John Ensign took in 50-- count 'em 50-- dollars last quarter

By GottaLaff

John Ensign had one donor last quarter. But at least he gave twice:

Sen. John Ensign's re-election campaign took in just $50 in contributions, from one contributor, during the first quarter of 2010, according to FEC reports.

What does that say about the donor? We know what it says about Ensign's future.

The GOP has been awfully quiet about his little antics. They've also been quiet about what's in store for him, if anything. And remember Doug Hampton, Ensign's former top aide? And Dougie's wife, who had the affair with Ensign? And Ensign lining up lobbying work for Mrs. Hampton's husband? All those various and sundry allegations and nefarious activities?

They've been awfully subdued about all that, too.

And now John Ensign's war chest is subdued.

Silence is not

Investigation Shows Ensign Appealed to Company

By GottaLaff

I have a feeling we know what Rachel Maddow will be talking about tonight:

Senator John Ensign sought financial backing for a troubled Nevada energy company in 2008, and at the same time he urged the company to hire his mistress’s husband, according to people involved in the matter.

At the request of the company, P2SA Equity, Mr. Ensign had two senior aides contact one of the nation’s largest oil pipeline businesses, Kinder Morgan, about forming a partnership, two executives associated with the project said.

And the sexcapades continue... When will it all end? Maybe when all the Rushpublics find new jobs at Voyeur.

Hey, let's play the Reminiscing Game! Remember when John Ensign had an affair? And remember Doug Hampton, his former top aide? And remember Dougie's wife, who had the affair with Ensign? And remember when Ensign lined up lobbying work for Mrs. Hampton's husband?

Me too.

Investigators appear to be looking into whether Mr. Ensign sought to ingratiate himself with P2SA so that he could ease Mr. Hampton out of his office in Washington.

Oh now that wouldn't be good. Not good at all.

The senator’s office said then that he had not provided any assistance to the company. But subsequent interviews showed that his most senior Senate aides intervened in an effort to prevent the Las Vegas business from going under, a fact that Mr. Ensign no longer disputes.

To fake-quote Ensign, "So?"

Here's so:

While the former aide never got work with P2SA, the interaction of Mr. Ensign and his staff with the company appears unusual, interviews with executives at the firm and a review of their e-mail messages showed.

And by unusual, they mean illegal.

Kinder Morgan decided not to partner up with P2SA. It wouldn't benefit them financially. Therefore, Hubby Hampton was not given a lobbying contract.

There are more details here.

Rachel's going to have a field day. C Street, watch your back. You're next.

BREAKING: NRSC gets subpoenaed in Ensign affair case

By GottaLaff

Via an e-mail alert. I'm getting lots of those today.

Can an investigation of C Street be far behind?

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has been subpoenaed by a federal grand jury looking into the aftermath of Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign’s extramarital affair with a staffer.

Via Politico. This is getting seriouser and seriouser. Paying people off is no laughing matter.

All my previous posts on this subject are here.

Grand Jury Issues Subpoenas in Ensign Probe

Looks like that other shoe showed up.

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) "is in the crosshairs of a Department of Justice criminal investigation," KLAS-TV reports.

"The criminal probe stems from a romantic affair Ensign had with the wife of his key staffer and close friend, Doug Hampton, and what Ensign has done to help Hampton financially."

"Subpoenas have been issued to at least six Las Vegas businesses. The Justice Department came to Las Vegas to interview several prominent business and political figures in what appears to be a wide-ranging and deadly-serious criminal probe."

John Ensign Leads Possible Challengers

By GottaLaff

Remember when President Clinton was impeached? Remember when oral sex was grounds for that? Me too! Wasn't that special?

And remember how many kazillions of dollars were wasted on that little '90s witch hunt? What a blast!

But when a Rushpublic philanderer pays off his mistress and her family, allegedly violates campaign laws, and engages in a whole lot more than oral sex, his poll numbers are better than that of the very party he condemns for similar antics:

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Nevada shows scandal plagued Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) actually leading three hypothetical Democratic opponents.

Tom Jensen concludes: "Cheating on your wife is a deal breaker for Republican voters - but only if you're a Democrat."

IOIYAR*

*It's Okay If You're A Republican

VIDEO: CNN's Rick Sanchez ambushes Ensign on sex scandal

By GottaLaff

Gotcha:



Aww, someone had to answer actual questions from an actual Tee Vee Machine questioner with actual Tee Vee Machine questions? Unheard of!

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) does his first CNN interview expecting to discuss terrorism but gets grilled on his sex scandal instead. It's must-watch video.

"Sir, that's an illegality." Why, it most certainly is.

Wait. What? Confrontation? Attempts to get the truth? On a "news" program? Other than on The Rachel Maddow Show?

Of course, that doesn't mean Sanchez got answers... but kudos!

VIDEO- SNL: John Edwards, John Ensign, Mark Sanford fight for "public affairs" attention

By GottaLaff



The Three Stooges.

