(CNN) – The wife of former Republican Rep. Chip Pickering filed a lawsuit late Tuesday against her husband's alleged mistress, making the former six-term congressman from Mississippi the third politician associated with the Capitol Hill "Christian Fellowship" home to be embroiled in a sex scandal.
According to the Jackson Free Press, Leisha Pickering's lawsuit alleges her husband restarted a relationship with Elizabeth Creekmore Byrd, his college sweetheart, while he was "a United States congressman prior to and while living in the well-known C Street Complex in Washington, D.C."
The Capitol Hill rowhouse - reportedly owned by an organization affiliated with the religious group "The Fellowship" - has also housed Nevada Sen. John Ensign, who admitted last month to an extramarital affair. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, who has also admitted to cheating on his wife, was a frequent visitor to the home for prayer meetings and meals during his time in Congress
The lawsuit claims the affair ruined the Pickering's marriage, and ended the former congressman's political career.
Pickering, now a lobbyist for a telecommunications company owned by Creekmore-Byrd's family, is not commenting on the lawsuit.
"I still believe it is in the best interest of our five boys if our differences are resolved privately and before the appropriate court and not in the media," Pickering said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
From CNN Politics
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Tough times for these holier-than-thou old male Republicans. So appropriate too !
hilarious
Wholesome family men indeed. Hahha.
Please don't try to convince me that Republicans are the only government group that are having extra marital affairs. Why doesn't the press run stories about Democrats – Oh, I forgot, most of the press are Liberal Democrats!
Such wonderful christians, those Republican philanderers. The Devil got to ya, eh?
Once again the repugs can not hide their flaws. Before all the exposure, they would have you believe they were purer than Jesus Christ.
I don't care who Republicans get involved with, just pick a better candidate than Palin or Huckabee. Mitt may be okay.
Pickering has 5 boys,
Sanford has 4 boys,
Ensign?
Al these folks we cannot seem to keep their pants on! Ridiculous!
It is too bad he did not think of his five boys best interest when he started his affair. I am so sick of these people and their dirty habits.
The hypocrisy of these men is absolutely terrifying in some ways. Who knows what depths of evil and sham these guys are capable of!
I must go puke now.
This just keeps getting better and better.
Christian Fellowship?
"You bunch of Jezabels!" HA!
I believe he was not thinking of the best interest of his children when he became involved with another woman while still married. Leisha Pickering has every right to sue the pants off the mistress.
WOW. I am single and without a GF. Maybe moving to that "C" Street house will help me find a GF or do I have to be married to move there and have an affair?
I love it. The house on C Street, registered as a "church," whose past and present boarders are cheaters/politicians, and apparently part of some "christian mafia" cult looking for supreme power. You can't make this stuff up, folks. We need to start investigating people who run for office, and not base our choices on those we'd most like to have a beer with, don't you think?
Again not a suprise. Ahh the hypocrisy of the Republican party.
Want to pass laws based on "Christian morals" such as laws prohibiting same-sex marriage, but never follow their own "morals."
What is C Street – A bordello?
These are not "Christian leaders".
So much for family values.
snicker....the party of hipocracy.
snicker...the party of hypocrisy.
if they are all coming out of that same house, i wonder what they are doing inside the house when they are together, sounds like a skull and bones bohemian grove perv-fest to me, i bet their fingers smell like booty
MLH
Has anyone ever thought about how these affairs put the security of our country at risk? Imagine how foreigners are yucking it up over stuff like this? And, these people who claim to care about the security of our country so much: Have any of you ever thought of what a security risk Palin would be to our country? No leader is going to be even remotely threatened by Palin once they see her Katie Couric interviews, not to even mention her giggling and gushing during what she thought was an interview with the Canadian Prime Minister. Those interviews will be floating around for centuries.
