Is it any surprise Oklahoma's U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn knew about colleague Sen. John Ensign's extramarital affair … and reportedly encouraged him to pay off his mistress to go away? Is it also any surprise that Sens. Coburn and Ensign both believe in protecting the institution of marriage?
Coburn (pictured, left) knew about Ensign's affair with staffer Cynthia (Cindy) Hampton for more than a year, his office confirms. But while Coburn's rep acknowledges the senator urged his peer to end the affair, he disputes the charge (made by Ms. Hampton's husband Doug) that he instructed Ensign to pay millions to the Hamptons, so they could pay off their million-dollar mortgage and disappear. (Ensign wrote this letter to Cindy calling off the affair, but supposedly began pursuing her again after writing it.)
So what truth is there in this matter? Well, the two men are devout Christians, meeting up at D.C.'s "secret" religious boarding house. They're also the type of stand up legislators who believe marriage is for one man and one woman.
Ensign is one of the worst equality offenders. In 2004 he proudly touted on his website that ""ENSIGN DEFENDS SANCTITY OF MARRIAGE ON SENATE FLOOR." In 2006 he voted for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, on the grounds that family values needed protecting. Ensign then protected said family values by cheating on his wife.
Coburn also voted for that amendment (as well as, in 1999, voting to ban gay adoptions in D.C.), so it's not surprising he was well aware of his colleague's infidelities.
But maybe Coburn is the proper gentleman he claims to be. After all, he tried to get Ensign to end the affair, and what shows a commitment to protecting the institution of marriage like voting against equality and counseling friends against cheating?
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I believe that Ensign also called for Clinton to resign over his affair with Monica Lewinski. Double standard much???
Color me cynical, but do any of these so called social conservative politicians really care at all about marriage and the various states it is or may be in? Look at the issue of choice, for example. During Bush Jr.'s years in the White House, there was opportunity to revisit Roe v. Wade in an intent to roll back its affects, but nothing was done directly to assault it. Why? Because if they succeeded, there would be one less wedge issue to manipulate and drive their base with in the '08 elections. The same thing applies to Same Sex Marriage, which is an issue that propels, if not their base, then at least that part of their base whom political leaders seek out as loyalists.
Ensign, Sanford, Coburn, Crist, Craig, Vitter, etc. care about nothing, except power, which in part also drives their sexual preditory instincts.
@MackMike: I agree, they are about power and money and know exactly what lie to tell during an election to the dimwitted base of the GOP and there rabid hatred of gays. These creeps want to troll for sex and try and do it, since i doubt if Ensign or any of the rest of the GOP "men" are any good in bed to begin with. Kinda like when Bush mocked the so called Christian right, its all about power and money, not the people and has been in this country for the past 100 years.
For the real marriage foes, and sexually phobic, like Messrs Ensign and Coburn, find something else to do with your time, because life's too short. Find love…
Because I see the love each and every time I officiate for couples, many of whom are coming to CT to wed this summer because they aren't allowed to do so in their own home states just yet.
Kudos to civil marriage; and kudos to freedom of and from religion in America.
Joe Mustich, Justice of the Peace, Washington, Connecticut
And let's not forget Mr Obama, with DOMA, DADT etc….
Agreed, Justice Joe, and thank you for your part in those celebrations of love! Still have to wonder though how soon till Coburn makes a headline of his own as the GOP seems to do everyday.
OOPS! Just turned on CNN and wonder if they will have Coburn's name in this report about a payoff. Stay tuned!
As if Oklahoma didn't have enough hypocritical lawmakers already out in public…
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