The Sound You Hear is Congress Sucking Air
There was a ruling today saying that a congressman’s right to privacy does not trump the public’s right to know about possible criminal behavior. You would think that would be written down somewhere but it’s not.
The Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington won a lawsuit today to Federal District Court against former Senator John Ensign (R-NV) being able to keep secret his tawdry little affair with a former campaign staffer who was then married to his Chief of Staff.
You probably recall that Ensign asked Clinton to resign after the Lewinsky affair because Clinton “has no credibility left.” Ensign touted his membership in the Foursquare Pentecostal Church and how he was against same sex marriage because marriage was so sacred and everything.
I mean, Honey, you could have seen this fall coming a mile off. Nobody gets that sanctimonious without something to hide.
So Ensign gets caught doing the wild thing with his Chief of Staff’s wife and then spent taxpayer time and money trying to cover it up.
The ethics committee referred the case to DOJ for a further investigation, but the department declined to prosecute Sen. Ensign, instead prosecuting only the former chief of staff, Doug Hampton. DOJ refused to provide any records, claiming Sen. Ensign’s privacy interests trumped the public’s right to know.
I’m happy to report to you that this is the fourth such case that CREW has won. I know it’s Ensign who lives is Vegas but it’s CREW who is on a roll.
There is a simple solution here: if you are in congress, behave yourself and also remember this simple rule: pigs get fat but hogs get slaughtered.
Thanks to Alfredo over at the Dairy Queen for the heads up.
Oops. “With the judgment you judge, you shall be judged.” What’s gonna happen next?
1hooray for CREW…..think i’ll send them a few $$!
2Alfredo is on a roll, too!!!
3And KARMA ROCKS!
4I remember that Ensign affair. Turns out she did the hotsie totsie with him with full knowledge on the part of her husband. Both of them wanted to keep their jobs. Mygawd! Doesn’t that say something for these staffers needing a union!
Now, on to Darrell “My brother did it” Issa!
5“Pigs get fat but hogs get slaughtered.” JJ, you have a wonderful way with words! Should be on a plaque above the door of every legislative body in America.
6Funny, I was just wondering about John Ensign yesterday while reading how his Bag Man, Tom Coburn, was discussing how to impeach President Obama.
Like a bad rash, these poor representatives of Christian integrity keep coming back.
7I think all those guys who hung out at C Street – the so-called “church” – which was really just a way to avoid paying taxes on their Frat House of Weird – should be looked at with a RICO indictment in mind.
Get ’em, CREW!
8Did Ensign try the “What happens in Vegas – – stays in Vegas” defense yet? I think that actually is written down somewhere.
9Given that the NSA apparently has the right to snoop around in the private correspondence of the average citizen, why does the DOJ think that Congresscritters have a right to privacy?
I’ll be nice and decide that they put up a fight only to shield themselves from a lawsuit from Senator Ensign.
10Why did the former Chief of Staff get prosecuted? Guilt by association? If he hadn’t consented this wouldn’t have happened? I don’t understand. It’s the first day of classes. My brain always feels like it’s on drugs for the first week.
11Jan, Google is your friend:
12http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal
Alfredo is worth his weight in soft ice cream!
13Congress–the opposite of Progress.
14“DOJ refused to provide any records, claiming Sen. Ensign’s privacy interests trumped the public’s right to know.”
When you supposedly work for “the public” and “the public” pays your salary, this is kind of an impossible argument to make.
CREW does good stuff, and fights and wins important battles.
Thanks to you and Alfredo for the good word.
15Lynn, a gathering of baboons is called,,,,,,,,,,,,a congress!
16LynnN — I want that on a bumper sticker for my truck! You keep hittin’ ’em outta the park.
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