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]

Talk about the hypocrisy in DC. If a Republican gets caught in an affair he must step down, if a Democrat gets caught they get a higher position in the Democratic party.

[123dee]

OK Clinton didn't resign, Spitzer resigned - Edwards is out of politics
Vitter and Craig didn't resign
It was Ensign who called for Clinton and Craig to resign but not for Vitter, bird of a feather...­...

[Cloball]

Ensign is the hypocrite you mean. He wants those who behave the way he did to resign, so that's what he should do. It's that simple. Take his own advice.

Now name some democrats who were promoted because of an affair.

[JessWonderin]

chirp . . . chirp . . . . chirp . . . .

[gladys46]

Nah, if a Repub gets caught in some untoward situation, they become contracted Fox Noise expert analyst !

[lovethesinner]

Republican MORAL values are the issue. The Democrats don't claim to be "morally superior". They also don't have anyone even close to the GANG OF PEDOPHILES (GOP) that Republicans do:

http://911review.org/Alex/Republican_Pedophiles.html

[samuelberg]

This is almost as bad as Democrat and Presidential candidate John Edwards affair with a mistress, paying her $15,000/mon in hush money and fathering a baby with her, all while his wife Elizabeth Edwards was battling an incurable form of breast cancer.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1

This is to go with his Christian family values. Another liberal hypocrite:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0920/p01s01-uspo.html

[4 Real]

Got that backwards Freddie. If you're a dem, you resign or are impeached. If you're a rep, you keep your job and a slap on the back (if it's between a man and a woman that is). But then again Larry Craig served out his term so maybe it doesn't matter who you cheat with in the gop..

[FredDobbs]

wrong

[lovethesinner]

Look for Ensign to do a guest appearance on the new HBO series "HUNG":

http://www.hbo.com/hung/

[glamorous1908]

or Cheaters.

[cofactory]

For once a hetrosexual Republican sex scandal...­..LOL I Love it.

[GOPonEllisDee]

I think he walked into the wrong bathroom.

[samuelberg]

This is almost as bad as Democrat and Presidential candidate John Edwards affair with a mistress, paying her $15,000/mon in hush money and fathering a baby with her, all while his wife Elizabeth Edwards was battling an incurable form of breast cancer.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1

This is to go with his Christian family values. Another liberal hypocrite:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0920/p01s01-uspo.html

[ChelseaC]

I want to know if Johnny thought the s*x was good?

[jcko]

Of course it was. It's good family value and even R E P U G $ want good value.

[ChelseaC]

hahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mimspoot]

You know, the GOP ers need to just go and smoke a j*&nt, pop in a por*no and just freaking relax. Oh but I dont think Jesus would like that too much.

[jcko]

They also do that too, in between family value activities.

[spinns17]

hey where are the repuke trolls on this one.lol

[Michigan-Woman]

They were here much earlier and gave up.

They didn't have much ground to stand on.

[samuelberg]

This is almost as bad as Democrat and Presidential candidate John Edwards affair with a mistress, paying her $15,000/mon in hush money and fathering a baby with her, all while his wife Elizabeth Edwards was battling an incurable form of breast cancer.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1

This is to go with his Christian family values. Another liberal hypocrite:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0920/p01s01-uspo.html

[SF13]

LOL you have got to be kidding !

[glamorous1908]

OK Samberg..w­e get your "attempt" at trying to get your point across.. would you PLEASE stop posting all of these fricking posts every five minutes saying the exact same thing?

We're not talking about John Edwards here... so take your bait elsewhere.­. perhaps over to your like minded buddies at Faux News.

[DeBartolo]

Troy King, Alabama GOP Attorney General, and John McCain's state campaign manager, won election in 05 with 74% of the vote on his "Family Values - Anti-Gay Campaign" with a slogan "God created Adam and Even not Adam and Steve". Last July Kings wife came home and caught King in THEIR bed having gay sex with one of his MALE A.T.G. employees and outted King, a Baptist Sunday School teacher.

Google: Republican Sex Scandels. It's eye opening what's hide from the public

[lovethesinner]

Wow. For current examples, it doesn't get much better than "McCain state campaign manager".

But, here's some good ones from days gone by:
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Examples_of_Republican_hypocrisy_on_moral_values

[BuzzingAlong]

http://www.republicanoffenders.com/index.html

[phredralf]

I guess this means a Republican replacement, drat.

[spinns17]

he should leave the party now.

[gladys46]

As a backslidden member of the "Promise Keepers" .. he should go to rehab, 8 yrs. oughta do it !


http://coloradoindependent.com/31396/renowned-csu-grad-admits-problem-keeping-promise-keepers-promises

[jcko]

Why should he leave? They are all the same.

[FreedomAgain]

Another hypocrite. I hope the christians that voted republican because their church leader told them to do so now realize that the republican party is about as far from upholding christian values as one can get.

[DeBartolo]

I co-sign this post

[notyouraveragebear]

Well said!

[Marie9]

Amen, to that!

[samuelberg]

This is almost as bad as Democrat and Presidential candidate John Edwards affair with a mistress, paying her $15,000/mon in hush money and fathering a baby with her, all while his wife Elizabeth Edwards was battling an incurable form of breast cancer.

A former campaign aide, Andrew Young, has said he was the father of the child.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=5441195&page=1

This is to go with his Christian family values. Another liberal hypocrite:

http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0920/p01s01-uspo.html

[Cookie100]

I guess he can't stand up and defend the "Defense of Marriage Act", that Obama wants to appeal. He was the architect of it

[tzbar]

So what is new here?? They always point a finger at others. family values are for others not for them. The Republicans are what we all know they are...

[sej100]

Another GOP HYPOCRITE

This man wanted Bill Clinton to be OUSTED from office.
When its the GOP, its ok to stay. He is still maintaining his seat.

And never again should the GOP utter the words FAMILY VALUES.

[Khirad]

Whenever anyone is vociferous about family values, morals, and seems overly preoccupied in others' lives -- chances are... ding-ding-­ding-ding!

I hope this doesn't mean Boehner will lose his tanning buddy. Maybe he can call George Hamilton.

[ChelseaC]

Khirad,
Good one!

[MA]

Senator Ensign,
It's "Come to Jesus" not "Cum to Jesus".

[gladys46]

Mercy !

[DeBartolo]

OH MY GOD! WOOOEEE

[notyouraveragebear]

Hallelujah!

And his seed shall cover his shoe.....

[gladys46]

LMAO ... This is getting very interesting !

[spinns17]

lol

[mimspoot]

ROFLMAO. that was AWESOME!