Ensign

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</li><li class="g" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; list-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">pharma? offshore jobs let pfizer fire 40K</li><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; list-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a href="https://kpfa.org/episode/upfront-november-25-2015/">https://kpfa.org/episode/upfront-november-25-2015/</a></li><li class="g" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; list-style: none;">Amendment to repeal the tax subsidy for certain domestic companies which move manufacturing operations and American jobs offshore.<center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Reference: Tax Subsidy for Domestic Companies Amendment; Bill <a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SP210:" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">S AMDT 210 to S Con Res 18</a> ; vote number <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-63.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">2005-63</a> on Mar 17, 2005</center><p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;" /><h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><center><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Voted YES on reforming bankruptcy to include means-testing & restrictions.</a></center></h3><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Amends Federal bankruptcy law to revamp guidelines governing dismissal or conversion of a Chapter 7 liquidation (complete relief in bankruptcy) to one under either Chapter 11 (Reorganization) or Chapter 13 (Adjustment of Debts of an Individual with Regular Income). Voting YES would:</a><ul style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 12px; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;" /><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Declare a debtor eligible only for Chapter 13, as anyone financially capable of paying back their creditors at a rate that still allows them to earn above their state's median income</a></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Place domestic support obligations such as child support and alimony amongst the first priority claim category of non-dischargeable debts on a debtor filing for bankruptcy</li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Require debtors to pay for and attend credit counseling prior to filing for bankruptcy</li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Cap home equity protection at $125,000 if the debtor purchased a house within 40 months of filing for bankruptcy.</li></ul><center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="2005-44" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Reference: Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act of 2005; Bill </a><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d109:SN256:" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">S 256</a> ; vote number <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2005-44.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">2005-44</a> on Mar 10, 2005</center><p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="2001-236" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;" /><h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><center><a name="2001-236" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Voted YES on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy.</a></center></h3><a name="2001-236" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Vote to pass a bill that would require debtors able to repay $10,000 or 25 percent of their debts over five years to file under Chapter 13 bankruptcy (reorganization and repayment) rather than Chapter 7 (full discharge of debt).</a><center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="2001-236" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Reference: Bill </a><a href="http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:hr.333:" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">HR 333</a> ; vote number <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/SenateVote/Party_2001-236.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">2001-236</a> on Jul 17, 2001</center><p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="03n-COC" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;" /><h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><center><a name="03n-COC" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Rated 91% by the </a><a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Note-COC.asp" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">US COC</a>, indicating a pro-business voting record.</center></h3>Ensign scores 91% by US Chamber of Commerce on business policy<p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Whether you own a business, represent one, lead a corporate office, or manage an association, the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of AmericaSM provides you with a voice of experience and influence in Washington, D.C., and around the globe.<p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Our members include businesses of all sizes and sectors—from large Fortune 500 companies to home-based, one-person operations. In fact, 96% of our membership encompasses businesses with fewer than 100 employees.<h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Mission Statement:</h3><blockquote style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">"To advance human progress through an economic, political and social system based on individual freedom, incentive, initiative, opportunity, and responsibility."</blockquote>The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.<center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Source: COC website <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_03n-COC.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">03n-COC</a> on Dec 31, 2003</center><p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><a name="12-UFCW-S" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;" /><h3 style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><center><a name="12-UFCW-S" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); text-decoration: underline;">Rated 0% by </a><a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Note-UFCS.asp" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">UFCW</a>, indicating a pro-management voting record.</center></h3>Ensign scores 0% by UFCW on labor-management issues<p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW) is North America's Neighborhood Union--1.3 million members with UFCW locals in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. Our members work in supermarkets, drug stores, retail stores, meatpacking and meat processing plants, food processing plants, and manufacturing workers who make everything from fertilizer to shoes. We number over 60,000 strong with 25,000 workers in chemical production and 20,000 who work in garment and textile industries.<ol style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;">The UFCW Senate scorecard is based on these key votes:<li style="font-weight: normal;">American Jobs Act (+)</li><li style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Balanced Budget Amendment (-)</li><li style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Rejecting Cut, Cap, and Balance (+)</li><li style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Repeal Health Care Law (-)</li><li style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sen. Am. 14 Wicker Am. to S 223, excluding unionization at TSA (-)</li><li style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Sen. Am. 740 McCain Am. to HR 2112, defunding TAA (-)</li><li style="font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act (TAA) (+)</li></ol><center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Source: UFCW website <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Notebook/Note_12-UFCW-S.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">12-UFCW-S</a> on May 2, 2012</center><p style="font-weight: normal; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 4px; margin-top: 8px; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" /><center style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="10"><tbody><tr><td colspan="4" align="left" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><big></big><ul style="font-size: 12px;"><big /><big><big><big /></big></big><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big><big>Click here for definitions & background <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Background_Corporations.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">information on Corporations</a>.</big></big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Wikipedia profile of John Ensign</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for a <a href="http://ballotpedia.org/John_Ensign" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">Ballotpedia profile of John Ensign</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_Ensign_SenateMatch.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">SenateMatch quiz answers by John Ensign</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_Ensign_AE.