John Ensign

Meet the knuckleheads of the U.S. Senate

Salon staff — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 03:10:00 PDT

Since the passing of Ted Kennedy, commentators have noted, almost ritually, how a seemingly feckless 30-year-old transformed himself over 47 years into the most accomplished senator of the modern era. Not to denigrate his many years of service to the nation, but maybe this isn't just a matter of Ted Kennedy's personal growth. Maybe, to paraphrase Norma Desmond, it's the Senate that got small. As pundits like Alex Massie and Tom Schaller have observed, when young Teddy arrived on Capitol Hill, he was breathing the same air as Scoop Jackson, Barry Goldwater, Everett Dirksen, Hubert Humphrey, William Fulbright, Ed Muskie and Birch Bayh. When he left a half-century later, his colleagues were Evan Bayh, and Mike Crapo and Mike Enzi and John Cornyn. (And Ted Kaufman, who's only there so the vice-president's son can run for his seat.)

Ensign says parents gave $96,000 to his mistress' family

Alex Koppelman — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:01:00 PDT

For some time now, it's seemed that Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., was able to successfully weather the disclosure of his affair with a staffer and could continue his political career, albeit with his reputation tarnished and any hopes for higher office dashed for now. But this week, attention was back on the senator, and people are raising new questions about payments made to his mistress and her husband, a longtime friend. Now, a new revelation from Ensign's lawyer is likely to open the floodgates.

South Carolina Dems want Sanford to resign

Vincent Rossmeier — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 10:10:00 PDT

Sens. John Ensign, David Vitter and Larry Craig may have escaped their own sex scandals relatively unscathed, but it appears the imbroglio South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford put himself in is not going to go away anytime soon. In fact, the situation is just getting worse.

Remind me: Which political party is "decadent" and "sick"?

Joe Conason — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:25:00 PDT

Whenever the latest Republican politician is caught with his zipper undone, a predictable moment of introspection on the right inevitably ensues. Pundits, bloggers and perplexed citizens ruminate over the lessons they have learned, again and again, about human frailty, false piety and the temptations of flesh and power. They express concern for the damaged family and lament the fall of yet another promising young hypocrite. They resolve to restore the purity of their movement and always remember to remind us that this is all Bill Clinton's fault. What they never do is face up to an increasingly embarrassing fact about themselves and their leaders.

Ensign's mistress' salary doubled during affair

Alex Koppelman — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:45:00 PDT

By itself, the revelation of Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign's affair would probably have been out of the news by now. Sex scandals are passé in the political world these days. But now there's money involved, too.

Ensign resigns leadership post

Alex Koppelman — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:35:00 PDT

Until this week, Nevada Sen. John Ensign was the chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, making him the fourth-highest ranking Republican senator. Then came the revelation, on Tuesday, that he had an affair with a campaign staffer who was married to a man working in his Senate office. On Wednesday, Ensign resigned from his leadership role, though he remains in his seat.

Nevada Sen. Ensign admits to affair

Alex Koppelman — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:17:00 PDT

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., flew home Tuesday. He had to miss a vote on a bill that impacts Nevada to do it, but he had good reason for doing so: Ensign was back In Las Vegas so that he could hold a press conference at which he acknowledged having an extramarital affair, reportedly with a former campaign staffer.

What's the big deal about pig odor?

Alex Koppelman — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:20:00 PST

Conservative politicians looking for pork in the latest omnibus spending bill got one pretty literal example handed right to them: a $1.79 million appropriation for "swine odor and manure management research" in Iowa. Not ones to look a gift horse -- or any other kind of livestock -- in the mouth, they've been running with it.