John Ensign

Senate Ethics Committee Moves Forward In Ensign Investigation

Rachel Slajda | February 1, 2011, 10:32AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

The Senate Ethics Committee has appointed a special counsel to handle the committee's preliminary investigation into Sen. John Ensign (R-NV).

The committee announced today that it has hired Carol Elder Bruce, a partner at K&L Gates LLP. Bruce will lead the investigation into whether Ensign broke Senate rules and/or federal law.

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Henry E. Bailey

Feds: Cincinnati Landlord Kicked Out Tenants Who Wouldn't Perform Sex Acts

Ryan J. Reilly | February 1, 2011, 8:30AM

Cincinnati landlord Henry E. Bailey currently owns 22 apartments in three separate buildings in Ohio. And since at least 2008, the federal government says he's been sneaking into the apartments of his female residents without their permission, groping them without their consent, offering reduced rent and maintenance repairs in exchange for sexual favors and refusing to make repairs for or offer rent discounts to those who refused.

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Navy

Nuke-Powered Ship Commander Under Navy Investigation For Raunchy Vids

Rachel Slajda | January 3, 2011, 10:12AM

A still from one of Capt. Owen Honors' videos.

In 2006 and 2007, Navy Capt. Owen Honors, now the commander of the USS Enterprise, made a series of videos using Navy equipment and showed them to the 6,000 sailors on his ship. In the videos, the then-executive officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier calls his "alternate personality" a "fag," shows two women showering and drops the F-bomb many, many times.

After a series of complaints from those who found the "XO Movie Nights" offensive, his higher-ups told him to cut it out. But he was apparently never officially disciplined.

Now, with selections from the weekly videos published by the Virginian-Pilot newspaper over the weekend, the Navy says it is investigating the videos.

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Alvin Greene

Alvin Greene Indicted On Obscenity Charges

Rachel Slajda | August 13, 2010, 2:22PM

Alvin Greene

South Carolina Senate candidate Alvin Greene (D) has been indicted by a grand jury on two charges relating to an incident last November in which he allegedly showed porn to a college student.

Greene was indicted on one felony count of disseminating obscenity and one misdemeanor count of "communicating an obscene message to another person without consent."

You can read the indictment here.

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Ben Quayle

Ben Quayle Admits Writing For Trashy Frat Boy Web Site Three Years Ago

Rachel Slajda | August 11, 2010, 3:17PM

TheDirty.com

Ben Quayle, son of the former vice president and one of several Republican candidates for retiring Rep. John Shadegg's House seat from Arizona, has admitted to writing comments on the web site Dirty Scottsdale back in 2007.

Dirty Scottsdale -- which has spread to other cities and is now TheDirty.com -- is a collection of pictures, usually of well-endowed women, that readers take while out clubbing. The pictures are followed by snarky comments from the site's users and owner. (You can look, it's safe for work.)

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Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich's Second Wife Dishes Hard To Esquire: His Money Woes, His Philandering, His Meltdown

Megan Carpentier | August 11, 2010, 8:42AM

In 1999, after refusing to take the seat he won in the 1998 elections, Newt Gingrich left his second wife, Marianne, for a much-younger staffer with whom he'd been having an almost-ignored affair. As in his first marriage, he did so shortly after Marianne was diagnosed with a serious illness; as in his first divorce, he fought Marianne tooth and nail over any financial settlement. And then he had the Atlanta archdiocese inform Marianne that their marriage was invalid in the eyes of his fiancée's faith; 9 years later, he completed his conversion to Catholicism.

Given his popularity among Republicans, one would think there is little left to say about Gingrich's personal foibles that could hurt his political career. But sandwiched in between snippets from his campaign to return to popularity in yesterday's Esquire profile are tidbits from the still-supportive Marianne that portray Gingrich in a far-from-pleasant light -- and hints that his personal foibles took quite a toll on his political fortunes behind the scenes.

