Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Dean Heller says Ensign making it difficult for major GOP candidates, “cloud” is harmful

That's what Rep. Dean Heller said about scandalized Sen. John Ensign on "Nevada Newsmakers" on Wednesday, in addition to saying he won't call him for him to resign "at least on this show." It's good stuff -- partial transcript and link below:

Partial transcript and video link:

Sam Shad: As you view it, do you think that that is causing him problem in his ability to do his job as a United states Senator?

Heller:  As the investigation goes forward, certainly.  And of course it is going to have more to do with how those investigations are completed.  If the FBI does, in fact, get involved and decides to indict, yeah it will have serious repercussions.

SS: What about day to day operations, between the delegation for example, yourself and his ability to get legislation moving forward.

DH:  I don’t know the exact answer to that, but I have to say that to this day, yes there have been some implications.  Well, for example, our delegation used to meet at least monthly in Sen. Reid’s office.  And I think this has kind of put a cloud over the delegation getting together on a reasonable time frame.

SS: You they’re not doing that anymore?

DH:  We have, but it is plus or minus Ensign’s issues.  I think it has had an impact, not only on him personally, but I think it’s had an impact on our delegation as a whole and our ability to work together.  I don’t have any problems working with Sen. Ensign; Sen. Ensign doesn’t have any problems working with me.  But, I think every time Sen. Ensign, you see him on the House floor whether it’s a CNN interview you go down the list of items and always certain questions are raised.  So when our delegation is together, of course we invite the press in.  We know what the questions are going to be for the press, because they finally get Ensign in a room, they are going to try to ask him questions that he refuses to answer at this point.  So, I think it is frustrating on Sen. Reid’s part to bring the whole delegation together when you know when you bring in the whole press in afterward that the questions are not going to be about Nevada.  What is best for Nevada? What are the issues for Nevada?  What are you doing as a delegation for Nevada?  It is just going to be, OK we finally have Ensign in the open; let’s start asking him questions he won’t answer.

SS: Do you have any advice for Sen. Ensign?

DH:  For Sen. Ensign, I don’t have any advice for Sen. Ensign.  I think Sen. Ensign has got to do what is best for Sen. Ensign and for Sen. Ensign’s family.  I don’t like talking about this particular issue because I don’t think it respectful to talk about other people’s problems, so I don’t.  But in this case, I think Sen. Ensign has to do what’s best for him, his wife and his children.

Ray Hagar: Well, what’s best for Nevada, Dean, would it be the scenario you just laid out, would it be better for Nevada if Sen. Ensign just got out of the way and resigned?

DH:  Well, I don’t know the answer to that question and I am not asking Sen. Ensign to resign, at least on this show.  But, you know it brought me pause, and I hesitated and was part of the decision making process as to whether or not I would take on Sen. Reid.  And I chose not to under the scenario.  It was more variables than just that, but that was a major variable in the process and I think it’s very very difficult.  And it will be very difficult, I think, for the candidates in the future, or this race against Sen. Reid, or the Governor’s race with that cloud of Sen. Ensign’s problems out there.

Video:  VIDEO

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