John Ensign Probe Heats Up

By GottaLaff

Again, apologies for the spotty posting. Paddy and I are both having cable issues that have kept us off line for long stretches of time.

Here's something to tide you over:

Jon Ralston emails: "Sources confirm that the Senate panel has begun issuing subpoenas for documents, including to key players in the case involving U.S. Sen. John Ensign's scandal. The committee appears to be trying to connect the dots between Doug Hampton's post-Ensign tenure and what role the senator played in getting him jobs that allowed the former chief-of-staff to contact the Senate office and what those contacts involved. You may recall that Hampton retained emails of many of those events. Hampton has alleged that Ensign helped him knowingly violate a cooling-off period."

The deeper they dig, the muddier and dirtier it gets.

John Ensign Hits Airwaves, Refuses to Resign

By GottaLaff

Via Roll Call, which is subscription only, so this is all we get until I can track down more information:

Embattled Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) on Monday rejected calls for his resignation based on an extramarital affair with a former aide, saying to do so would take the focus off Republican efforts to unseat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).

Never mind that this isn't just about an affair, right C Street John? No, it's about so much more:

From The Rachel Maddow Show Oct. 7, 2009. Yet another shoe drops on Sen. John Ensign. We just had the news on Tom Coburn apparently negotiating bribes for Sen. Ensign, and now this.

John Ensign Accused of Violating Campaign Finance Laws

By GottaLaff

Via Taegan via ABC News via via via:

The bombshell: "Hampton told McFadden that the money Ensign's parents paid him in the aftermath of the affair was severance -- not a gift -- as Ensign had claimed, which could constitute a violation of campaign finance laws."

Gee, ya think?

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

C ya! John Ensign Leaves C Street House

By GottaLaff

The C word is back:

Sen. John Ensign has moved out of the C Street house, the Christian home he shared with other elected officials on Capitol Hill that came under scrutiny for its residents’ beliefs and practices and their role in trying to end the Nevada Republican’s affair with a campaign staff member.

The red brick town house emerged this summer as the subject of political intrigue — not only as a pivotal location in Ensign’s affair with Cynthia Hampton, but also that of South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, who sought guidance there as he wrestled with his own affair. [...]

Ensign apparently was not pushed out, but left on his own. He apologized to his colleagues.

He better apologize to them! He let them all down with a thud. Now who will his pals share all those funsy secrets with?

Ensign declined last week to discuss his housing situation, after The New York Times reported that the senator was planning to move.

“I don’t discuss my living arrangements,” Ensign told the Sun.

Well, actually, yes he does... but only with his super secret fellow C Streeters as they sit around the living room campfire sharing tales of their various sexcapades. Can't you just picture them all in their Snuggies, whispering and giggling...?

But the Sun confirmed through another source that he left the house a few weeks ago. [...]

Sensing the ongoing scrutiny of his C Street home could continue, Ensign apparently decided to move on.

He might think about moving to R Street... aka Resign.

Back story and many more details here.

VIDEOS: Ensign says he did not breach ethics rules; Rachel Maddow disagrees

By GottaLaff

Compare these:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

...to this:

He failed to answer the question about whether or not he'd resign. Add that to his other failures. I'm sure there are more on the way.

VIDEO: Ad targets John Ensign on public option

By GottaLaff

Rachel Maddow has already destroyed what's left of Ensign's reputation. Now we have ads, too:

The ads begin today and will run for a week in Las Vegas and Reno. They hint at Ensign’s disclosed affair and suggest a link between the senator’s opposition to the health reform bill and the more than $800,000 he has received in health insurance industry campaign contributions.

The ads are unlikely to sway Ensign, who has strongly opposed the legislation that he calls a government takeover of health care. But they may hit at the Republican Party in Nevada, which has struggled with electoral losses, fallout from Ensign’s affair and organizational problems.

H/t: I can't remember!

Senate Ethics Committee investigating John Ensign

By GottaLaff



Wow! You know what this means, don't you?!

Nothing!

The Senate Ethics Committee is investigating Sen. John Ensign, and allegations of improper conduct stemming from an affair with the wife of a former aide.

"Whenever allegations of improper conduct are brought to the attention of the Senate Ethics Committee, we open a preliminary inquiry," committee spokeswoman Natalie Ravitz told CNN.

No. Thing. Or as Kent Jones of The Rachel Maddow Show says, "Weak!"

Because of the tight lipped nature of the ethics panel, it is unclear exactly what the Ethics Committee is probing. [...]

In July, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a left-leaning watchdog group, formally asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate potential violations of ethics rules. [...]

Senate GOP sources, who did not want to be quoted on the record about the Ensign controversy, said they worried the efforts described in the article appear to show that Ensign may have facilitated relationships and work for Hampton that violate a ban on lobbying for one year after a Senator or aide leaves office.

Well, okay, maybe a little something.... maybe.

