Yes, ProPublica is generally a one-way-only ethics watchdog, but that way is still worth watching.

It is reporting that Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), had a romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official for the Navy. According to two sources with knowledge of an inspector general’s nvestigation, this was not the GOP combat veteran’s only inappropriate relationship with military personnel. Earlier this year, the Air Force revealed that Maj. Gen. Christopher Finerty, who oversaw its lobbying before Congress, had inappropriate romantic relationships with five women, including three who worked on Capitol Hill. One of those, though the names in the report were redacted, was allegedly Ernst. Because the Senator is an influential voice in Congress regarding the Pentagon and she sits on the Senate’s Armed Services Committee which has a crucial role in setting its annual budget, these are troubling accounts.

ProPublica says that neither Ernst nor the two military officers were married at the time. Current Senate rules do not bar lawmakers from entering into romantic relationships with lobbyists or other legislative advocates, although why I don’t know. Nonetheless, government employees and officials, like judges, are supposed to avoid appearances of impropriety.” “Ethics experts say such relationships can create a conflict of interest,” ProPublica tells us. “A former legislative affairs official for the military” tells ProPublica that “From an ethics standpoint, [these relationships] are severely problematic.”

Gee, ya think? Another unnamed source, a former Air Force officer who worked for Finerty, said that the perception in the office was that the general’s relationship with Ernst “absolutely gave the Air Force undue influence.” Ah, yes, pillow talk about the Air Force budget! How romantic.

Last week a spokesperson for Sen. Ernst’s office called the allegations “gossip” by the “fake news media” and called the claims a “slanderous lie — full stop.”

Boy, I dunno… ProPublica seems to have done its homework on this, as it usually does when Republicans are the quarry. I think this may be another “Michael Clayton” situation.

Last year in this post I discussed the ethical value of the final scene in the George Clooney movie as a reference point and a lesson for various miscreants. In that instance, I was referring to the brain-dead response of Democrats to the results of the 2024 election, but item #3 in the post applies here. I wrote in part,

“3. “See, now, that’s just not the way to go here, Karen.” ….the Democrats and the now emotionally and mentally impaired victims of their propaganda are alternately proclaiming more lies, throwing around accusations…”

If the sources are accurate, Ernst denying the relationships is just dumb. Once the evidence comes out, she will have proven to be dishonest and untrustworthy rather than just a too ready victim of the Woody Allen rationalization, “The heart wants what the heart wants.” The public can forgive romance-driven misconduct, but an elected official lying outright is cowardly and damning. I know Bill Clinton’s enablers, spinners and paid liars got an absurd amount of mileage out of “Everyone lies about sex,” but if #MeToo did any good at all (and it’s a close call), it pretty much killed that rationalization deader than the Hackmans’ dog.

The correct and ethical approach, as well as the politically competent approach, is for the Senator to admit that the reports are correct, that she did engage in ethically objectionable conduct. She could also declare that she did not allow the relationship to interfere with her judgment in her official duties, is that is true.

It that isn’t true, then she should resign.