You can't be a Republican without also being a hypocritical, philandering womanizer who demonizes others on moral grounds in public, yet commits even worse sexual immorality in private. The C Street compound is nothing more than a cult that protects its members when they have affairs, thus enabling the sexual immorality that the very members attack others for in public. Coburn, Ensign and Wamp should all resign as they have hypocritically attacked others for sexual improprities. C Street is disgusting and has nothing to do with true Christianity. It is a sham in order to maintain tax-exempt status.
It's a shame that all of Christianity gets tainted because of these politicians. Shame on our leaders for portraying poor examples in marriage and life. Shame on us for lifting them up so high that any mistake creates such a fall from grace.
Sin in the camp. Yeah, it must be the end times. Adultery at home, in the street, in the airport, national and international and now in the church. Let's legalize adultery – I think we have enough votes for it. I wonder who is signing up this summer – it always start when bikinis are out. The train here is for these crooks to pin down women with many kids and later abandon them for sweet hearts and soul mates.
Party of family values at its finest!
Science continually sheds doubt on religion from the outside, and the hypocrisy of its followers destroy it from the inside. Lovely.
What a surprise, CNN. You are blowing us away today with all the "new" news. A Republican having an affair in the C Street House, OMG, what will happen next.
What is this place a Pimp for these so called religious men.
wow, just wow!!!
best little ho house in D.C.!!!!!
I thought that the "C Street Complex" stood for Christian Republican Complex.
Looks like I was wrong.
"The Capitol Hill rowhouse — reportedly owned by an organization affiliated with the religious group 'The Fellowship' — " should be turned into a shelter for abused women and their children.
The C in C Street must stand for Can't, like they can't keep it in their pants. So much for the moral majority.
Apparently it was more like Animal House...
Must be something in the water. Or the holier than though hypocrisy that is the GOP. Dem's do it to, they just don't run around preaching morality while they are doing it.
Can I move in this place? Sounds like everybody has fun.
Why do these jerks always have so many kids? They're populating the planet with a whole generation with no moral upbringing.
If you are cheating on your wife...RESIGN..... If you have ever cheated on your wife....DON'T RUN FOR OFFICE!
though not a current Representative, maybe there is something in the water at the "Fellowship" residence that makes self-riteous, holier than thou men cheat on their wives and therefore become hypocrites
NO.....say it ain't so!!! Another sex scandal from the "do as I say, not as I do" hypocritical Republican party!!!!!! I don't believe it.....there must be some mistake........
You betcha
Wow, you can not make this stuff up, maybe it is the republican koolaid
Another CHRISTAIN God help us all.
They are the first to Judge But the last to Confest they SINS
OH No my bad!!!When you go to church on a regular you are only con sidered a sinner when you get caught.
HYPOCRATES: They are all the same. Living in sin and Judging others
Holy!
Let me guess that this hypocrite voted or would vote for the Defense of Marriage Act!! He probably would have great concern to vote to legalize gay marriage, while at the same time he didn't feel his wife and 5 sons were important enough to keep his **** in his pants!! How many more of these guys need to come out of the "adultery" closet before America gets over it's homophobic position on gay marriage??
What is the GOP even about? Pointless opposition, hoping for the country's failure, and lots of adulterous sex. Whoo hoo! Party on!
Why have we not heard reporting on this subject from the major Cable networks? The story and history of this group is fascinating and disturbing to average American. A group of men in politics who see themselves as above the law. The book THE FAMILY gives enormous insight to the group and the voters deserve to have more info. Thanks
Where is the media on this. If this were a Democrat scandal Fox News would have both Geraldo and Greta camped outside this house.
All these folks cannot seem to keep their pants on! Ridiculous!
Surprise, surprise. More Republican dirt.
Since politicians' salaries are paid for by the people, there should be a written contract that includes language regarding moral standards. If these rules are broken, all money should be repaid to the taxpayers. This is ridiculous that these men cannot keep their pants on. This is why nothing gets done in Washington! Outrageous.
Shame on you Pickering – Peter Piper picked who?
So this complex hosted prayer meetings? What were these men praying for?
cheat street is at it again.
