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The John Ensign affair just won’t go away.
By Mike in Politcs Plus
July 10, 2009

I had already turned the page on Senator’s Ensign Affair with former staffer Cindy Hampton, but now we have is a secretive Christian group known as C Street Fellowship group being involved, $96,000 of hush money being paid out and a senator/OBGYN claiming doctor- patient privilege, as a reason why he will maintain his silence; that just adds to the story that just won’t die..

It seems that a bible study group, which former member like Mark Sanford lived in and current membesr John Ensign, along with the five other members of Congress now live in a 1.1 million Capitol Hill townhouse that is subsidized by a secretive religious organization, according to tax records. The other lawmakers are representatives Zack Wamp(R-TN) Bart Stupak (D-MI), Jim DeMint(R-SC)Mike Doyle (D-PA) Sam Brownback(R-KA) and Senator Tom Coburn live in this building called C Street. They pay about $600 a month in rent. Senator Colburn is John Ensign’s spiritual adviser and the close friend that set up the payout to the Hamptons, according to Cindy Hampton’s husband Doug Hampton. It seems that these lawmakers all get together once a week to discuss religion in their daily lives. This group is known as the “Fellowship” and has received more than $145,000 and fellowship grants between 1997 and 2000, according to IRS records.

Yesterday, it was discovered that John Ensign had his parents pay eight members of the Hampton family $12,000 apiece out of the goodness of their heart. That $12,000 is a coincidence ,because that is the maximum the Internal Revenue will allow for gift giving before taxes incur. My parents never had $96,000, but I can’t even imagine asking my parents for money to be used as hush money.

According to Hampton, Coburn and the other men urged Ensign -- the son of a multimillionaire casino magnate -- to pay for the Hamptons' home and for a move to Colorado. But as Hampton described it, they also insisted that Ensign write a letter to his girlfriend -- later obtained by the Las Vegas Sun -- breaking things off and expressing remorse. Then, says Hampton, two of the men, Tim Coe and Sherman, actually drove Ensign to a FedEx office, apparently to make sure, he sent the letter. Was this political cover?

I always thought Senator Coburn(R-OK) was it a little extreme because he believed that doctors that performed abortion should be executed. As a congressman in 1997, Coburn protested NBC's plan to air the R-rated Academy Award-winning Holocaust drama Schindler's List during prime time but I thought he was a straight-shooter. Yesterday, he stated that he will not say anything to the ethics' committee or anyone else because he is an ordained deacon and a physician (OBGYN), so he is invoking those privileges of silence.

I still remember Watergate, after few days everyone quit talking about the third rate burglary because then it became a matter for the special prosecutor. It’s always about the cover-up.

Comments


  • Mike Mike Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    Lol....John Ensign is living a charmed life ;as far as media coverage.

    First it was the babbling interviews from Mark Sanford ,then the resignation of Sarah Palin,now it's the newest Cheney revelation.

    July 14, 2009 at 11:25 a.m.

  • Malaise Malaise Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    "...Ensign is actually a woman since he is his patient..." Bwwaaaahahahahahaha! That is a hoot! And I guess everyone in Congress or the WH or the Pentagon can become a deacon SOMEWHERE at some "church" and therefore claim a privilege from having to give testimony? Typical politicians! Always looking for a cover.

    I guess these grown men all have to live together to make sure they don't go chasing exotic dancers (male or female) every night? Sounds to me like they have pretty weak willpower. I guess all those gays ruined their marriages for them.

    Doesn't matter. Ensign is toast.

    7 x $600 in rent on a $1.1 mil property? Sounds to me like a gift that should be reported to an ethics committee.

    July 13, 2009 at 7:42 p.m.

  • VietnamVet VietnamVet Report a ViolationReport a Violation
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    So what Coburn is saying is that Ensign is actually a woman since he is his patient. And the way I read this a deacon is "clergy"? He sure wears a lot of hats.
    The C Street gang certainly has God in their lives, I see.

    July 12, 2009 at 7:14 p.m.