no place in American society.”

Clinton endorsed DOMA while committing adultery, sending LGBT civil rights back years.

He paved the way for John Ensign and his ilk. Hypocritical slime bags!

[grimus]

hahahahaha­hahahahaha­haha. i hope you go down you hypocrite!!! hahahahahaha

[Gatorray11]

I think he should run for President on a ticket with David Vitter. They could run on the hypocrisy ticket.

[truthartbeauty]

I get more impressed with the sacredness of heterosexual marriages every day.

[ByersL]

Oh oh. Looks like he had one in 2002 also....an­d the woman and her family from round 2 are expected to speak out shortly...­.

[KarateKid]

Oh, he only quit his "leadership" position. Big deal. He slaps himself on the wrist. Resign Ensign.

[hearsyoursign]

He will resign soon enough. And even if he doesn't, he will not be re-elected. That is how WE handle things.

[Horus45]

You mean like Vitter?
How have you taken care of him?

[grey sells]

He'll buy a little time with the Committee chair resignation and then [pick one]:
1.] Go off to a treatment center and be cured of alcohol abuse, addiction to prescription medication, sexaholicism or something! or
2.] Find Jesus and be forgiven for his sins and get on with his then purified life after considerable prayer and surrounded by his loyal wife and children.
3.] Start attending Promise Keepers events again. He'll promise them to keep his promises and will be welcomed back.
4.] All of the above

Then he'll then call a press conference to say he'll continue in his job as Senator serving the people of NV. His political future will nort be discussed. Hopefully, all of our collective memories are poor. Case closed.

[tomasedison]

Ensign is a VICTIM and I feel sorry for him. (sarcasm)

[rbenjamin]

It seems to me the GOP is making a mistake by aligning itself with conservative, sexually repressed, Christian sects. They've tried, I mean look at all those prayer breakfasts, but let's face it, the data is in and they are no holier than the average American citizen. Maybe less. Why not embrace their inner "horn dog?" It's time to start pandering to Hugh Hefner and embrace the Playboy Philosophy. They'll feel better, dress better & drive better cars. Come out of the shadows. It's not that big a stretch - just exchanging one world view, mostly held by aging white men, for another. Go for it, and do everybody a favor.

[unstuffedshirt]

I love this.

[rbenjamin]

I see a viable 3rd Party emerging. Vote Horn Dog!

[jaschrod]

They will really have to clean up their act to become an Atheist, they will have to hold themselves accountable for their own actions rather than some mythological symbol.

[rbenjamin]

No need to become atheist. Just embrace the inner dog. Or anybody you fancy.

[onenvrnos]

Back at ya, Ensign. Your holier-than-thou, searing judgment of that just terribly awful Bill Clinton came back to bite you in the a$$. I love it when payback hits right at the core.

[Kiranitisme]

Where is that GOP honor man Michael Steele. He has gone into hiding I guess. A Nashville GOP lady e-mails a photo of President Obama with only 2 eyes and black background. Now a prominent Republican family and marriage values expert is caught with his pants down.

Hey, Mike can you come out and defend your party the hypocrisy?

[Kiranitisme]

Another ammo for Stormy Daniels in Lousiana. Go Stormy, and kick these hypocrites and family value poster boys out of Washington. You have not done anything illegal. Porn is legal in the country. You have my vote!

[meowomon]

My condolences to his family. His wife must be devastated.

[ratface]

Who cares about the wife????? All these boys worry about is how much of their money they will get if they divorce them......­.

I just wish they could spend the amount of time they spend on their affairs, on the affairs of the Country instead...­......but I guess that is asking too much....

[mariah793]

Why? I always liked what Lady Bird Johnson said "You know Lyndon justs loves the people and it just so happens that 50% of the people are women".

I never understood all this grief over infidenity. Sex is God's joke on mankind and we need to learn to laugh more. (And, if he embarrasses you or your children, find a way to stick it to him privately.­)

[Gatorray11]

At least he didn't drag her to the podium. Or may be she refused to participate.

[hootie1fan]

A conservative Christian who has an affair is a sinner. A Conservative Christian who has an affair whil beating others over the head with his religious beliefs, using such beliefs to support his political agenda over you is not only a sinner, but a hypocrite as well. To use a bit from the Bible, sinners who fell remorse and vow to commit no mpre can be forgiven.

Hypocricy I just don't know.

[Gatorray11]

John Ensign wanted Bill Clinton to resign; but he refuses to.

Having the Republican Sex Scandal of the Day is not shameful enough for him. Extra marital affairs resinations apply only to Democrats in their Republican book.

Take a looK: The late Rep. Henry Hyde had as a married man had an affair with a married woman for five and a half year. He was put in charge of the committee that heard Bill Clinton's impeachment. He lectured us nightly on "family values." So did Rep/ Robert Barr. He also cheated on his wife.

Impeachment was pushed by the Speaker New Gingrich. Newt was twice divorced -- he cheated on both wifeves, including on . with a House female employee,while pushing the Clinton impeachment. She later became wife numer three. Impeachment was also pushed by then Majority Leader Tom DeLay. He admits he cheated on his wife until he became "a Born Again Christian.­"

To succeed Gingrich the Republicans nominated Bob Livingston as Speaker. But before the House could elect him, Livingston resigned when Larry Flynt was going to out his extramarital affairs.
A Florida GOP Congressman made a name for himself figting sexual abuser of young boys. Except he had to resign after being exposed as having sex with male House pages.Sen. David Vitter, a Christian Right extermist, turned up on the list of the Washington Madam. And former Sen. Larry Craign didn't run for re-election after he was charged after trying to solicit an undercover cop,

[unstuffedshirt]

You forgot Helen Chenoweth in the list of impeachment champions who then got caught in their own affairs. Otherwise, good work.

[restoretheroar]

he 'screwed' up and resigned his post. i thought sex didn't matter?

[Gatorray11]

That what Republicans say when it applies to them. You would have thought it was the end of the world when it applied to Bill Clinton.

One Republican friend got all over me because Bill lied under oath. Funny George II lied to the American people and the Congress to get us into the Iraq war. My friend said that was too simplistic an argument on my part.. In other words, if you lie about a consentual sex act between adults that is a big deal. But if you lie us into a war chich has resulted 5,000 Americans losing their lives and over 100,000 Iraqis being killed that is OK. What hypocrisy.

This friend refuses to communicate with me because "I am an attack dog." So have his right wing buddies. Republicans love to dish out, but they are little cry babies when Democrats counter attack. They act like their balls have been cut off.

Sen. Ensign, who belongs to a Christian organization, which promises to treat women with respect and fidelity proves GOP hypocrisy. Of course, all these Republicans who lectured us on "family values" will not force him to resign. They even have a Republican governor in Nevada so they would not risk losing the seat for a while. That governor has a scandal of his own, but that is a story for another day.

[slipthalo]

He was a main voice in the Clinton deal and kept spouting morals, marriage, etc. Now it seems he didn't listen to himself and there's also a story floating that he had an affair in 2002 also and having people on the payroll who shouldn't have been there. Doesn't sound like he should have been even saying the word morals as he doesn't appear to be living with many.