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">AmericansElect quiz answers by John Ensign</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_Ensign_MyO.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">MyOcracy quiz answers by John Ensign</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for a <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/John_Ensign.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">summary of John Ensign's positions</a> on all issues.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; text-align: left;"><big><big>Click here for issue positions of <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/states/NV_Corporations.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">other NV politicians</a>.</big></big></li><li style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: left;"><big><big><big>Click here for issue statements from <a href="http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Archive_NV_Corporations.htm" style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">NV archives</a>.</big></big></big></li></ul></td></tr></tbody></table></center></li><li class="g" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; list-style: none;">Voted NO on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.</li><li class="g" style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 1.2; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; list-style: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"></li></ol><div></div><ol eid="tInIUunZAoTj2QXTqICIDQ" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;">Hatch</li><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; border-image-source: initial; border-image-slice: initial; border-image-width: initial; border-image-outset: initial; border-image-repeat: initial; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;"><div class="main-body" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 28px;"><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden clearfix" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><div class="field-items" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><div class="container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; width: 1280px;"><div class="field-item even first" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><div class="body-copy-inner" itemprop="articleBody" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 410px 0px 250px; border: 0px; width: 1280px;">When six-term GOP incumbent Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah faced the prospect of a mutiny from conservative activists, his allies within the pharmaceutical industry stepped in to help defend him.New documents obtained by the <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Center for Public Integrity</a> show that the drug lobby’s main trade group, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), gave $750,000 in 2011 to Freedom Path, a nonprofit group that spent big to help Hatch win another term.Despite his solid <a href="http://conservative.org/news/american-conservative-union-pac-endorses-orrin-hatch-for-u-s-senate/" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">conservative credentials</a>, Hatch drew a primary challenge from former state Sen. Dan Liljenquist in the 2012 election. Hatch out-fundraised the challenger by an 11-1 margin, but Liljenquist was helped by super PAC <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/03/07/8350/pac-profile-freedomworks-america" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">FreedomWorks for America</a>, which reported spending nearly $1 million on anti-Hatch ads.Filings with the Federal Election Commission indicate that Freedom Path spent at least $517,000 on ads designed to help Hatch’s electoral prospects, though Freedom Path board member Scott Bensing said the group’s spending was closer to $1 million.The drug lobby’s donation was revealed on PhRMA’s newly filed Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service, which covers the 2011 calendar year. Since the donation went to a nonprofit, it was not required to be reported to the Federal Election Commission.PhRMA made contributions to several other politically linked nonprofits, including:<ul style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 30px; border: 0px; list-style-type: disc;"><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$500,000 to “Montana Growth,” which appears to be a group that produced fliers and radio ads supporting a conservative candidate for the state Supreme Court;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$264,500 to the American Legislative Exchange Council, a controversial organization made up of state lawmakers and corporate executives that creates “model legislation” for state legislatures;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$250,000 to the liberal-aligned Citizens for Strength and Security;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$200,000 to anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform;</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$40,000 to conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation; and</li><li style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">$40,000 to the Utah Families Foundation, which Hatch helped start in the 1990s and still raises money for.</li></ul>(Update: Nov. 30, 2012, 5:45 p.m.: Additional research has shown that "Montana Growth" was not the "Montana Growth Network," which was active in the state's Supreme Court race, but rather a Democratic-aligned nonprofit. See <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/11/30/11878/drug-lobby-donation-went-pro-democratic-nonprofit" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">this article</a> for more.)Freedom Path is a “front group set up to protect Orrin Hatch,” said Russ Walker, FreedomWorks’ vice president of political and grassroots campaigns.“Orrin Hatch has always worked hard for the drug lobby,” Walker said. “He has always been an advocate for their positions.”A spokesperson for Hatch did not respond to requests for comment.But Dave Hansen, Hatch's campaign manager, said by law the campaign couldn't coordinate with Freedom Path."We had no contact with them," he said. "And did not know what they were doing, when they did it or where they got their funds from."According to Bensing, Freedom Path seeks a “more accountable federal budget, a balanced budget amendment and less intrusive government.”He said his organization has received money from about “eight to 10” contributors, totaling roughly $1.5 million since its launch last year. He declined to identify any of these backers. The group reported raising $850,000 in 2011 from two donors, according to an IRS document obtained by the Center for Responsive Politics.Earlier this year, Liljenquist <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/53677266-90/hatch-freedom-path-group.html.csp" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">complained</a> to The Salt Lake Tribune about the lack of information about Freedom Path.“Organizations have just as much right as people to participate in politics, but there should be visibility on who is funding them and where that money is coming from," he said.Federal rules only require Freedom Path, which is a 501(c)(4) “social welfare” nonprofit, to disclose its donors if a contribution is earmarked for a specific advertisement. Freedom Path officials says the group has not solicited money for particular ads.Like Freedom Path, FreedomWorks operates a nonprofit wing that does not reveal its donors. The non-disclosing nonprofit also accounted for about 15 percent of the $15 million raised by its super PAC arm.Friend of PhRMAHatch received more <a href="http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/recips.php?ind=H04&cycle=2012&recipdetail=A&sortorder=U" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">campaign contributions</a> from the pharmaceutical industry than any other member of Congress in the 2011-2012 election cycle, some $448,000, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.The 78-year-old lawmaker sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and is the ranking GOP member on the powerful Senate Finance Committee.As far back as 1984, he authored legislation with Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., that helped allow generic drugs to flourish but also gave brand-name pharmaceutical companies new powers to contest patent infringements by generics.And he helped spearhead a successful effort to give pharmaceutical companies 12 years of exclusive rights to sell biologic drugs rather than the seven-year period favored by President Barack Obama during the health care reform debate.Furthermore, his son, Scott Hatch, is a partner at a lobbying firm whose clients include PhRMA and drug-maker GlaxoSmithKline, though both Hatches have maintained that Scott does not lobby his father or his office.PhRMA declined to respond to direct questions from the Center. Senior vice president Matthew Bennett said in a written statement that the group “often makes grants or charitable contributions to organizations that share PhRMA’s goals.”PhRMA spent more than $14 million on lobbying in the first three quarters of