Boy, all of these politicians have a problem keeping their pants up, kennedy, clinton, sanford and now this one.
C Street is part of a scary organization. These so-called "conservatives" hypocritically point to others' mistakes and do the same thing themselves–Republican double standard.
C Street members are very loyal to this secret organization, seemingly more than their constituents. Read "The Family" out on paperback now.
One of their leaders preaches regular references to Hitler, making it eerily similar to a Nazi cult with direct influence on our governmental officials. Again, scary.
America is NOT a theocracy–we are a democracy and want it to stay that way.
Hmmm, if I was having an illicit affair with someone, I wouldn't want the media to get hold of the details either. When all the dirty little secrets become public knowledge, it's a bit hard to lie your way out of something. You'd think he'd know better than to restart something that is going to end your career and marriage. Guess in his case it's "do as I say and not as I do" while continuing to hold prayer meetings. Boy, talk about two-faced!! Hope he gets exactly what he deserves and his wife takes him for all he has and she wins the suit against his mistress.
How come keeping the details private is what's best for his boys? When he was busy doing whatever with his girlfriend, the last thing on his mind was his boys.
Sounds like this "Christian Fellowship" rowhouse is the "home away from home" for these cheating/lying/hypocrite/hide behind God Republican Scumbags to entertain their other women. They're wives will probably forgive them and they'll all live together happily ever after.
Note: The wife is suing the mistress, I guess she'll forgive the cheater Husband.
Ah the holier-than-thou "Christian" white Republican males ... Unwise ...
Thanks guys. Way to make the rest of us Christians-you know, the ones who take their wedding vows seriously-like hypocrites.
This is unreal. For years these hypocrits have been playing the religious card to make everyone else seem unworthy or a least not as pious as they are, and yet, they behave like drunken Fray boys behind closed doors at a so-called Christian Club? What a disgrace. Apparently, they believe they are above the trifles of the average common man. They couldn't be any further from the truth.
Not that CNN will post but here it goes:
It must be a given that all members who live in this house have an affiair outside their marriage. So much for their Christian beliefs. A lot of men cheat but they don't claim to be holier than the rest of us. I hope this organization is investigated and they all get what they deserve. Frankly if I found out that if my congressman or senator lived in this house they would lose my vote and I would let very one in my state know about it.
And the GOP says they're on their way to a comeback? Yet another Republican so-called 'Christian' from the 'party of God' that always says that Democrats are immoral, has committed yet another extramarital sin. Funny, when I read the bible it states that God dislikes hypocrites- they're considered one of the worse sinners. But yes, Republicans you can continue to believe you're the party of morals. Stay in the wilderness!
loving every minute of it... (and apparently so are some republicans).
ROFL
O yes I love it...keep on destroying yourselves Repubs...keep on. Before long it'll be only the Dems and Independents...the way it should be...
Well that certainly gives a new meaning to "Christian Fellowship."
I believe what people do in their private life is their business (provided it is legal). With one exception when the life a life of do as I say not as I do. Then when they caught they hide behind their families. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME.
See, this is the problem with decrying people for what you perceive to be their moral failings. Some will undoubtedly say that Democrats cheat too, and they do, but it is usually Republicans that cheat who belong to groups, churches and other organizations that claim to be faithful and moral. I couldn't care less about any politician's private life, but I do if they have spent a great deal of their public life moralizing!
