Posted on 06/17/2009 10:47:42 AM PDT by MaestroLC
The Republican senator who went public a day earlier about an extramarital affair has resigned his GOP leadership post on Wednesday.
Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., stepped down as chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-ranking GOP position in the Senate, after holding a brief news conference Tuesday to come clean about his affair with a former aide. He is not expected to resign from the Senate.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., confirmed the move Wednesday afternoon.
"He's accepted responsibility for his actions and apologized to his family and constituents. He offered, and I accepted, his resignation as chairman of the policy committee," the Kentucky senator said.
Several reasons contributed to Ensign's decision to step down from his post, according to a Senate GOP leadership aide. They included the likelihood of a persistent media firestorm stemming from his admission Tuesday; growing irritation within the conference regarding other distractions; and the possibility that more damaging information could emerge regarding the affair.
Sources told FOX News the admission was prompted by a blackmail threat. Two Senate Republican sources close to Ensign said a former employee had asked Ensign for money in what both sources described as a case of "extortion."
The employee, Doug Hampton, worked in Ensign's Senate office, and his wife, Cindy Hampton, worked for Ensign's re-election campaign. Both ceased working for the senator shortly after the affair ended, the sources said, with Cindy Hampton receiving a severance package. The circumstances of Doug Hampton's departure remain unclear.
Ensign expressed regret Tuesday for his actions.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Who will replace Ensign as chair of the RPC? I vote for DeMint or Coburn.This from Politico:
The most likely candidate to replace Ensign at the no. 4 spot in Senate leadership is Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), also considered a rising Republican star, who currently serves as vice chairman of the Republican Conference and has already expressed interest in Ensign’s Policy Committee chairmanship, according to GOP Senate aides. Thune has had an eye on higher Senate leadership spots, but the policy chairman spot is far from a lock for him, as other young Republicans may make a run at Ensign’s old position.
Any man that would bang the wife of an employee who is also an employee is to low of a person to have regrets except the regret of getting caught.
Blackmail which is a kin to liberal inspired set up.
Because Rats have no consciences or morals.
I agree.
AFTER he was threatened with blackmail from his former lover. I doubt he would have confessed otherwise.
Anytime your are the boss banging the hired help there is illegality involved. Little thing called sexual harassment.
.... he's not resigning from his Senate seat, just the GOP leadership position (which really means he was probably thrown out)....
I hate when that happens. The excuses are getting really ridiculous. The idea that your family being close to another family would just allow this to happen is beyond incredible.
So, Clinton/Lewinsky didn't bother you?
That doesn’t matter.
It’s all about how the news breaks.
If the media exposed him, they would turn it into a feeding frenzy.
Since he exposed himself, it sets a totally different tone, one the media cannot exploit that sensationally or for that long.
And Barney Frank is running the banks....
He's a Republican. They would exploit the situation no matter how it was exposed because they hate Republicans. If he was a Dem, they would try to bury it as quickly as possible.
Eh, they’ll probably pick Miss Lindsay Grahamnesty.
That’s all true, but it is still a matter of the physics of the story.
This story has limited momentum due to how it broke.
The State-Run Media can’t change that, no matter how hard they try over on MSNBC.
I see your point, I really do. No one is perfect and we can’t expect that. Answer me this one question though...If a person is willing to break their oath to their mate, the one person they should be closer with then anyone, why should I trust them to keep an oath made to anyone else. Line an oath of office of instance.
Any photos here?
Any photos here?
“Sen. Ensign had sex while Sen. Craig did not”
Let’s ask Sen Craig’s wife if the betrayal is any less because he “didn’t have sex”
Between now and 2010 they will find some other Repub with a problem. Dems can commit serial felonies and nothing is ever said.
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