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

[superstition]

Ensign:

"The effort to pass a constitutional amendment reaffirming marriage as being between a man and a woman only is being undertaken strictly as a defense of marriage against the attempt to redefine it and, in the process, weaken it," Ensign said.

"Marriage is an extremely important institution in this country and protecting it is, in my mind, worth the extraordinary step of amending our constitution."

We'll ignore your endless affairs, GOP, if you stop using false piety to attack our marriages in the "defense" of yours. How about it?

[Lilith33]

All this from someone who started the 1990s as a high school student in Beverly Hills, 90210. Whose mother wrote a salacious book about opera singers. Who once gave the Los Angeles Times an admiring quote about a soap opera: " 'Days of Our Lives' adds spice to life," Lewinsky told a reporter in a 1991 interview.

Guess who helped publish monicas moms book..................Lucian goldberg........HhHMmmmmmmmmm which girl went to washington with her presidential kneepads on.......HHHHHmmmmmmmmmm setup?
Im not talking about this cretin just reminding people,,,,,,,,,,HmmmmmmmWhich country they were fighting for?

[FunkyP]

Your statement is incoherent and doesn't seem to relate to the article. Put down the bong.

[Lilith33]

Just reminding people who took down clinton.......didnt he have an affair?

[iamwatching]

Resign now Senator! You said you would of ever caught in a sexual tryst. . .resign now, please you hypocrite!

[vegasobserver]

This is the first Republican sex scandal that didn't involve either a hooker or pedophilia.

[superstition]

Not at all. Livingston. Gingrich. Giuliani.

That's just a short list.

[Gatorray11]

There were a few others. The history since Monica Lewinsky is so long I couldn't get it all in on my initial comment. So I will continue here.

To succeed Newt Gingrich as Speaker, the Republicans chose Bob Livingston. Except he he resigned before they could elect him by the whole House when Larry Flynt was about to out all of his extra marital affairs.That is how we got Dennis Hastert, a high school wrestling coach, as Speaker.

A Florida GOP congressman made a name for himself fighting sexual abuse of young boys and then was exposed for having sex with male pages. Sen. David Vitter, a Christian Right extremist, turned up on the black list of the Washington Madam. Former Sen. Larry Craig tried to solicit a male undercover cop at an airport in Minnesota.

Ensign wants to run for President in 2012. May be Vitter can be his running mate. Craig could be their Secretary of the Interior. He usually comes from the West. Craig is from reactionary Republican Idaho.

[sanang]

So what! This is getting to be so common, I'm just glad his wife had enough sense to NOT stand with the guy before the microphone.

[Gatorray11]

If you live in a glass house, at least don't throw any stones. And this guy was in a Christian group that promotes keep faithful to your wife. Don't you think there is just a little hypocrisy here.

But then after Henry Hyde, Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay, John McCain, Bob Livingston and many other Republican Bill Clinton bashers what can you say?

[Stilts9]

This adulterer was living like King Herod.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[1088]

He need to quit completely! Zip up his pants and go home!! If this was a Democrat, 24/7 loop on this scandal on Fox and the other channel. But, only Republicants get away with any type of scandal.

[DMcD]

I'm shocked ........... a "Republican" , doing the 'honorable' thing ......
Resigning for just cause ............ I'm shocked I tell you !

[vegasobserver]

He didn't resign from the Senate, he just resigned from a meaningless bureaucratic position.

[BowlingForRevenge]

The Christian Right forgives... BUT only those they approve of.

[quad1200]

I hope none of the Hampton's meet the fate of that Madam that Vitter frequented. These people need to be careful Rethugs and Guns are a bad mixture. The death of Vitter's Madam has yet to be solved. The Rethugs are desperate now....so thread carefully

[liberalbug]

Despite their blatant hypocrisy and no matter what they have said in the past, these hypocrites never resign and their wives always "reconcile" with them. Of course it has nothing to do with the power trip--after all they have sought counseling and likely advice from a pastor as well (who no doubt said hang on to that job sonny, this church needs you!). It's all a sham, a dog and pony show, to lead us to believe one of three things: 1.) They are not gay, have never been gay, and will never be gay, 2.) Satan tempted them but they have learned the error of their ways; and/or 3) They are truly committed to public service and would never resign because they care so much about you, the constituent.

[DRicha8374]

He need to resign, not quit leadership position. He call for resignation and impeachment and condemned others, now he need to accept the same punishment.

Go repent for your sins!

If his belief in family is so strong, do the right thing, give the seat up (period).

[Marina56]

The "top" Republicans are shooting themselves in their respective feet one by one, aren't they?

I wonder whether the right wing sites will be as aghast as they were about Edwards......................

[rich misty]

Fanned and faved... When Republicans sh00t themselves in the foot, they use a cannon to be sure they don't miss any toes.

Then they plant their remaining foot firmly in their mouths.

[rich misty]

OT - Michael Steele has the new RNC website up and he is asking for it...

Comments that is... Comments ;-)

http://www.rnc.org/splashpage/index.aspx

[gladys46]

Well this is Cynthia Hampton ... in all her repub splender & rosy red cheeks :

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/original/article_212238014.shtml?rssfeed

[rich misty]

http://www.newshounds.us/2005/05/06/bizarre_sex_habits_of_the_extreme_rightwing.php

She's a step up for most Republicans.