Is this who you Repubs want representing you in Congress? People who are sworn to loyalty to the "Family" before country? They call themselves the Christian Mafia. They protect each other while they cheat on their wives and who knows what else? Do you even remember when you first sold out? This is the most hideous story in the news right now. They arranged for the $96K payment to Ensign's mistress and are trying to keep him in the Senate. Gov. Sanford is also being helped by them. When you set yourselves up as the morality police and do stuff like this, it's very clear why the Repubs will never come into the light again. And you call yourselves Christians? Let's list all the very moral members of your party shall we? Haggard, Foley, Vitter, Ensign, Sanford, Pickering, Gingrich, McCain, Larry (wide stance) Craig, Guilani, and I'm sure others we haven't heard from yet. We Democrats never claim to be perfect, nor do we try to tell people how to live their lives like you hypocrites do. I know Pickering isn't in Congress any more, no, he now lobbies for the firm owned by his mistress! I hope the whole story about this C Street gang comes out– I'm sure it's even worse than we know. But, I'm sure some of you posters will defend them and throw mud at Clinton and Spitzer. But as I said, we don't claim the moral high ground, we just seem to have it!!! Maybe you should spend more time worrying about your own houses before you tell others how to live. And, don't say their marriages are their own business. Marriage (especially for public servants) is very much a public issue - if it weren't, gays would be allowed to marry, and you people wouldn't have anything to say about it. You are truly pathetic.
Hypocrite. The new name for republican. The GOH party.
Just another case of "Do as I say, Not as I Do" from the "Moral Right" wing of the GOP. What a bunch of hypocrites. Thoroughly disgusting to me.
Personally, as a Christian conservative, I find this behavior shameful, disgraceful and ridiculous. To all GOPers on the Hill....don't even consider touting your "family values", "Christian values" morals or ethics if you don't plan to live by this mantra. You are an embarassment to the Christian community and an abomination to the Lord. I am fast becoming an American without a party and without representation.
As it has been pointed out before. If they were Democrats it would not even make the news. Which one isn't cheating? Clinton and Kennedy both did and look how liberals drool over them.
If he really cared so much about his family, he wouldn't have had sex with another woman. Amazing how politicians can only remember that the word "forgiveness" exists when they've screwed up. Up until that point, it's a free-for-all on anyone who doesn't agree with them.
such a shame. infidelity is far too rampant in BOTH parties.
They need to find yet another name for this C street organization. Maybe the "Sanctimonious Hypocrites"? Or the "Bible Thumping Liars"?
Seems their ridiculous belief system is about as effective as "Abstinence only" and other laughable so-called Christian values based ignorance.
Oh yes, another Republican family values man!!! WoW....
Republicans are such Hypocrites.
Those who have not sinned, throw the first stone. Maybe, the Democrats and Republicans will stop taunting one another. We all make mistakes. Our country really need to pull together.
The "Christian Fellowship" label, in this instance, has now been lowered to the status of " Irrelevant "....this group should really be labeled a "cult", and a self-serving, devious one at that !! These guys are a disgrace to this country.
Sir, your behaviors affected the public at large, not only your poor wife and children. You brought this on them, so don't go blaming the media or political enemies or your wife or anyone else. Your C Street cronies have done your children the harm by allowing you comfort in pursuing your infidelities.
You should have thought about this beforehand; you probably did, and chose to ignore it for whatever reasong C Street allowed you.
Too bad he wasn't considering what is in the best interest of their five boys when he was committing adultery. What a hypocrite.
Apparently, the C spot is the G spot.
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black. The GOP is going to need a whole new platform. They are NOT conservative in their ways of moral apptitude like they "claim".
herein lies the difference between the republicans and dems. Both parties because they are human have failings, affairs, etc. But it is the conservatives who are so preachy and all up in everyones face about sex and marriage and morals who look very very silly when these things keep popping up.
Is anyone surprised that another Republican is caught in an affair? These guys need to learn some self restraint. The fact that they all seem to live together in this cult like house, is even weirder.
CNN why are you not reporting more about this secrective C-Street group. Goverment official's coming and going. and showing a pattern. Even a High school reporter would know this is news!!!!
CNN, be a News organization, not just the TABLOID you have become a 24 hours TABLOID network, but so have MSNBC and FOX.
be different do your job inform us, not entertain us.
This is real NEWS go get it, or just do what seems like you new normal talk about news after the fact.
A den of theives and house of ill repute.