this year and donated $185,500 to politicians via its PAC during the 2012 election cycle, including $6,000 to Hatch, federal records show.In July, it also gave $50,000 to a joint fundraising committee that benefited three Democratic super PACs: <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/02/16/8175/pac-profile-majority-pac" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Majority PAC</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/02/16/8172/pac-profile-house-majority-pac" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">House Majority PAC</a> and <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/01/30/8025/pac-profile-priorities-usa-action" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Priorities USA Action</a>, which supported Obama’s re-election.The new IRS filing further shows that PhRMA contributed $5,000 to the <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/06/21/9164/nonprofit-profile-american-action-network" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">American Action Network</a>, a conservative nonprofit headed by former Sen. Norm Coleman. That’s down significantly from the $4.5 million PhRMA <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/2012/02/27/8271/drug-lobby-gave-94-million-nonprofits-spent-big-2010-election" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">donated</a> to the group in 2010.PhRMA officials declined to comment about whether the organization gave additional money to American Action Network in 2012.Long-time ALEC memberPhRMA has provided financial support to the Republican-dominated American Legislative Exchange Council for years. Jeffrey Bond, a senior vice president at PhRMA, sits on ALEC’s “private enterprise board.”The organization opposes policies that would allow U.S. consumers to buy prescription drugs from countries such as Canada at bargain prices and bring them back to the United States. It has also pushed model legislation aimed at countering proposals that advocate for government-mandated price controls on pharmaceuticals.Meanwhile, in a seeming departure, the trade group appears to have given a large contribution to an organization active in Montana’s Supreme Court election.Montana Growth, whose address is listed as a mailbox at a UPS store in Washington, D.C., on the IRS form, appears to be the “Montana Growth Network,” which sought to influence the state’s nonpartisan judicial race. State District Judge Laurie McKinnon defeated Missoula public defender Ed Sheehy for an open seat on the high court, after attorney Elizabeth Best was knocked out during a contentious primary.McKinnon was endorsed by the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Montana Farm Bureau, while the Montana Growth Network attacked Sheehy for a case in which he argued that the death penalty was unconstitutional.The $500,000 donation was far more than the candidates raised in a state where contribution limits are among the lowest in the nation.McKinnon, who won with about 56 percent of the vote, raised about $87,000 while Sheehy raised roughly $67,000, according to the nonpartisan National Institute on Money in State Politics.Group’s origins questionedIn 2010, Hatch’s Republican colleague, Sen. Bob Bennett, was targeted by tea party-aligned activists and thwarted from winning a fourth term in the U.S. Senate. Hatch wanted to avoid a similar fate.Bennett’s re-election was opposed by the anti-tax group Club for Growth as well as FreedomWorks, which is headed by former Republican House Majority Leader Dick Armey.Freedom Path’s first ad was released in July of 2011. It <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeCXiAr7Hks&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">touted</a> Hatch and tea party-backed freshman Sen. Mike Lee, who bested Bennett in 2010, as “leading the fight in Washington to get spending under control,” though Lee had declined to endorse Hatch before the June primary.Another <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7Lh34GZJe8&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">ad in January</a> championed Hatch as “leading the conservative charge to repeal Obamacare.” And one <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjca_V4OObc&feature=plcp" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">ad in March</a> trumpeted the balanced budget amendment introduced by Hatch and Lee.The group also produced several advertisements attacking Liljenquist.Ultimately, Hatch prevailed, capturing about two-thirds of the vote.During the contested primary election, all that was known about Freedom Path was its leadership, which has ties to the National Republican Senatorial Committee and former Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.In addition to Bensing, the group’s board members include GOP operative Mark Emerson.Bensing is a lobbyist at the firm SB Strategic Consulting, whose clients include the Nevada Department of Transportation, Station Casinos in Las Vegas and Zuffa LLC, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.He previously worked as Ensign’s chief of staff and as the executive director of the NRSC.Emerson, meanwhile, previously worked for Hatch and served as Ensign’s chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives. He once was the executive director of the Utah Republican Party.During the campaign, Freedom Path also hired the consulting firm November Inc., which is headed by Mike Slanker, a former NRSC operative and Ensign aide.Sheila Krumholz, the executive director the Center for Responsive Politics, said PhRMA’s $750,000 contribution to Freedom Path allowed the drug lobby to claim some credit for Hatch's victory, “without being directly linked to the outside group's expenditure if he'd lost.”Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California-Irvine law school, added that voters should have been informed of the donation because it would have helped them judge the “credibility of the ads.”“Groups adopt anodyne names like ‘Freedom Path’ which reveal nothing to voters about who is really behind [their] political advertising,” he said. “Voters may have liked or not liked that Sen. Hatch's election was being supported by the pharmaceutical industry, but they should have known about it.”</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="container" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; border: 0px; width: 1280px; line-height: 28px;"><div class="calais-tags-wrapper" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 28px 250px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; float: left;"><h4 style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 5.6px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;">More stories about</h4><div class="calais-tags node-11862" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><div class="first" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px;"><a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Orrin-Hatch" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Orrin Hatch</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Pharmaceutical-Research" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Pharmaceutical Research</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Manufacturers-of-America" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Manufacturers of America</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Dan-Liljenquist" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Dan Liljenquist</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Scott-Bensing" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Scott Bensing</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Republican-Party" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Republican Party</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Utah" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Utah</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/United-States-Senate" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">United States Senate</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/pharmaceutical-industry" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">pharmaceutical industry</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Tea-Party-movement" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Tea Party movement</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/FreedomWorks" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">FreedomWorks</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Club-for-Growth" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Club for Growth</a>,<a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Pharmaceutical-lobby" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Pharmaceutical lobby</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Pharmaceutical-Research-and-Manufacturers-of-America" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America</a>, <a href="http://www.publicintegrity.org/news/Dick-Armey" style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;">Dick Armey</a></div></div></div></div></li></ol><div></div><div>
</div><div>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal</div><div>===</div><ol eid="tInIUunZAoTj2QXTqICIDQ" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">