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David H. Brooks

Contractor On Trial For Buying Porn, Prostitutes And $100K Flag Belt Buckle

Rachel Slajda | July 27, 2010, 11:06AM

David H. Brooks. On the right, with co-defendant Sandra Hatfield and the $100k buckle.

The former head of a military contractor is on trial in Long Island for fraud, having allegedly used company funds to buy porn for his son, a burial plot for his mother, prostitutes for his employees and a ruby-encrusted American flag belt buckle worth $100,000.

David H. Brooks, the founder and former chief of body armor manufacturer DHB, is facing charges of fraud, insider trading and using millions of dollars in corporate cash to fund, as the New York Times puts it, "personal extravagance."

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Ted Haggard

Ted Haggard: 'I Over-Repented' For My Meth-Gay Prostitute 'Crisis'

Jillian Rayfield | July 26, 2010, 9:47AM

Evangelist Ted Haggard

Rev. Ted Haggard has been leading his own new church for the past few months, and in a Wall Street Journal profile says he thinks he "over-repented" for an affair with a male prostitute, which he refers to as "my crisis." He also insists he's not gay -- and that his affair was just a massage gone wrong.

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John Ensign

Coburn Turns Over Emails To Feds Investigating Ensign Scandal

Ben Frumin | July 23, 2010, 5:29PM

Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) -- who acknowledged last year that he acted as an "intermediary" between Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and Doug Hampton, the man with whose wife the Nevada senator had an affair -- has turned over emails to the feds who are investigating Ensign's affair, Politico reports.

Coburn and Ensign were roommates at a Christian house on C Street at the time of the affair.

Coburn didn't tell Politico what's contained in the emails -- but said "there weren't many."

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John Ensign

Ensign Is Paying Staffers' Legal Bills

Rachel Slajda | July 16, 2010, 9:18AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) is paying the legal bills of some of his staff as they face questioning over Ensign's sex-and-lobbying scandal.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reports today that the payments to law firms are listed on Ensign's campaign's latest FEC reports. Questioned about the payments, Ensign's spokeswoman confirmed that they were for staff members.

"Senator Ensign's campaign is paying for the legal bills accrued by staff as a result of cooperating with the ongoing ethics investigation," spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper told the Review-Journal.

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Sexual harassment

OOC Blocked From Surveying Hill Staffers On Sexual Harassment

Rachel Slajda | July 13, 2010, 2:12PM

In a report released today, the Office of Compliance -- a Congressional office charged with protecting the rights and safety of Hill employees -- said that it has been blocked from getting the work email addresses of Hill employees.

The OOC said it had wanted to send a survey in 2008 to the 30,000 people who work on Capitol Hill. The idea was to gauge whether they knew about their rights they have as employees when it comes to safety, conflict resolution, sexual harassment and the like.

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Jim Greer

FL GOP Sexism Allegations: Party Chair Talked 'Orgasms' To Female Fundraiser

Justin Elliott | July 2, 2010, 2:32PM

Jim Greer, former chairman of the Florida Republican Party, with his wife Lisa.

Police documents released this week in the Jim Greer alleged fraud case make the Republican Party of Florida out to be a fairly ugly, sexist place to work.

A while back, we noted the allegation that Greer became jealous of Meredith O'Rourke, a top fundraiser for Gov. Charlie Crist, after Greer became FL GOP chair in 2007 and saw she O'Rourke making $30,000 per month in fundraising fees. Greer allegedly tried to convince her to give him a share of her profits, and, when she refused, he cut off her access to Crist.

The new documents include a police summary of investigators' interview with O'Rourke in which she describes Greer making "inappropriate sexually related comments in her presence."

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John Ensign

Mulling Re-Election Bid Despite Scandal, Ensign Gears Up Fundraising

Zachary Roth | May 27, 2010, 4:06PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

After everything that's come out about Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), it seems implausible that he could run for office again. But he may be thinking about doing just that.

