Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor would like you to know that she was misunderstood when she said that a wise Latina woman would come to a better decision than a white man.  Yes, she's been repeating this line since the soundbite came out almost six weeks ago, but it seems to be the main focus of her confirmation hearings.  "Objectivity" was the word of the day, as Sotomayor faced tough questioning from the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Shock of all shocks, the voice of reason came from South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, who announced that unless something went terribly wrong, the judge would most likely be confirmed by the Democratic majority.

But enough about rule-makers.  All the rule-breakers, in DC and beyond, are after the jump. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Law and Order Edition" »

The big news in Washington this morning was already shared with City Desk readers early yesterday evening: Senator John Ensign (R-Nev.) admitted to having an affair with a campaign staffer.  There's no word on whether Ensign plans on resigning but he wishes he could take it all back.  Obviously.  He was a member of the Promise Keepers, for Pete's sake.  There's a lot to be said about Ensign's contradictory behavior but at least he came public without the help of the fine journalists at the National Enquirer.

Drug recalls, crime bills, and a double dose of foreign policy after the jump. Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Truth Telling Edition" »

LL just got this news alert concerning the District's favorite gun-lovin', home-rule-disrespectin', voting-rights obstructionist:

Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign has told colleagues that he plans to admit an extramarital affair, a senior Republican source tells POLITICO.

WaPo's Chris Cillizza has more: 'The affair, which was with a woman who worked for both Ensign's re-election campaign and his Battle Born leadership political action committee, began in December 2007 and ended in August 2008. Ensign's wife, Darlene, said that the couple's "marriage has become stronger" and added: "I love my husband."'

Gee---couldn't be happening to a nicer guy bigger dick!

UPDATE, 7:15 P.M.: Politico has their big story up: Ensign forced to reveal because he was being blackmailed by the jealous cuckolded husband!

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) clearly has little respect for home rule and the unique local situation of the District of Columbia---that would be why he chose to gut D.C.'s gun laws through a amendment to the D.C. House Voting Rights Act. So why should Congress respect his home state's unique local institutions?

Like legalized prostitution.

That would be the thinking of At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown, who has penned a letter asking Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and House majority leader Steny Hoyer to introduce something called the "Roses" amendment.

"The 'Roses Amendment,'" Brown writes, "would revise the Mann Act by prohibiting US citizens from crossing state borders to solicit sex in states where prostitution is legal. The amendment would further prohibit these states from using the Internet as a portal to advertise or solicit prostitution. Furthermore, the amendment would make it illegal to complete financial transactions where electronic data or information is shared with any entity located outside of the state for which prostitution is legalized."

Talk about hitting him where it hurts.

Brown explains his reasoning thusly: "If elected officials from states, namely Nevada, can introduce legislation that alters the local laws of the District, I believe the District should offer an amendment that imposes our moral values on such states where prostitution is legal."

As for the name of the bill? "I believe we should fight guns with roses," he writes.

Wow. Wonder what Axl would do?

The District's had plenty of congressional bogeymen over the years. Recent names like Sam Brownback and Richard Shelby come to mind, sure, and if you reach back a little farther, there's folks like Joel Broyhill, John McMillan, and Theodore Bilbo.

These days, Nevada Sen. John Ensign's playing the role pretty well.

Ensign's the guy who introduced the amendment to D.C. House Voting Rights Act last week that gutted that gun laws passed by the D.C. Council and signed by the mayor. It looks like his legislative maneuver has the potential to derail the larger bill, which would leave Ensign pleased as punch.

The senator strolled up to the Senate daily press gallery this afternoon to talk guns, voting rights and vouchers with a gaggle of reporters. LL was not present, but frequent City Desk commenter Ryan Grim was, and he passes on audio of the discussion.

Read More "John Ensign: D.C. Vote “Has Nothing to Do…With Civil Rights”" »