Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign announced this afternoon that he plans to resign effective May 3.

Senator John Ensign of Nevada, who had already announced that he would not run for re-election in 2012, is planning to resign, he said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon. Mr. Ensign, a Republican, had been caught up in a sex scandal and an ethics inquiry stemming from his admission in 2009 that he had had an affair with the wife of a top aide.

Republican Party operatives said Mr. Ensign’s decision, effective May 3, would open the door for Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada to appoint a Republican to fill out the remainder of Mr. Ensign’s term, thereby increasing the chances that the party could hold onto what may be a hotly contested seat next year. One likely candidate is Representative Dean Heller, a Republican House member already running for the job, giving Mr. Heller a possible leg up for a full term.

All I care about is that it doesn’t effect Republican numbers in the Senate, and it doesn’t look like this will. I could care less about Ensign. He’s what is wrong with Washington as far as I’m concerned. He’s a hypocrite of the highest order. He was banging the wife of a top aide. I’m not sure how much lower you can get than that. He’s a scumbag. I’m not gonna carry his water.

From the AP:

A House ethics panel has found Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel of New York guilty on 11 counts of breaking House rules.

The full ethics committee will next conduct a hearing on the appropriate punishment for the former chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. The committee will then make a recommendation to the House.

After more than 40 years of corruption Rangel is finally being held accountable. If he has even a shred of decency he will retire. The man is 80 years old. How long does he really need to hang on?

The left has many slimy tactics when it comes to smearing republicans, but what they’re doing to Sarah Palin is unconscionable.

According to NRO, Palin’s enemies in Alaska have been trying to get revenge on her ever since she returned from the presidential campaign.

The left’s weapon of choice — bankruptcy. They’ve filed more than 10 ethics complaints against her and more than 150 Freedom of Information Act requests. The ethics complaints are frivolous and petty designed to do her financial damage more than anything else.

The newest ethics complaint stems from her husband’s participation in the Iron Dog snow machine race. Sarah Palin wore a jacket advertising her husband’s sponsor, Arctic Cat Inc, while “in her official duties” as governor” when she served as official “starter” for the race.

Another complaint was because she spoke to the media (Greta Van Susteren) about the presidential campaign while sitting in her office.

The result of these ridiculous complaints on Palin herself are legal fees totaling more than $500,000 which is more than four times her salary. She says she may be forced to create a legal defense fund if this keeps up.

So the intention here is clear. Not only is the left trying desperately to destroy her reputation nationwide, but also destroy her financially. This is how the left always plays the game. It’s never enough to defeat someone politically, they aim to destroy lives.

-Chris Jones

Hat tip Hot Air

Democrats are trying to get the ethics committee to censure Senator Tom Coburn in retaliation for his hard line against spending. What great breach of ethics is Coburn committing? The crime of traveling from Washington back to his home state of Oklahoma every weekend to deliver babies for free.

Sen. Coburn is also Dr. Coburn and has maintained his medical practice while serving as a U.S. Senator. He accepts no payment for his medical services, and spends tens of thousands of dollars out of his own pocket for medical malpractice insurance and other expenses.

Coburn believes in being a “citizen legislator” and plans to return to his practice full-time in 2016 at the end of his second term.

This should be a good fight, I can’t wait to watch Democrats demonize Coburn for giving free health care to his constituents.

As Michelle points out, If Coburn were giving away free abortions backs home you wouldn’t hear a peep out of Democrats.