The Nevada Republican has been planning fundraisers and making calls to donors, with a view to a possible re-election bid in 2012, reports the Los Angeles Times.

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Nikki Haley

Purported Haley-gate Text: 'Your The One Who Screwed Her'

Justin Elliott | May 26, 2010, 8:11AM

South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley and Will Folks

South Carolina blogger and political consultant Will Folks has released a series of what he claims are text messages between himself, an AP reporter, another GOP political operative, and the campaign manager for gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley -- with whom Folks claims he had an inappropriate physical relationship.

The texts, posted on Folks site, FITSNews, are dated about 10 days ago and consist of discussions about various reporters working on a story that involves Haley and Folks, and how to kill the story. In one May 15 text, Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson tells Folks "I'm telling you man, we keep this under wraps and nh is going to win."

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Mark Souder

Souder: I'm Happy That Abstinence Vid With Mistress Now Defines Me (VIDEO)

Justin Elliott | May 24, 2010, 9:02AM

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and Tracy Jackson (inset)

In an interview with a local Indiana newspaper, former congressman Mark Souder said he's actually gratified that the pro-abstinence video he filmed with girlfriend and staffer Tracy Jackson is what now defines him in the national media and on late-night comedy shows.

"If some people see this abstinence video, I'm living proof of what we're saying in it. If they actually listen to the words, maybe it's worth it," Souder told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. The longtime family values Republican added: "You'll go crazy if you don't have some sense of irony."

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Mark Souder

Pence: I Notified Ethics Committee After Learning Of Souder Affair

Justin Elliott | May 19, 2010, 4:40PM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) and Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), the No. 3 Republican in the House and an Indiana colleague of Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), informed the ethics committee that Souder was having an affair with a staffer after Souder informed him of the matter on Sunday, a Pence spokesman said today.

It's not clear why Pence went to the ethics committee about the affair.

Pence first heard about the Souder affair after a journalist approached him last Wednesday, he said at a press conference earlier today. Pence says he approached Souder on the House floor about the matter, and Souder told him about the affair.

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Mark Souder

Conservative Women's Group: Souder Affair Shows 'It Could Happen To Anyone'

Justin Elliott | May 19, 2010, 10:51AM

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) and Concerned Women for America CEO Penny Nance

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) conducted a years-long extramarital affair with a staffer while preaching traditional family values, sponsoring a "Marriage Protection Amendment" to the Constitution, and even filming a pro-abstinence video with his girlfriend.

But it turns out Souder had no agency in the matter after all, according to the president of a leading conservative women's group.

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Mark Souder

Asked In '98 If He'd Had An Affair, Souder Hung Up On Interviewer (AUDIO)

Justin Elliott | May 19, 2010, 9:20AM

Mark Souder in 2004 trying out Saddam Hussein's "Spider Hole"

This is fun: The folks at Democracy Now have posted Lewinsky scandal-era audio of host Amy Goodman asking Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), "are you now or have you ever been involved in an extramarital sexual affair?"

At which point, Souder's line goes dead.

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Mark Souder

Report: Souder And Mistress Allegedly Frequented State Parks

Justin Elliott | May 18, 2010, 2:44PM

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)

The Washington Post provides some detail on why Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), who won a Republican primary earlier this month, decided to resign over his affair with a staffer at this particular moment:

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Mark Souder

Souder Announces Resignation, Without Wife, At Press Conference (VIDEO)

Justin Elliott | May 18, 2010, 1:15PM

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)

Admitting an affair with a staffer, Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) announced his resignation at a Fort Wayne press conference today -- and, in a comment not in his prepared statement, managed to briefly play the role of moralist by condemning philandering politicians who ask their wives to appear with them.

"My family were more than willing to stand here with me -- we are a committed family. But the error is mine and I should bear the responsibility," Souder said. "And, quite frankly, I'm sick of politicians who drag their spouses up in front of the cameras, rather than confronting the problem that they have caused."