<li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;">SWtch</li>

<h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Organizations that have supported Ensign</h3>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.1875px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">As a conservative member of the Senate, Ensign has had the support of the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Right_to_Life_Committee" title="National Right to Life Committee" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">National Right to Life Committee</a>, American Shareholders Association, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Freedom_Works" title="Freedom Works" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Freedom Works</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Americans_for_Tax_Reform" title="Americans for Tax Reform" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Americans for Tax Reform</a>, the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, the <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/John_Birch_Society" title="John Birch Society" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">John Birch Society</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Concerned_Women_for_America" title="Concerned Women for America" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Concerned Women for America</a>, Republican Liberty Caucus, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Christian_Coalition" title="Christian Coalition" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Christian Coalition</a>, National School Boards' Association, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Family_Association" title="American Family Association" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">American Family Association</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_Against_Government_Waste" title="Citizens Against Government Waste" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Citizens Against Government Waste</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Rifle_Association" title="National Rifle Association" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">National Rifle Association</a>, and <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/American_Security_Council" title="American Security Council" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">American Security Council</a>. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=CNIP8092" style="text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAGXRFWHRTb2Z0d2FyZQBBZG9iZSBJbWFnZVJlYWR5ccllPAAAAFZJREFUeF59z4EJADEIQ1F36k7u5E7ZKXeUQPACJ3wK7UNokVxVk9kHnQH7bY9hbDyDhNXgjpRLqFlo4M2GgfyJHhjq8V4agfrgPQX3JtJQGbofmCHgA/nAKks+JAjFAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[2]</a>

<h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Organizations that have opposed Ensign</h3>

