Hmmm,,,,a pattern

who else did they give $12,000 checks to?

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by: st paul sage @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:44:02 PM CDT

Aren't Republicans usually opposed to "hand outs"

Maybe he should clarify and make sure it is known this was a bribe before CfG comes after him!

Check out Georgia's best progressive political blog

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by: fitchfan28 @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:47:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Did the right honorable senator say he too wants to be censured?

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by: fai calif @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 14:59:24 PM CDT

What if Ensign does resign

What does the NV constitution call for? Would this mean we get to knock off a Gibbons appointment in 2010?

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by: Nico @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:08:43 PM CDT

Gubernatorial appointment

until the next general election (presumably that means 2010). (Then whoever won that would still have to be re-elected again in 2012.)

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by: Crisitunity @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:35:14 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Cool

And since this is SSP, let's do some potentially frivolous speculation! Who might Gibbons see fit to appoint?

The way I'm looking at it, he's probably only interested in his own ass at this point, leaving a handful of basic possibilities, imo. One is that he appoints one of his strongest potential primary candidates, like Rep. Dean Heller. That not only would allow him to dodge a huge bullet in that regard, but might put him back into half-way acceptable status with the party establishment for appointing such a popular figure in the NV Repub party who would have a fighting chance of holding this seat. Alternatively, if for some reason he feels that his bigger threat comes from the general, not the primary, he might opt to appoint a Repub strong enough to survive of a primary but who would be seriously endangered to a strong Dem in the general (former State Sen. Joe Heck, perhaps?). That way, Buckley and/or R. Reid may be drawn towards that race instead. Of course there's always patronage. Does anyone in NV still have his back at this point? This could turn out oddly similar to how we were assessing the Blago situation before we found out he was just planning to sell it off.

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by: Nico @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 15:53:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Heller is the obvious choice

Sadly for him he'd still have to run twice in the next two years before the less favorable full state, when he could run the same two times before his more favorable House district.  he's safe in the house, but would have a lot of problems with holding an appointed Senate seat.

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by: tommypaine @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 17:08:41 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Who will be the first GOP senator to request Ensign's immediate resignation?

Or will there be a GOP senator to request/demand Ensign's resignation?

Let's say that Ensign resigns under pressure (just hypothetical), I think Harry Reid would almost be certain to be re-elected.  

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by: Tarheeman1993 @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:09:28 PM CDT

Wow

I love that this is the guy the Republicans decided to head the NRSC last year, it's a laugh riot.

By the way, I just heard on Hardball (from Lawrence O'Donnell who's filling in for Tweety) that Roland Burris is NOT seeking election to the senate.

Your go-to source for great sarcasm

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by: DGM @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 16:51:07 PM CDT

Thank you John Ensign

for putting the topic of GOP sex scandals back into the news.

Bill Posey is not half-alligator...and is outclassed by Davy Crockett anyway: http://www.washingtonmonthly.c...

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by: Glenn Magus Harvey @ Thu Jul 09, 2009 at 18:35:10 PM CDT

Hee Hee Hee

Just when Ensign thought his troubles were over!

Ensign gets points for sleaziness, but he still can't top Sanford for sheer dramatic flair.

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by: corran horn @ Fri Jul 10, 2009 at 15:16:03 PM CDT