And in another departure from his prepared remarks, Souder seemed to hint at some possible allegation of legal impropriety:

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Mark Souder

Rep. Souder And Mistress Recorded Video Praising Abstinence (WATCH)

Justin Elliott | May 18, 2010, 10:37AM

Tracy Jackson

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN) had an affair with a part-time staffer named Tracy Jackson, Fox is reporting. Jackson played the role of interviewer for a Souder Web video show on the issues of the day -- including one on the value of abstinence.

Dubbed "Congressional Update with Congressman Mark Souder," the show hit on issues like intelligent design and fencing the border.

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Mark Souder

Family Values GOP Rep To Resign Over Affair (VIDEO)

Justin Elliott | May 18, 2010, 9:23AM

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN)

Rep. Mark Souder (R-IN), a champion of abstinence education and traditional family values, will resign effective Friday after an affair with a female staffer in his district office, he announced today.

He said in a statement that he "sinned against God, my wife and my family by having a mutual relationship with a part-time member of my staff." And he blamed the atmosphere in Washington for forcing him to make the move:

"In the poisonous environment of Washington, D.C., any personal failing is seized upon, often twisted, for political gain. I am resigning rather than to put my family through that painful, drawn-out process."

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Vito Fossella

Does Embezzlement Scandal Explain Fossella's Missing FEC Reports?

Zachary Roth | May 12, 2010, 3:32PM

Former Rep. Vito Fossella (R-NY)

Two-family man Vito Fossella is said to be mulling a bid to recapture his old House seat -- but he hasn't filed FEC reports, as required by law, in over a year. Could a Republican embezzlement scandal help explain why?

The commission recently wrote to Fossella -- a New York Republican who left Congress under a cloud in 2009 -- to inform him that his campaign committee had failed to file a quarterly report for the January-March 2010 period, as required by law. This was the fourth "failure to file" notice Fossella has received from the committee over the last year, according to online records examined by TPMmuckraker. The former lawmaker didn't file reports for any of the second, third, or fourth quarters of 2009.

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George Rekers

Rekers, In Resignation: 'I Am Not Gay'

Rachel Slajda | May 12, 2010, 1:09PM

George Alan Rekers

Yesterday, TPMmuckraker reported that George Rekers had resigned from the board of NARTH, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, over a gay escort scandal. In the announcement of his resignation, posted today on the NARTH web site, Rekers asserts that he is not, and has never been, gay.

"I am immediately resigning my membership in NARTH to allow myself the time necessary to fight the false media reports that have been made against me," he said in a statement. "With the assistance of a defamation attorney, I will fight these false reports because I have not engaged in any homosexual behavior whatsoever. I am not gay and never have been."

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George Rekers

Rekers Resigns From Board Of Ex-Gay Group NARTH

Rachel Slajda | May 11, 2010, 12:32PM

George Alan Rekers

George Rekers resigned this morning from the board of NARTH, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality, amid a gay escort scandal.

NARTH vice president of operations David Pruden tells TPMmuckraker that Rekers first offered his resignation last Thursday, and officially resigned today.

NARTH is a group that promotes the idea that homosexuality can, and should, be cured.

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George Rekers

Male Escort, Hired By Rekers, Talks To CNN (VIDEO)

Rachel Slajda | May 10, 2010, 9:13AM

"Lucien" speaks with a CNN reporter

"Lucien," the young male escort hired by George Rekers to carry his luggage and give him erotic massages on a trip to Europe, spoke on Anderson Cooper 360 Friday night.

Lucien says that, although the massages were sexual, the two did not have sex. He also said that Rekers -- a leader of the ex-gay movement who has testified in favor of banning gay couples from adopting children -- maintains that he is not gay.

Watch:

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Ken Cuccinelli

Cuccinelli Targets 'Climate-Gate' Scientist

Zachary Roth | May 3, 2010, 12:05PM

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli and the Virginia state seal

Ken Cuccinelli, Virginia's ambitious and deeply conservative attorney general, has launched two new fronts in his right-wing crusade: one absurd, the other deeply troubling.