Ensign Votes against Sotomayor to Protect 'Sanctity'

By GottaLaff

Sanctity is the last word I'd expect to pop out of John Ensanity's mouth at this point:... especially as it applies to the law... oh yeah, and marriage vows:

ABC News' Jonathan Karl reports: It’s an odd word choice for a guy who just admitted cheating on his wife, but Senator John Ensign (R-NV) says he will vote against the Sonia Sotomayor nomination because, “I feel a need to protect the sanctity of our Constitution.”

Yes, Judge Sotomayor is scary and a major threat to our Constitution. Too bad we don't have BushCo around to protect it any more.

Ensign NRSCers' e-mails show affair was known inside organization over a year ago

By GottaLaff

(click to enlarge)

Dear Rushpublics,

E-mails are a written record of stuff. They get discovered.

Love, Laffy:

The emails, between Mike Slanker and Doug Hampton and Lindsey Slanker and Cindy Hampton, show the Slankers knew of the affair between John Ensign and Cindy Hampton while they were working in 2008 at the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which the senator headed.

But... but... wasn't it the case that nobody knew until after the Big News Conference?

Slanker now says he did indeed find out shortly after he hired Hampton, but did not intend to mislead the media.

No, of course not. That's why we're just finding out about it.

E-mails here and here.

Lies. And then, more lies.

Burnt toast.

UPDATE: Rachel Maddow on MSNBC just now reminds us that the son of the paramour was employed during the time of the e-mail exchanges. Oops. The teenaged son was on the payroll in some kind of "policy role", said Rachel just now. This raises all kinds of questions, one being how distracted Ensign was while on the job.

Ensign's wife, Darlene, called Mike Slanker and said he was hired because of the affair. And so, so much more. I'll find the video of the segment.

H/t: VNDNBRG

Dep't. of WTF: John Ensign Asks Staff What They Think of Him

By GottaLaff

From the Dep'ts. of WTF, Glutton for Punishment, and Are You Really This Naive?... Ensign has to know that they think he's a total losery jerk. How could he not?

A Politico report says Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) recently held one-on-one meetings with everyone on his staff, asking for their honest views on him and his extramarital affair with a former staffer.

According to one Republican source, several members of Ensign's staff "really let him have it."

Ensign's chief of staff resigned last week.

Yet another Republican apology, this time from John Ensign

By GottaLaff

(click on image to enlarge)

Just keep talking, John, because sometimes a letter just isn't enough. And don't worry, your family--er, The Family-- will be there for you. C Street's loyal that way.

By the way, can I borrow $96,000? I'm a little short, and I need decent health care:

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) issued a statement to the local media attempting to explain himself after facing criticism for his silence surrounding a sex scandal that has been plaguing him for weeks. [...]

"I am very sorry this issue has caused a great deal of embarrassment and pain for my family, the Hamptons, and many of my supporters," Ensign said in the prepared statement, which The Las Vegas Sun posted online late Friday.

Ensign said that potential investigations by the Federal Election Commission and Senate Ethics Committee make public comment on his extramarital affair inadvisable.

Psst! John! Extramarital affairs are inadvisable, too. But did that stop you? Nooooo.

“I know there are questions regarding my affair with Cindy Hampton that people want to know the answers to,” the statement says. “It was reported, however, that CREW was planning to file complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the Federal Election Commission, so I have been advised not to publicly comment further at this time.”

CREW, short for Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a nonpartisan government watchdog group, has called for ethics, election commission, and federal criminal investigations of Ensign’s actions in relation to the affair with Hampton last year.

“If any inquiries are undertaken, then I am confident they will be resolved in my favor and those questions will be answered,” Ensign said.

You're that confident, huh? What, did you pay CREW off, too, or just write them a carefully crafted letter with a little help from the C Street Frat Boys?

All in the Family: Religious group paid for Ensign trips

By GottaLaff

Ensign = :

A secretive religious group paid for trips to Japan and the Middle East by U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., now under fire for an adulterous affair, records show.

The travel in 2003 and 2004 did not violate the Senate ethics rules then in force, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The Senate has since adopted new restrictions on travel paid for by outside groups.

Timing is everything.

The newspaper said Ensign's travel records show the trips cost $15,000, paid by the International Foundation, an arm of the Fellowship Foundation. That group is known informally as The Family and both Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, another Republican caught in a sex scandal, have ties to it. [...]

"The Family acts today like the most powerful lobby in America that isn't registered as a lobby -- and is thus immune from the scrutiny attending the other powerful organizations," Sharlet wrote.

These are the Family values of the very devout Rushpublics who are so quick to condemn others.

John Ensign Loses Top Aide

By GottaLaff

It seems I'm using the above graphic more often lately:

Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) chief of staff, John Lopez, "is leaving the senator's employ" in the wake of the senator's admission of having an affair with another staffer, the Las Vegas Sun reports.

"Republican sources say the loss of Lopez is a bad sign for Ensign as he tries to save his political career."

Buh-bye now.