Does John Ensign cloud Republicans' ethics argument?

Is John Ensign headed toward an indictment? Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

WashPost

The news out of Nevada that the Justice Department may be moving toward an indictment of Sen. John Ensign (R) could well cloud Republicans' attempt to use ethics as a cudgel against Democrats, according to several top GOP strategists.

Ensign, according to Fix friend and Nevada's top political reporter Jon Ralston, is likely to be brought up on charges of "structuring" -- the process of purposely evading disclosure requirements -- in regards to $96,000 that was paid to his mistress by his parents(!).

If an Ensign indictment is handed down, it would be the second serious allegation against a Republican elected official in recent weeks -- coming hard on the heels of the House Ethics Committee report that called into question former Rep. Nathan Deal's earnings outside of Congress (Deal is running for governor of Georgia.).

Those twin problems would almost certainly mitigate the political damage that the current ethics problems surrounding Democrats -- former Rep. Eric Massa (N.Y.), Rep. Charlie Rangel (N.Y.) and New York Gov. David Paterson to name three -- could cause at the ballot box.

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