John Ensign

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

John Ensign
United States Senator from Nevada
Incumbent
Assumed office  January 3, 2001 Serving with Harry Reid
Preceded by	Richard H. Bryan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Nevada's 1st district
In office January 4, 1995 – January 3, 1999
Preceded by	James Bilbray
Succeeded by	Shelley Berkley
Born	March 25, 1958 (1958-03-25) (age 51) Roseville, California
Nationality	American
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Darlene Ensign
Children	Trevor Ensign Siena Ensign Michael Ensign
Residence	Las Vegas, Nevada
Alma mater	University of Nevada, Las Vegas,Oregon State University, Colorado State University
Occupation	veterinarian
Religion	International Church of the Foursquare Gospel

John Eric Ensign (born March 25, 1958) is the junior United States Senator from Nevada, serving since January 2001. He is a member of the Republican Party and the former chairman of the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

[edit] Early life, education, and early career

Ensign was born in Roseville, California, to Sharon Lee Cipriani and a father whose surname was Mueller; his maternal grandfather was of Italian descent.^[1] Ensign claims to be one eighth (1/8th) Filipino American.^[2] Ensign's family moved to Nevada when he was a child. His mother remarried Michael S. Ensign, a gaming industry executive who subsequently became chairman of the board of directors of Mandalay Bay,^[3] and who adopted John.

Ensign went to UNLV, becoming a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, Oregon State University, and Colorado State University, becoming a veterinarian in 1985. He then became a successful businessman, opening a 24-hour animal hospital in Las Vegas. He owned two animal hospitals before entering politics.^[4]

[edit] Political career

[edit] House of Representatives

In 1994, Ensign won the Republican nomination for Nevada's 1st congressional district, based in Las Vegas. He was far behind four-term incumbent Democrat James Bilbray for most of the campaign. However, Ensign gained considerable momentum after reports surfaced that a Bilbray aide stood to make a huge profit from lands legislation sponsored by Bilbray.^[5] Ensign won by 1,400 votes. He was reelected in 1996 by seven points, even as Bill Clinton carried the district by a large margin.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] U.S. Senate

In 1998, Ensign ran for the Senate but was defeated by the Democratic incumbent, future Senate Floor Leader Harry Reid, by only 428 votes.^[6] See also: United States Senate election in Nevada, 1998

Ensign won a Senate seat on his second try in 2000, defeating Democratic opponent Ed Bernstein by a 55%-40% margin,^[7] to succeed the retiring Democratic incumbent, Richard H. Bryan.

Ensign and Reid have developed a fairly good relationship, despite their bruising 1998 contest. They frequently work together on Nevada issues.

[edit] Political future

In April, Ensign was planning a June 1, 2009, trip to Iowa, the first in his career, causing speculation that he was mulling a presidential campaign in 2012.^[8] Given the disclosure of his extramarital affair in mid-June, his presidential aspirations were put in limbo.^[4]

[edit] Personal life

Ensign is a member of the Pentecostal International Church of the Foursquare Gospel, and is the only Pentecostal in the Senate. He attends a Foursquare church in northwest Las Vegas.^[9] According to The New York Times, during college at Colorado State, he became a born-again Christian and he and his wife, Darlene, were active in the Promise Keepers, an evangelical group.^[4]

He and his wife have three children.

[edit] Extramarital affair

In a statement on June 16, 2009, Ensign admitted he had an extramarital affair between December 2007 and August 2008 with a female member of his campaign staff.^[10] The individual, unnamed by Ensign, but later identified as Cynthia Hampton^[11], worked for Ensign’s campaign operation, Ensign for Senate, and for the conservative political action committee, Battle Born PAC, of which Ensign is the honorary chairman, from December 2006 to May 2008.^[4] Also on June 16, Ensign's wife issued a statement that said, in part, "Since we found out last year we have worked through the situation and we have come to a reconciliation."^[4]

On June 17, 2009 Ensign stepped down from his Senate leadership post. Ensign was chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth-ranking spot in the Republican party's leadership.^[12]

On June 19, the Las Vegas Sun reported that Cynthia Hampton's husband, Doug Hampton, a former top administrative aide in Ensign’s Capitol Hill office, had sent a letter dated June 11 to Megyn Kelly, a Fox News reporter.^[13] In the letter, he said that "The actions of Senator Ensign have ruined our lives and careers and left my family in shambles", and that "I need justice, help and restitution for what Senator Ensign has done to me and my family".^[14] The network said it did not receive a mailed letter, but got the letter as an e-mail attachment on June 15.^[15]

Also on June 19, Ensign's office issued a statement that included the charge that "Within the past month, Doug Hampton's legal counsel made exorbitant demands for cash and other financial benefits on behalf of his client." The Hamptons' attorney said that the couple was weighing how to respond to the Ensign statement.^[15]

[edit] Committee assignments

• Committee on the Budget
• Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet (Ranking Member)
  • Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security
• Committee on Finance
  • Subcommittee on Health Care
  • Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-Term Growth
  • Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy
• Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
  • Subcommittee on State, Local, and Private Sector Preparedness and Integration (Ranking Member)
• Committee on Rules and Administration

[edit] Political positions

[edit] Animal advocacy

Along with Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Senator Ensign—a veterinarian -- was a lead sponsor of the Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act, which makes it a felony to transport animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting. According to a press release from Ensign's office, "Fifty states currently have laws against dogfighting and forty-nine have laws against cockfighting. This bill complements these state laws."^[16]

[edit] Cuba

Senator Ensign is a member of the Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus.

