Ensign's Future Remains Unclear

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Congress

(AP)

Sen. John Ensign's political future got a little murkier this week as more details emerged about his extramarital affair – and other members of Congress were drawn into the ordeal.

Sen. Tom Coburn, a fellow conservative and confidant of Ensign's, affirmed to reporters Thursday that he knew about Ensign's affair and told him to end it. However, he denied allegations that he urged Ensign to pay off his mistress, Cindy Hampton, or her family.

"I categorically deny that," Coburn said when asked whether he had discussed with Ensign making payments to the Hamptons, the Tulsa World reports.

Coburn's statements came in response to accusations from Doug Hampton, Cindy's husband, in a televised interview with Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun.

"This was at the request of Tom Coburn and some people to try and help them manage John," Doug Hampton said about the proposal to pay the family.

While Coburn denied that allegation, he said some of his discussions with Ensign remain "privileged" because Coburn was acting in his capacity as a physician and church deacon, according to the Tulsa World.

Coburn is a family practice physician who specializes in obstetrics.

Ensign's lawyer revealed yesterday that the senator's parents paid the Hamptons $96,000 as a gift made "out of concern for the well-being of long-time family friends during a difficult time."

Ensign's political support among politicians and voters is unraveling, the Las Vegas Sun reported Thursday.

"It's not good," Texas Sen. John Cornyn said about Ensign's situation. Cornyn replaced Ensign as head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee after the affair was revealed.

Ensign could lose the support of Mormon voters in Nevada who had approved of the senator's conservative values as a result of the scandal, former Sen. Warren Hardy told the Sun.

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by toldyouso29 July 11, 2009 11:11 AM EDT

"I categorically deny that," Coburn said when asked whether he had discussed with Ensign making payments to the Hamptons, "

When they "categorically deny" anything, a safe bet is that they are lying. In fact the translation should be : "I will lie til the end and say I did not do it until you produce proof to the contrary"

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by stn_sage July 11, 2009 3:55 PM EDT: Agreed! Your translation is 'spot on'!


by toldyouso29 July 11, 2009 11:09 AM EDT: From another article--Ensign at first denied making any payments but now admits he did--through his folks--but says he will not resign, he also denies giving Hampton a severance package as that would violate campaign rules--but Hampton's husband says she got one.

From the other article:

Yesterday, Coburn told the Roll Call newspaper that he would refuse any attempts to compel him to testify in court or at the Senate ethics committee about his role. Coburn, an obstetrician, claimed a legal privilege against such testimony as his physician and religious adviser.

"I was counseling him as a physician and as an ordained deacon," Coburn said. "That is privileged communication that I will never reveal to anybody. Not to the ethics committee, not to a court of law, not to anybody."

But Melanie Sloan, a former federal prosecutor who is now executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said that neither privilege would apply to Coburn's case because Ensign cannot plausibly be his patient and because being a deacon does not qualify a person as clergy. "*

* Note it is not plausible because Deacons do not take or hear confessions and are not bound by secrecy and discretion AND and OB delivers babies which of course as a man, Ensign could NEVER have been his patient.

Nice try Coburn--obviously intelligence and being a slick trick do not necessarily go hand in hand--he should have thought that through before it slipped from his piehole.; Reply to this comment

by toldyouso29 July 11, 2009 10:58 AM EDT

by stn_sage July 10, 2009 11:30 PM PDT
...But, Mr. Coburn says it's not true! Yet, he's taking 'the FIFTH'! That is, he WON'T talk about it! Not that he CAN'T, but that HE WON'T! Instead, he hides behind his credentials as a doctor and a deacon! Which, begs the question: what kind of doctor or deacon is HE, that he gives such terrible advice?!

Are we suppose to believe that Ensign is and has been a patient of Mr. Coburn's all these years?"

*************************
1. Read the above article. Coburn is an obstetrician which is a fancy word for a pregnancy doctor. If he is Ensign's personal physician..then Ensign should resign and hit the notorious circuit as the first real man to be preggers...

2. Deacons are lower level members of a church. They are not pastors who lead a flock--they are more like Sargeant at Arms--who keep the peace, make sure the ushers keep water and flowers fresh for the preachers and pass out fans. deacons are considered stalwarts--but if pastors are the owners of the restuarant with Elders being co owners or at least the Maitre' d or Sommelier, Deacons would be the head waiters or maybe the head bus boys. Hope this clarifies.

If Coburn is not careful, he will go down with Ensign and his pleading the 5th just means he has things to hide that were his part in all of this as the 5th does not protect a person who incriminates others, it is pled to protect a person from incriminating himself.

If it goes so far as a court case and Coburn refuses to testify, he can be found guilty of contempt and spend a max of 18 months in jail for keeping mum.

Certainly to not be truthful is NOT a hallmark of any church--except maybe the Church of Satan.

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by stn_sage July 11, 2009 3:48 PM EDT: To toldyouso29:

Referring to your (1)above: YOU read the above article! THAT'S RIGHT!
He IS an obstetrician! However, in MOST states that doesn't restrict him to practicing ONLY that kind of medicine! OK?! IF he knows how to do brain surgery, he could do that for somebody, too! Got it?! The point:
we're in agreement that this IS a ruse, a hoax, or a 'dodge'!

