Ed Brayton is a journalist, commentator and speaker. He is the co-founder and president of 
Sen. John Ensign has moved out of the C Street house in Washington DC.
Sen. John Ensign has moved out of the C Street house, the Christian home he shared with other elected officials on Capitol Hill that came under scrutiny for its residents' beliefs and practices and their role in trying to end the Nevada Republican's affair with a campaign staff member.The red brick town house emerged this summer as the subject of political intrigue -- not only as a pivotal location in Ensign's affair with Cynthia Hampton, but also that of South Carolina Republican Gov. Mark Sanford, who sought guidance there as he wrestled with his own affair.
Maybe he found a new girlfriend with a great pad? Marcy Wheeler has a brilliant suggestion for how to fill his bedroom at C Street:
There's only one way to replace Ensign. To invite six avowed Christian Freshman Congressmen to participate in a reality show-a test, week by week, of who can be a bigger moral hypocrite. Each week, we'll vote off one participant (who, thereafter, will have to pay market rates for a place in DC).
She's looking for suggestions on who the contestants might be.
Politics
Comments
I don't know what to say. It never occured to me that people as well paid as legislators would be living in a shared house. There could be a model here for cutting costs, just give every government official a bed in one of these places and reduce their salary by whatever they would have been paying in mortgage or rent to have a private home.
Posted by: Matty | November 11, 2009 9:27 AM
She's looking for suggestions on who the contestants might be.
That's easy. Just look for the self-righteous blow-hard cult worshipers. I'm sure there aren't many of those!
Posted by: 386sx | November 11, 2009 9:36 AM
Matty@1
C Street seems to be more a "grown-up's frat-house" sort of thing. However, most members of Congress actually do have two residences--one in or near DC and one back in their home district/state. For those not independently wealthy, there actually can be a fairly strong incentive to economize on their DC area housing costs.
Posted by: Michael I | November 11, 2009 9:50 AM
Attention innocent citizens: Senators and congressmen only spend 3 days in DC each week, specifically Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. They fly to their home districts Thursday afternoons and return to DC Tuesday mornings. This explains their paranoia about air travel security and their free parking at National airport.
Why fly back? Fundraising first, family second.
Posted by: Mike Licht | November 11, 2009 10:03 AM
To clarify, my first thought was of the potential saving in second home expense claims. I then realised you probably have a different system and inserted my remark about salaries. Looking back I'm not sure my 1st comment makes sense to even me.
Posted by: Matty | November 11, 2009 10:19 AM
I wonder if his mommy and daddy are paying for this, too?
Posted by: Vegas Tea Room | November 11, 2009 10:24 AM
Slightly off-topic. . .
My representative, Democratic Congressman Bart Stupak MI-1 is a C Street resident and member of The Family, as reported here by Ed several times (Ed also had the author of the book on this group on his radio program). Stupak's a Catholic and has always been anti-abortion rights though never a leader of this cause, until now. Rep. Stupak is the primary sponsor of the anti-abortion amendment that was incorporated into the House health reform bill prior to passage last Saturday. Mr. Stupak had 40 Democrats vote for his amendment, many of whom have ties to The Family. In spite of their getting this amendment passed, many still voted against the bill in a show of bad faith (Stupak did vote for the House bill).
Rachel Maddow reports here. I admit I've found previous reports about The Family more smoke than fire, though certainly worthy of further scrutiny. This however is empirical evidence arguing that The Family's influence is considerate enough to move Representatives away from their Country's, District's and the Democratic party's best interests in support of The Family's objectives. I am not however arguing the findings in this report alone is convincing, merely compelling. Mr. Stupak may very well be putting on a charade to provide cover to anti-abortion rights Democrats to vote for a subsequent health care bill reconciled with the Senate that isn't as restrictive, a kind of "Gee, we tried" excuse that allows them to point to last Saturday's vote. There have certain verbal ques expressed by Rep. Stupak over the past 10 days about this merely being a negotiating position so this is not mere wishful thinking on my part.
Posted by: Michael Heath | November 11, 2009 10:52 AM
@ Michael #3
I seem to remember an interview where Michele Obama disparaged Barack's DC digs as small, dingy, sloppy etc. early on in Barack's senate career.
Posted by: natural cynic | November 11, 2009 5:40 PM
I forgot to mention that Ensign family is wealthy from casino holdings [uh, dad, can I get $96,000 to pay off the family of the woman I was screwing?].
Posted by: natural cynic | November 11, 2009 5:44 PM