<p style="margin: 0.4em 0px 0.5em; line-height: 19.1875px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Many groups have been opposed to Ensign. These include <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Planned_Parenthood" title="Planned Parenthood" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Planned Parenthood</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Leadership_Conference_on_Civil_Rights" title="Leadership Conference on Civil Rights" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Leadership Conference on Civil Rights</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/NAACP" title="NAACP" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">NAACP</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Arab_American_Institute" title="Arab American Institute" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Arab American Institute</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Education_Association" title="National Education Association" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">National Education Association</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Children%27s_Defense_Fund" title="Children's Defense Fund" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Children's Defense Fund</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Citizens_for_Global_Solutions" title="Citizens for Global Solutions" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Citizens for Global Solutions</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Peace_Action" title="Peace Action" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Peace Action</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/National_Organization_for_Women" title="National Organization for Women" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">National Organization for Women</a>, <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/U.S._Public_Interest_Research_Group" title="U.S. Public Interest Research Group" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">U.S. Public Interest Research Group</a>, Global AIDS Alliance, and Alliance for Retired Americans. <a rel="nofollow" class="external autonumber" href="http://votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=CNIP8092" style="text-decoration: none; padding-right: 13px; background-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAYAAACNMs+9AAAAGXRFWHRTb2Z0d2FyZQBBZG9iZSBJbWFnZVJlYWR5ccllPAAAAFZJREFUeF59z4EJADEIQ1F36k7u5E7ZKXeUQPACJ3wK7UNokVxVk9kHnQH7bY9hbDyDhNXgjpRLqFlo4M2GgfyJHhjq8V4agfrgPQX3JtJQGbofmCHgA/nAKks+JAjFAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); background-position: 100% 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat;">[3]</a>

<h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">General Casey confirmation</h3>

<h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Law Enforcement Assistance Force Amendment</h3>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Congressional_efforts_to_implement_recommendations_of_the_9/11_commission" title="Congressional efforts to implement recommendations of the 9/11 commission" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Congressional efforts to implement recommendations of the 9/11 commission</a></dd>

</dl>

<h3 style="font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 0.3em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-style: none; width: auto; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.1875px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">U.S. attorney firing controversy</h3>

<dd style=" line-height: 1.5em; margin-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.1em; margin-right: 0px;">Main article: <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Bush_administration_U.S._attorney_firings_controversy" title="Bush administration U.S. attorney firings controversy" style="text-decoration: none; background-image: none;">Bush administration U.S. attorney firings controversy</a></dd>