Absurdity first: Cuccinelli recently handed out to his staff lapel pins with a redesigned version of the state seal, which shows the Roman goddess Virtus, or virtue, the Virginian-Pilot reported over the weekend. In the usual version of the seal, Virtus's left breast is exposed. In Cuccinelli's version, it's covered up.

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Eric Massa

Massa Probe Focusing On Dems' Responses

Zachary Roth | April 22, 2010, 1:28PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

The House Ethics committee's probe into the Eric Massa affair appears to be focused on whether other members or Hill staffers acted appropriately after receiving complaints about Massa's behavior.

After Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's office was made aware of the allegations against Massa in February, Massa aides were given 48 hours to notify the ethics committee. Hoyer met yesterday with investigators for the panel and released a statement noting that he has "moved to strengthen protections for staff in the wake of this incident."

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Jim Gibbons

Accuser Charges: Gibbons Threatened To Rape Me

Zachary Roth | April 22, 2010, 12:34PM

Gov. Jim Gibbons (R-NV)

A document filed in a lawsuit brought by a former Las Vegas cocktail waitress against the governor of Nevada contains a shocking allegation.

Chrissy Mazzeo brought suit in 2008 against Jim Gibbons, alleging that he sexually assaulted her in a Vegas parking garage in 2006, then covered it up. Earlier this year, lawyers for Gibbons, a Republican seeking re-election this fall despite a host of personal problems, filed a motion to have the case dismissed for lack of evidence. Yesterday, Mazzeo's lawyers responded with a filing of their own.

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Eric Massa

Ethics Panel Probing Massa Allegations

Zachary Roth | April 21, 2010, 1:58PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

The House Ethics committee has opened a "full and complete investigation" into the sexual harassment and improper payment allegations involving former congressman Eric Massa, it just announced.

The allegations surrounding Massa "are serious and warrant a full and complete investigation," the committee announced. The New York Democrat stepped down last month amid allegations that he sexually harassed staffers. Since then, questions have been raised about a $40,000 payment made to Massa's top aide, Joe Racalto. Racalto had confronted Massa about the harassment allegations, and last week filed a complaint charging that he too had been sexually harassed.

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John Ensign

Ensign's PAC Has Not Raised A Single Dollar This Year

Zachary Roth | April 21, 2010, 1:13PM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

We already told you that Sen. John Ensign's campaign has raised only $50 -- all from one contributor -- this year. But his political action committee is doing even worse.

The Nevada Republican's Battle Born PAC has taken in a grand total of $0 so far this year, according to FEC records examined by TPMmuckraker. By comparison, the PAC for Ensign's fellow conservative GOP senator, Jon Kyl of Arizona, has raised $38,000 in 2010, records show. Both men would face re-election in 2012.

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John Ensign

Sole Ensign Donor: 'All Men Are Dogs'

Zachary Roth | April 21, 2010, 11:49AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

The only person to contribute to Sen. John Ensign's re-election campaign this year says he thinks the scandal-plagued lawmaker is "a really good guy."

"He did some bad things with his personal life," Robert Donald, a Las Vegas retiree, told TPMmuckraker. "But as a senator, he's doing the right thing. He votes the right way."

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Young Eagles

RNC: Young Eagles Still Grounded

Zachary Roth | April 21, 2010, 10:59AM

Clockwise from top-left: Italo Zanzi, Ryan Morfin, John Roby Penn IV, and Penn with others at an event in Washington, D.C.

It looks like J. Roby Penn IV and his high-living friends will have a freer schedule for the forseeable future. The Republican National Committee is knocking down speculation that it had planned to reconstitute the Young Eagles.

That's the group of young donors that was grounded last month after flying too close to the sun by putting the tab for a trip to an L.A. bondage club on the RNC's tab. In the wake of that news, the RNC fired the staffer who oversaw the program, and said the group's events had been placed on hold.