2. Over the years, locally, I've met two so-called Deacons, they both
claimed to deliver sermons to congregations! So, I'll take your information under advisement! As I do not belong to a religious group that employs deacons--- I cannot say! Perhaps, some church groups allow
their deacons to preach?! I doubt your suggested ban applies to the workings of all churches that incorporate deacons into their structure!

3. Regarding the FIFTH, that's right AGAIN! It doesn't protect a person
who incriminates others, it is plead to protect a person from incriminating HIMSELF! That's what I SAID! Or, was implying friend!
So, ONCE AGAIN we are in AGREEMENT!

Yeah, I think we both would probably agree that this will never go
to court, and/or if it did, that very little would be done to him,
they wouldn't send him to jail--- in spite of lying, IF he chose to
do that! Well, regarding his religious views, maybe he's a closet
Luciferian?! Who knows? I wouldn't put anything past him, these
Washington politicians are scumbags!

by stn_sage July 11, 2009 2:30 AM EDT

Not only do you have Mr. Ensign committing adultery and then his parents paying 'hush money' (a gift) to cover it up, but NOW we find out Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) is involved, too!

What did this fellow do? He advised him to pay the 'hush money'! How do we know? Mr. Hampton tells us so! Who's he? Husband of the woman Ensign is sleeping with---he ought to know!

But, Mr. Coburn says it's not true! Yet, he's taking 'the FIFTH'! That is, he WON'T talk about it! Not that he CAN'T, but that HE WON'T! Instead, he hides behind his credentials as a doctor and a deacon! Which, begs the question: what kind of doctor or deacon is HE, that he gives such terrible advice?!

Are we suppose to believe that Ensign is and has been a patient of Mr. Coburn's all these years?
Or, that Mr. Coburn is his personal pastor? If either of these are true, you can bet it's a VERY RECENT occurrence, like since it became known that Coburn was involved in this mess!

Mr. Coburn is in fact WORSE than Mr. Ensign, for he's managed to besmirch THREE professions: politics, medicine, AND religion! I, as I hope all REAL Americans are, am totally disgusted about this!

In the interest of all Americans, the republic, and the nation; BOTH these men ought to do the honorable thing and RESIGN immediately! They've both shown they are unfit for public office!

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by iam4honesty July 11, 2009 7:52 AM EDT: In recent years republican politicians (almost all republican politicians)sound like wayward teenagers lying to their parents. Some of the stupid excuses they come up with are just bizarre. Larry Craig's 'wide stance' for example.

Anyone who listens to, believes and then votes for these clowns... well... they're just not smart enough to vote.


by iam4honesty July 10, 2009 8:24 PM EDT: This punk just needs to resign and go work for his gangster daddy.; Reply to this comment


by babooph July 10, 2009 8:19 PM EDT: In the 2010 election,will ANY republican have the nerve to run on family values,spending control,morality,patriotism,or intelligence??19% of voters have proved some of the people can be fooled ALL of the time,but even with Supreme court intervention ,it is very hard to be put in office with 19% of the vote.; Reply to this comment

by toldyouso29 July 10, 2009 7:52 PM EDT

While Coburn denied that allegation, he said some of his discussions with Ensign remain "privileged" because Coburn was acting in his capacity as a physician and church deacon, according to the Tulsa World.

Coburn is a family practice physician who specializes in obstetrics. "

Politicians must really think the public is stupid--so you advise a man to hide or deceive the public to protect his political career?

When would a Church deacon who KNOWS deception is akin to lying ever advise LIES as the way forward?

And an obstetrician? Who was preggers? No one--so Coburn was acting in the role of Deacon and Dr--when no one was in a position to benefit from his services and he did a pizzz pooor job? What a liar. What Church is that "Deacon Coburn" The Church of Satan? Because God said those that LIE have Their father in Satan...et tu?

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by toldyouso29 July 11, 2009 10:51 AM EDT: commies....LOL Won't America's youth be grateful when the last vestiges of the 1920s and 1940s generation pass away and they can move away from the blatant racism and sexism and fear of communists which so plagued these earlier citizens? Think of the relief--it will be like the sweet air that descends after a huge storm of farts. LOL


by benighse July 11, 2009 11:57 AM EDT: That "C Street" political fraternity house of Ensign, Sanford and Coburn sure makes the comedy ANIMAL HOUSE tame by comparison. Having nookie parties, bragging amongst each other, and having their own gynecologist/obstetrician Coburn to keep their secrets as "doctor-patient privilege." Just what did Ensign and Sanford tell Coburn within the "privilege" that would be protected by an obstetrician? Were they pregnant? Or helping someone else (mistress) with some pregnancy questions? Or STDs? Or just birth control questions? Or morning after pills? Or what? And whatever wasn't covered by their obstetrician privilege was apparently covered in their confessions by his "ordained deacon ministry" position. Their penance? Pay your mistresses $96,000 and say a prayer that no one finds out. Yes, the POLITICAL ANIMAL HOUSE mentality lives on.