</dl>

</li>

</li><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;">

</div>

</li><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;"><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Committee assignments[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=5&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Committee assignments" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A); line-height: 17.92px; white-space: normal;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_the_Budget" title="United States Senate Committee on the Budget" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Committee on the Budget</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Commerce,Science_and_Transportation" title="United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Aviation_Operations,Safety,and_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Communications,Technology,and_the_Internet" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet</a> (Ranking Member)</li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Commerce_Subcommittee_on_Surface_Transportation_and_Merchant_Marine_Infrastructure,Safety,and_Security" title="United States Senate Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety, and Security</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Finance" title="United States Senate Committee on Finance" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Committee on Finance</a><ul style="list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0px 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/svg+xml,%3C%3Fxml%20version%3D%221.0%22%20encoding%3D%22UTF-8%22%3F%3E%0A%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20version%3D%221.1%22%20width%3D%225%22%20height%3D%2213%22%3E%0A%3Ccircle%20cx%3D%222.5%22%20cy%3D%229.5%22%20r%3D%222.5%22%20fill%3D%22%2300528c%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E%0A);"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Health_Care" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Health Care</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Taxation,IRS_Oversight,and_Long-Term_Growth" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-Term Growth" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Taxation, IRS Oversight, and Long-Term Growth</a></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Finance_Subcommittee_on_Social_Security,Pensions,and_Family_Policy" title="United States Senate Finance Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions, and Family Policy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Subcommittee on Social Security, Pensions and Family Policy</a></li></ul></li><li style="margin-bottom: 0.1em;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Committee_on_Homeland_Security_and_Governmental_Affairs" title="United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs</a></li></ul></h3><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Political positions[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=6&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Political positions" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Animal advocacy<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=7&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Animal advocacy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign was considered one of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humane_Society_of_the_United_States" title="Humane Society of the United States" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Humane Society</a>'s biggest allies in Congress.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-20" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[20]</a> Along with Senators <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cantwell" title="Maria Cantwell" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Maria Cantwell</a> (D-Wa.),<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arlen_Specter" title="Arlen Specter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Arlen Specter</a> (D-Pa.) and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dianne_Feinstein" title="Dianne Feinstein" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Dianne Feinstein</a> (D-Ca.), Senator Ensign—a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterinarian" title="Veterinarian" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">veterinarian</a>—was a lead sponsor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Fighting_Prohibition_Enforcement_Act" title="Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Animal Fighting Prohibition Enforcement Act</a>, which makes it a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felony" title="Felony" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">felony</a> to transport animals across state lines for the purpose of fighting. According to a press release from Ensign's office, "Fifty states currently have laws against dogfighting and forty-nine have laws against<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockfighting" title="Cockfighting" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">cockfighting</a>. This bill complements these state laws."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-21" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[21]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Cuba<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=8&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Cuba" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Senator Ensign was a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Congressional_Cuba_Democracy_Caucus" title="Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Congressional Cuba Democracy Caucus</a>.</h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Eminent domain<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=9&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Eminent domain" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign had been a leading voice against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelo_v.New_London" title="Kelo v. New London" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Kelo v. New London</a> Supreme Court ruling, and introduced a bill that would blunt the effects of the ruling.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-22" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[22]</a> In Kelo, the Court ruled that local governments could use <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eminent_domain" title="Eminent domain" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">eminent domain</a> not just for public use but for any project that involves a public purpose. Specifically, the Court permitted the City of New London, Connecticut, to force a homeowner to sell her home for new development. The decision that eminent domain could be used to issue a condemnation order on a property for a private purpose caused a backlash.</h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Fiscal responsibility<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=10&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Fiscal responsibility" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">The conservative fiscal watchdog group <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens_Against_Government_Waste" title="Citizens Against Government Waste" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Citizens Against Government Waste</a> awarded Ensign a 92% lifetime rating—the fourth highest Senator after <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_DeMint" title="Jim DeMint" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jim DeMint</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn" title="Tom Coburn" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Tom Coburn</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kyl" title="Jon Kyl" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jon Kyl</a>—as of 2007.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-23" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[23]</a>In 2005, Ensign introduced legislation to the Commission on the Accountability and Review of Federal Agencies.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-24" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[24]</a> The commission would compile a list of what its members consider unnecessary, outdated, wasteful, or duplicative discretionary programs, and require Congress to vote up-or-down to eliminate all programs on the list. The proposal was similar to the process Congress uses for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_Realignment_and_Closure" title="Base Realignment and Closure" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Base Realignment and Closure</a> to assess military bases. It was not passed.</h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Prison reform<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=11&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Prison reform" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">In 2011, Ensign introduced legislation that required all low-security prisoners to work 50 hours a week.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-25" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[25]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Marriage<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=12&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Marriage" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">In 1998, after President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton" title="Bill Clinton" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Bill Clinton</a> admitted to having committed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewinsky_scandal" title="Lewinsky scandal" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">adultery with Monica Lewinsky</a>, Ensign called on him to resign saying, "He has no credibility left."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-26" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[26]</a>In 2004, Ensign spoke on the Senate floor in favor of the proposed <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Marriage_Amendment" title="Federal Marriage Amendment" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Federal Marriage Amendment</a>, which would have barred <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S.state" title="U.S. state" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">states</a>from recognizing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage" title="Same-sex marriage" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">same-sex marriage</a>. Ensign said:<blockquote style="overflow: hidden; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px 40px; line-height: 17.92px; white-space: normal;">Marriage is the cornerstone on which our society was founded. For those who say that the Constitution is so sacred that we cannot or should not adopt the Federal Marriage Amendment, I would simply point out that marriage, and the sanctity of that institution, predates the American Constitution and the founding of our nation.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-27" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[27]</a></blockquote></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Abortion<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=13&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Abortion" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign identifies as <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pro-life" title="Pro-life" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">pro-life</a>. The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Right_to_Life_Committee" title="National Right to Life Committee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Right to Life Committee</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NARAL_Pro-Choice_America" title="NARAL Pro-Choice America" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">NARAL Pro-Choice America</a> certify his pro-life voting record.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-28" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[28]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-29" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[29]</a> Ensign authored the Child Custody Protection Act in 2003, which prohibits taking minors across State lines to circumvent laws in certain jurisdictions that require parents to be involved in abortion decisions by minors.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-30" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[30]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=14&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign voted in support of authorizing the President to use the United States Armed Forces to "deter and prevent acts of international terrorism against the United States." This is the authorizing legislation for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Afghanistan(2001-present)" title="War in Afghanistan (2001-present)" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">invasion of Afghanistan</a> and removing the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taliban" title="Taliban" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Taliban</a> from power.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-31" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[31]</a>Ensign also voted in support of the President to use the United States Armed Forces "as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" in order to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq."<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-32" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[32]</a> Ensign supported the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq_War_troop_surge_of_2007" title="Iraq War troop surge of 2007" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">counterinsurgency policy in Iraq</a>in 2007 and opposed withdrawing troops from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iraq" title="Iraq" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Iraq</a> in 2007 and 2008.