Another GOP hypocrite can’t keep his pants on

Hello, Nevada Sen. John Ensign, with the extra angle of being hypocritical toward members of one’s own party by demanding the resignation of former GOP Senate colleague Larry Craig.

Politico has details; Ensign was boinking a female staffer, then paid her off when he reconciled with his wife after some sort of separation. Staffer’s hubby later, allegedly, wanted some big dinero from Long John Ensign.

Of course, Ensign started his hypocrisy against Bill Clinton in 1998, while a Congressman running against Sen. Harry Reid. as Think Progress notes.

And, he did NOT call for fellow Senate GOP adulterer to resign in 2007.

So, here’s how sex works for the GOP.

Extramarital heterosexual sex is OK for the GOP.

Gay sex is not OK at all.

Extramarital heterosexual sex is NOT OK for Democrats. (Or “others,” if Bernie Sanders ever gets busted.)

And, since Ensign is a Pentecostal, a member of the “holy roller” Foursquare Gospel church, maybe he can (or maybe he will) claim demonic possession.

Not just the affair, but the hypocrisy within the party, has probably killed your presidential hopes not only for 2012 but beyond.

(For more snark along these lines, click either the “Republican sex hypocrisy” or “GOP Pants Watch” tags.

Update: On the blackmail angle, I guess two jobs courtesy of Ensign weren’t enough payout for Doug Hampton, husband of former Ensign mistress Cindy Hampton. It’s nice to see the good old Christian political value of “greed” joining “lust” and “hypocrisy” at their finest.

Second, Ensign has now dropped the blackmail angle, instead noting Doug Hampton approached Fox News. But, the Las Vegas Sun has several questions related to that, including how Ensign found out about Doug Hampton’s approach to Fox, and what sort of angle Hampton put on that.

In an additional bombshell, he says Ensign had a forced sit-down with a group of his Senate GOP peers over the matter; he lists Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn by name.

Update 2, June 20: And now, we’re back to the extortion angle. I guess “lying” is joining the list of good old GOP Christian values, too.

Oh, and on the NYT op-ed pages, Gail Collins gets some snark at Ensign as would-be presidential candidate.

Update 3: Note to COTG visitors and others. Mark Sanford hit the radar screen after I submitted this John Ensign post. Just click this “Sanford” tag link, though, and you can read away to your heart’s content.