After 9-11, we heard a lot about the silence of American Moslem leaders. Now another Ralph Reed supported christian (c deliberate) public is "falling from grace". What about Jerry Farwell's sons who inherited his religious fortune? What about Focus on the Family who prayed for rain when Obama accepted the nomination? What about the Southern Baptist Convention who ended the campaign of a Morman very qualified to be president? Silence is deafening! Worse than these, what about the local churches who's leaders decried Bill Clinton and yet quote Fox New's handyman Newt (the first of a long line a fornicators)?
"He who is without guilt among you, let him cast the first stone" Silence by our religious "leaders" makes a mockery of my Lord Jesus Christ. Repent ye blasphemers, openly so that all who heard your tirade may hear you wales! The liberal media will be glad to afford you the air time.
That a band of grown, married men would "room" together is absolutely creepy.
How cute. Orgy in the common room! Bring your mistresses!
What up with this, the Republican Party is killing off everything in sight that move
Do as I say, Not as I do!
So what else is new? Wheres these so-called family value principles from the GOP?
It is so disgusting that these men are elected officials and could not care less about the wives and children. They are an enbarrassment to our nation. They all need counseling. These stupid women that would have affairs with these dirty men are disgusting as well. Their wives should all divorce them! He does not care about his five boys and the example he has set for them. Stupid Republicans!
Here we go again....The party of "NO". Can't keep their pants zipped and wicks dry. I wonder what rush, has to say about this one.....
Why is anyone surprised? Our founding fathers urged the separation of church and state for this reason. This men are on a mission from God. In the middle east they call it Jihaad. In this country we call it C street.
GOP is like a wounded lion pride, many of whose members are either lickin' their ulcers or are lookin' for new lionesses. What a bunch of creeps, sheepishly satisfyin' their sexual yens.
You have got to be joking?? (LOL)
C-Street sounds like a brothel.
Once again the religious reich and their paid government officials of the (wright) get caught in the act. I'm glad their out of power for good.
To Mary @1:56:
Yes democrats and independents have affairs but they don't throw their beliefs at us and tell us they are moral right and believe in family values. Sanford , Ensign where all about getting Clinton out of office but now they are in the same fix, we should forgive them and let them get on with their lives. Well they can't have it both ways. Let them come off their high horse and quit trying to tell the rest of us how to live and behave. Until they practice what they preach, they should shut up and go back under their rock.
Leave religion out. Don't blame God for this mess!
I'm so glad all of those C Street boys are busy protecting the "sanctity of marriage".
Another man involved in a sex scandal. Another reason why we need more woman in politics. They tryed to bring Gov. Palin down with frivolous ethics complaints, and one by one they are all being dismissed. Now more then ever America needs this highly ethical woman, only to see Washington turn their back on her.
The GOP – what a joke! They're the biggest hypocrites in the world. They preach christian family values, blah, blah, blah. Go ahead and keep embarrasing yourselves.
Just checked. NOTHING about this on Faux News.....surprised?
Is it true that the C-street location is registered somehow as a church? What are the tax implications? Is this a not-for-profit brothel? Do these guys hold themselves above the law? Or do they really not see the irony of their actions?
I guess C stands for Cheat = Cheat Street.
@ Daniel Torluemke, . . that's real funny about Geraldo and Greta camping out. But true.
Oh please, dems embrace infidelity when its one of their own. They didnt mind Edwards touting moral authority, dragging his grave ill wife on campaign trail across country while having an affair and fathering child with another woman. They embraced a dem sitting sexual predator as president and told Americans that his sexcapades is none of our business. We are fighting 2 wars, facing serious challenges with N. Korea, Iran, health care, economy , largest deficit in history, an inexperienced president and an incompetent congress. With that being said, I doubt infidelity will be the deciding factor when Americans vote in 2010. Yes hypocrisy runs rampid in both parties. What else do you expect from politicians. Enough is ENOUGH. Time to stop using sex sex scandals as a means to distract our nation conducting foreign and domestic policies.