</h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Filipino veterans<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=15&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Filipino veterans" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">In April 2008 Ensign voted against a measure to expand federal benefits to Filipino veterans in the Philippines who had fought with the United States against Japan during World War II. He said he thought benefits should be used for veterans in the United States. During political campaigns, he frequently highlighted his recently discovered 1/8 Filipino ancestry (through a paternal grandfather he has never met). The measure passed Congress.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-filipino-4" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[4]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Healthcare reform<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=16&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Healthcare reform" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign opposed President Barack Obama's health reform legislation; he voted against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patient_Protection_and_Affordable_Care_Act" title="Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act</a> in December 2009,<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-33" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[33]</a> and he voted against the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Care_and_Education_Reconciliation_Act_of_2010" title="Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010</a>.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-34" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[34]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">"Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=17&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: " don="Don" apos="apos" t="t" ask="Ask" tell="Tell" policy="policy" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">On December 18, 2010, Ensign voted in favor of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don%27t_Ask,Don%27t_Tell_Repeal_Act_of_2010" title="Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010</a> to allow <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT" title="LGBT" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">LGBT</a> to serve openly in the armed forces.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-35" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[35]</a></h3><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Actions in the U.S. Senate[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=18&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Actions in the U.S. Senate" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Chairmanship of National Republican Senatorial Committee<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=19&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Chairmanship of National Republican Senatorial Committee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign was elected Chairman of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Republican_Senatorial_Committee" title="National Republican Senatorial Committee" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">National Republican Senatorial Committee</a> (NRSC). As chairman of the NRSC, Ensign was charged with assembling a staff to win back the U.S. Senate for Republicans in the 2008 elections. Ensign chose <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Porter#2006_campaign_expenditures" title="Jon Porter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Mike Slanker and Lindsey Slanker</a> of Nevada-based political consulting firm November Inc. to be the Political Director and Finance Director of the NRSC.</h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Electronic fund-raising reports<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=20&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Electronic fund-raising reports" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">In September 2007, it was discovered that Ensign had used the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secret_hold" title="Secret hold" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">secret hold</a> rule to prevent a bill requiring senators to file fund-raising reports electronically from being voted on. He required that they first vote on his amendment to strengthen disclosure rules. (The "secret hold" is a parliamentary procedure within the Standing Rules of the Senate that allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion from reaching a vote on the Senate floor.)<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-NYT_Editorial_staff.2C_2007-36" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[36]</a> Ensign insisted that, before a vote on the disclosure bill could be held, the committee would first vote on an amendment that "would force groups petitioning the Senate Ethics Committee to disclose the identity of donors giving more than $5,000", which watchdog groups charged was intended to prevent passage of the bill.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-Schor.2C_2007-37" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[37]</a></h3><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">2006 re-election campaign[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=21&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: 2006 re-election campaign" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 17.92px; white-space: normal;">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nevada_U.S.Senate_election,2006" title="Nevada U.S. Senate election, 2006" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Nevada U.S. Senate election, 2006</a></div>Ensign faced <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Democratic_Party" title="United States Democratic Party" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Democrat</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_William_Carter" title="John William Carter" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jack Carter</a>, son of former President <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Carter" title="Jimmy Carter" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Jimmy Carter</a>, in the November general election. Both he and Carter defeated token opposition in their August 15, 2006 primaries. Ensign defeated Carter in the general election on November 7, 2006, 55.36% to 40.99%.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-38" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[38]</a></h3><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Personal life[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=22&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Personal life" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">According to The New York Times, during college at Colorado State, Ensign became a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born-again_Christian" title="Born-again Christian" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">born-again Christian</a>. He and his wife, Darlene, were active in the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promise_Keepers" title="Promise Keepers" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Promise Keepers</a>, an evangelical group.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-NYT01-6" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[6]</a> He and his wife have three children.Ensign is a member of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentecostal" title="Pentecostal" class="mw-redirect" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Pentecostal</a> <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Church_of_the_Foursquare_Gospel" title="International Church of the Foursquare Gospel" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">International Church of the Foursquare Gospel</a>. He was the only Pentecostal in the Senate. While working in Washington, DC, he resided at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C_Street_Center" title="C Street Center" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">C Street Center</a>, a religious house in the capital.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-39" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[39]</a> Ensign moved out of the C Street house in November 2009, after disclosure of an extramarital <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affair" title="Affair" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">affair</a> and reports that he used his influence to have parties keep quiet about it.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-40" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[40]</a>When in Las Vegas he attends a northwest Foursquare church.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-41" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[41]</a> He is a member of the religious and political organization <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_(Christian_organization)" title="The Fellowship (Christian organization)" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">The Fellowship</a>, described by evangelical Christians as one of the most politically well-connected fundamentalist organizations in the United States.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-AllInFamily-42" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[42]</a><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-43" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[43]</a></h3><h3 style="margin: 0.3em 0px 0px; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0px; border-bottom-style: none; line-height: 1.6; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Affair and corruption scandal<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select: none; font-weight: normal; margin-left: 1em; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 1em; display: inline-block; white-space: nowrap; unicode-bidi: -webkit-isolate;">[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=23&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Affair and corruption scandal" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h3><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><div class="hatnote relarticle mainarticle" style="font-style: italic; padding-left: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; line-height: 17.92px; white-space: normal;">Main article: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal" title="John Ensign scandal" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">John Ensign scandal</a></div>Between 2007 and 2008, Senator Ensign had an affair with Cynthia Hampton, who worked for a PAC supporting his campaigns. Her husband Doug Hampton was a close friend of Ensign and worked as a top administrative staffer in Ensign's Washington, DC office. The disclosure of the affair and Ensign's actions to keep it quiet, including finding other work for Doug Hampton as a lobbyist, resulted in investigations by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation" title="Federal Bureau of Investigation" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Federal Bureau of Investigation</a>, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Election_Commission" title="Federal Election Commission" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Federal Election Commission</a>, and the Senate. In late April 2011, Ensign announced that he would resign his office as Senator on May 3.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-44" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[44]</a> In May 2011, the Senate Ethics Committee referred their report to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Justice" title="United States Department of Justice" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">Department of Justice</a> for investigation of possible violations of law.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-45" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[45]</a>The Hamptons divorced and sold their house; Doug Hampton moved to California. In May 2012 he reportedly reached a plea deal with federal prosecutors on charges of illegal lobbying.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-46" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[46]</a> In 2014 he expressed bitterness that he had lost so much, while Ensign had escaped prosecution.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-nyt14-47" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[47]</a></h3><h2 style="font-weight: normal; margin: 1em 0px 0.25em; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); line-height: 1.3; background-image: none; background-attachment: initial; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial;">Later years[<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Ensign&action=edit&section=24&editintro=Template:BLP_editintro" title="Edit section: Later years" style="text-decoration: none; background: none;">edit</a>]</h2><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">Ensign and his family returned to Las Vegas. He returned to veterinary practice, establishing Boca Park Animal Hospital.<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#cite_note-vet-2" style="text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; background: none;">[2]</a></h3></li><li class="g" style="margin: 0px 0px 23px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; line-height: 1.2; list-style: none;"><h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">=</h3></li></ol><div>==</div><ol eid="tInIUunZAoTj2QXTqICIDQ" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">