[edit] Eminent domain

Ensign has become a leading voice against the Kelo v. New London Supreme Court ruling, and introduced a bill that would blunt the effects of the ruling.^[17] In Kelo, the Court ruled that local governments could use eminent domain not just for public use but for any project that involves a public purpose. Specifically, the Court permitted the City of New London, CT to force a homeowner to sell her home for a parking lot for a new development of private, big box stores. The use of governmental condemnation for a private purpose caused a backlash.

[edit] Fiscal responsibility

The fiscal watchdog Citizens Against Government Waste awarded Ensign a 92% lifetime rating—the fourth highest Senator after Jim DeMint, Tom Coburn and Jon Kyl -- as of 2007.^[18]

In 2005, Ensign introduced legislation to create a government waste commission called the Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies. ^[19] The commission would compile a list of unnecessary, outdated, wasteful, or duplicative discretionary programs, and require Congress to vote up-or-down to eliminate all programs on the list. The process is much like the BRAC process Congress uses to close military bases.

[edit] Marriage

In 1998, after President Bill Clinton admitted to having committed adultery with Monica Lewinsky, Ensign called on him to resign, saying, "He has no credibility left."^[20]

In 2004, Ensign spoke on the Senate floor in favor of the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment, which would have barred states from recognizing same-sex marriage. Ensign said:

Marriage is the cornerstone on which our society was founded. For those who say that the Constitution is so sacred that we cannot or should not adopt the Federal Marriage Amendment, I would simply point out that marriage, and the sanctity of that institution, predates the American Constitution and the founding of our nation.^[21]

[edit] Pro-life

Ensign considers himself pro-life and both the National Right to Life Committee and NARAL Pro-Choice America identify him as having a pro-life voting record.^[22][23]

Ensign authored the Child Custody Protection Act in 2003 that prohibits taking minors across State lines in circumvention of laws requiring the involvement of parents in abortion decisions.^[24]

[edit] Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq

Ensign voted in support of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists, which authorized the President to use the United States Armed Forces to "deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States." This is the authorizing legislation for the invasion of Afghanistan and removing the Taliban from power.^[25]

Ensign also voted in support of the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002, which authorized the President to use the United States Armed Forces "as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" in order to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq."^[26]

Ensign supported the counterinsurgency policy in Iraq in 2007 and opposed withdrawing troops from Iraq in 2007 and 2008.

[edit] Actions in the U.S. Senate

[edit] Chairmanship of National Republican Senatorial Committee

Ensign was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). As chairman of the NRSC, Ensign was charged with assembling a staff to win back the U.S. Senate for Republicans in the 2008 elections. Ensign chose Mike Slanker and Lindsey Slanker of Nevada based political consulting firm November Inc. to be the Political Director and Finance Director of the NRSC.

Ensign often expressed pessimism about the upcoming election, stating that a good night for Republicans would be the loss of just four seats.^[27] The Republicans went on to lose at least seven (possibly eight), US Senate seats in the 2008 election.

[edit] Electronic fund-raising reports

In September 2007, it was discovered that Ensign had used the secret hold rule (a parliamentary procedure within the Standing Rules of the Senate that allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor) to prevent a bill requiring senators to file fund-raising reports electronically from being voted upon without consideration on an amendment from Ensign that would also strengthen disclosure rules.^[28] Ensign’s amendment would force groups petitioning the Senate Ethics committee to disclose the identity of donors giving more than $5,000. ^[29]

[edit] 2006 re-election campaign

Ensign faced Democrat Jack Carter, son of former President Jimmy Carter, in the November general election. Both he and Carter won over token opposition in the 15 August 2006 primary. Senator Ensign defeated Carter in the general election held on 7 November 2006 by a 55% to 41% margin.^[30]

[edit] Electoral history

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• United States Senator John Ensign official Senate site
• John Ensign for Senate official Campaign Site

• Biography at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• Voting record maintained by The Washington Post
• Campaign finance reports and data at the Federal Election Commission
• Campaign contributions at OpenSecrets.org
• Biography, voting record, and interest group ratings at Project Vote Smart
• Issue positions and quotes at On The Issues
• New York Times — John Ensign News collected news and commentary
• SourceWatch Congresspedia — John Ensign profile
• Nevada 2006 Election Results

v • d • e United States Senators from Nevada Class 1 Stewart • Sharon • Fair • Stewart • Nixon • Massey • Pittman • Bunker • Scrugham • Carville • Malone • Cannon • Hecht • Bryan • Ensign Class 3 Nye • Jones • Newlands • Henderson • Oddie • McCarran • Brown • Bible • Laxalt • Reid

v • d • e Members of the United States House of Representatives from Nevada Territorial (1861-1864) Cradlebaugh • Mott At-large seat (1864-1983) Worthington • Ashley • Fitch • Kendall • Woodburn • Wren • Daggett • Cassidy • Woodburn • Bartine • Newlands • Van Duzer • Bartlett • Roberts • Evans • Arentz • Richards • Arentz • Scrugham • Sullivan • Bunker • Russell • Baring • Young • Baring • Towell • Santini 1st district (1983-present) Reid • Bilbray • Ensign • Berkley 2nd district (1983-present) Vucanovich • Gibbons • Heller 3rd district (2003-present) Porter • Titus