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John Ensign

Ensign Campaign's Haul Last Quarter: 50 Bucks

Zachary Roth | April 21, 2010, 9:40AM

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)

Sen. John Ensign's re-election campaign took in just $50 in contributions, from one contributor, during the first quarter of 2010, according to FEC reports. The paltry take comes as more bad news for the scandal-tarred Nevada Republican, who would run for re-election in 2012.

Disclosure reports examined by TPMmuckraker show that Robert Donald, a Las Vegas retiree, was the sole contributor to the "Ensign for Senate" committee between January and March. Donald gave two separate $25 contributions.

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Eric Massa

Conservative Group Files FEC Complaint Against Massa

Zachary Roth | April 20, 2010, 12:35PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

A conservative legal group that previously has targeted Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.) now is going after another Democrat -- Eric Massa.

The National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC) yesterday filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, charging that payments from the former New York congressman's campaign -- one to a former top aide, and another for a car -- broke campaign laws.

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Eric Massa

Harassment And Fraud Charges Fly Between Massa, Former Top Aide

Zachary Roth | April 19, 2010, 11:39AM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

What a mess...

The accusations are flying thick and fast between ex-congressman Eric Massa and his former chief of staff. Last Friday the aide, Joe Racalto, accused Massa of sexually harassing him. For his part, Massa has said that Racalto tricked other aides into approving a $40,000 payment to Racalto from Massa's campaign funds -- a charge Racalto has denied.

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Eric Massa

Massa Aide Got $40K Days Before Boss Resigned

Zachary Roth | April 16, 2010, 6:07PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

Eric Massa used a campaign account to pay $40,000 to his then-chief-of-staff just days before resigning from Congress according to campaign finance records, Politico reports.

Joe Racalto, who received the payment, has been a key figure in the sexual assault allegations that drove Massa, a western New York Democrat, to step down last month.
Racalto reportedly confronted Massa about allegations of sexual harrassment after hearing them from junior staffers, but Massa denied doing anything improper.

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Carl Paladino

NY Gov Candidate On Racist Emails: 'That Activity Is Not Carl Paladino'

Zachary Roth | April 15, 2010, 6:31PM

Carl Paladino

Carl Paladino, the Republican candidate for New York governor who was caught this week forwarding racist and pornographic emails, apologized again yesterday.

"That activity is not Carl Paladino," said the wealthy real estate developer at a town hall event on Staten Island.

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Eric Massa

WaPo: Massa Tried To Pick Up Bartender At Wake For Slain Soldier

Justin Elliott | April 13, 2010, 1:48PM

Former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY)

In the end, it wasn't a tickle fight that led staffers for former Rep. Eric Massa (D-NY) to take their concerns about the congressman's conduct to House leadership. Rather, it was an incident in which Massa tried to pick up a young bartender at the wake of a 19-year-old Marine who was killed in Afghanistan, according to an epic Washington Post investigation.

The story of Massa and the allegations of sexual misconduct against male staffers has largely gone away since he resigned from Congress just over a month ago.

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Carl Paladino

Tea Party NY Gov Candidate's E-Mails Exposed: Racism, Porn, Bestiality

Zachary Roth | April 12, 2010, 11:39AM

Carl Paladino

An online news outlet in New York state has obtained dozens of emails, many of them racist and sexually graphic, which it reports were sent by Carl Paladino, the Tea-Party-backed Republican candidate for governor of New York, to a long list of political and business associates. One email shows a video of an African tribal dance, entitled "Obama Inauguration Rehearsal," while another depicts hardcore bestiality.

Paladino's campaign manager, Michael Caputo, would not comment on specific emails, but acknowledged to TPMmuckraker that Paladino had sent emails that were "off-color" and "politically incorrect," saying that few such emails represented the candidate's own opinion. Caputo accused Democrats of wanting to change the subject from substantive issues to "having sex with horses."

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