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John Eric Ensign (born March 25, 1958) is an American veterinary physician and former politician. He was a United States Senator from Nevada, serving from ...

</a><div class="osl" style="margin-top: 4px;"><a class="clickable-dropdown-arrow ab_button" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=john+ensign&oq=john+ensign&aqs=chrome..69i57.3005j0j4&sourceid=chrome&espv=210&es_sm=122&ie=UTF-8#" id="am-b0" aria-label="Result details" jsaction="ab.tdd;keydown:ab.hbke;keypress:ab.mskpe" aria-expanded="false" aria-haspopup="true" role="button" data-ved="0CC0Q7B0wAA" style="border-radius: 0px; font-weight: bold; height: 12px; line-height: 27px; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; transition: none; -webkit-user-select: none; cursor: pointer; border: 0px; box-shadow: 0px 0px 0px 0px; display: inline-block; filter: none; width: 13px; text-decoration: none; background-image: none; background-color: white;">‎</a><a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#Early_life.2C_education.2C_and_early_career" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGt0IsIgu02IrnOP-jTSiGI2O28SQ','XnqPQ_kiFhv8pnzk706g9A','0CDQQ0gIoADAA','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Early life, education, and ...</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#Political_career" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGt0IsIgu02IrnOP-jTSiGI2O28SQ','mXiHq69UTPXHcXgiJ1iXzg','0CDUQ0gIoATAA','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Political career</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign#Committee_assignments" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','1','AFQjCNGt0IsIgu02IrnOP-jTSiGI2O28SQ','bzSJlN1AhI3ddIbQWordyA','0CDYQ0gIoAjAA','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Committee assignments</a></div>

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<h3 class="r" style="font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: block; overflow: hidden; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNFxpMiHM-4CxbH1FWfRAeDkEwdYvQ','afyeNo_NfPd3dJk4-ToDfw','0CDgQFjAB','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer;">John Ensign scandal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a></h3>

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The John Ensign scandal constituted the 2009 revelations about an extramarital affair between United States Senator John Ensign and Cynthia Hampton from ...

<div class="osl" style="margin-top: 4px;">‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal#Affair" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNFxpMiHM-4CxbH1FWfRAeDkEwdYvQ','PjeaJA3kfUTGdl12vkvCeA','0CEAQ0gIoADAB','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Affair</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal#Public_scandal" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNFxpMiHM-4CxbH1FWfRAeDkEwdYvQ','zcZB7nMro3rEnj4F5hy3zg','0CEEQ0gIoATAB','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Public scandal</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal#Investigations" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNFxpMiHM-4CxbH1FWfRAeDkEwdYvQ','j59II8S1wPk_ypuqwo2R0A','0CEIQ0gIoAjAB','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">Investigations</a> - ‎<a class="fl" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ensign_scandal#References" onmousedown="return rwt(this,'','','','2','AFQjCNFxpMiHM-4CxbH1FWfRAeDkEwdYvQ','Dx-fZhUqW-Rd3Hyq6Yo67A','0CEMQ0gIoAzAB','','',event)" style="cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;">References</a></div>

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Ensign

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