Eric Ensign: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen

In the face of many sexually related political scandals these days, Eric Ensign is up to his hip-boots in manure over his allegedly having seduced and slept with the campaign's top administrator's wife, Cynthia Hampton, over the period of perhaps several years. Ensign, who is married and has a family of his own, apparently carried on the affair over a two year period of time.

Now that this has been revealed and admitted to by the Senator, it has also come to light that Ensign actively procured a lobbying job for Douglas Hampton, the husband of his former lover, possibly violating laws against allowing a staffer to enter into lobbying for a one year period after leaving the staff of a lawmaker.  Worse yet, apparently Ensign allowed Hampton to lobby his own office, which, if true, is a clear violation of the law and punishable by prison, fines and more.

Additionally, Ensign's parents gave the Hamptons $96,000 as a "gift", making the check out to Cynthia, Douglas and two of their three children. Even though Ensign says it was above the law, this is another possible violation of various laws for which he should be made to answer.

Ensign is a member of the Pentecostal International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, as well as a resident of the C Street religious house in Washington D.C. The C Street residence has been home to mostly Republicans but also a few Democrats and has been touted as a place of religious retreat for members of Congress while they are in Washington. However, there are allegations of hanky-panky occurring there, which are being investigated by various journalists.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was also a member of C Street when he was in the House of Representatives, as was former U.S. Representative Chip Pickering, Republican of Mississippi, both of whom were involved in sexually related scandals.

Remember the former House Member Robert Ney of Ohio pleaded guilty to a similar charge and was sent to prison for 30 months on January 19th, 2007.

 Sexual scandals do not recognize one party over another.  Remember that Gary Hart famously dared reporters to look into his alleged dallying aboard his boat Monkey Business, and he was forced to drop out of the race he was involved with.  Former President Bill Clinton also had his affair with Monica Lewinski, Elliot Spitzer of New York resigned as governor after his name was found on a prostitute client list, and Senator David Vitter of Louisiana admitted having at least one affair with a prostitute, while investigations are ongoing about other possible affairs in his case.  Governor Sanford of South Carolina admitted to having a lover in Argentina, and there are certainly many more such cases in the public records.

Such scandals may be brought about by sheer arrogance on the part of elected officials who forget that they are elected to be public servants, not to serve themselves to things which for all the rest of us would be illegal.  All of us, no matter which party or candidate we support, need to demand that these action by elected officials cease, and that the strictest punishments be handed out in case of prosecution.  No elected leader is above the law, and none of them must be allowed to get away with breaking the laws we all have to respect.  While some say that the onus is more heavy on Republicans because of their loudly proclaimed Family Values platform, I believe it is simply something that all politicians need to know:  We are mad as hell about this and we are not going to put up with it any more!