Just when the Clinton book came out and gave the Republicans a renewed focus on Monica Lewinski to drown out questions about the justification of the War in Iraq, Halliburton contracts and the Abu Ghraib scandals the Republicans’ Great White Hope finds himself in the midst of his own sex scandal that tames the Lewinski tiger. There have been hints simmering since a Primary opponent questioned the contents of the sealed file of Ryan’s California divorce. Ryan responded by saying that the matters in the sealed file affected only the custody of the couple’s son and it would remain sealed to protect the child. The Chicago Tribune filed suit and yesterday the file was opened.

It seems that his former wife claimed that Ryan had forced her to accompany him to sex clubs in New York, Paris, and New Orleans where he wanted her to engage in sex acts with him while other couples watched. Jim Edgar, the newly appointed Illinois Chairman of the Illinois Bush Campaign said that he did not think that the revelations would affect the Republicans on Election Day. Another Ryan primary supporter says that private conduct should not be a political issue and this will all blow over by November. Other veteran Republican politicians were not so sure. Representative Ray LaHood called for Ryan to withdraw saying that he was shocked that Ryan would make the run with this problem lying there. Senator Obama said he would have no comment on the revelations.

The 2002 election was a disaster for the GOP. When the dust of another Ryan’s scandals settled in November of that year the Governor and all but one statewide office were in Democrat hands. Democrats expanded their majority on the Illinois Supreme Court and landed in control of both houses of the Illinois Legislature. With George Bush trailing badly in the polls and a tarnished Jack Ryan at the head of the State ticket Illinois Republicans can look forward to another sweep in which the Democrats take back the Senate seat that was lost six years ago, pick up at least one House seat and list the state’s electoral vote in the Kerry column.

There may be more grief on the Republican horizon. At least one incumbent Republican Congressman from a Downstate district ran his last divorce discretely through the Cook Count Court though neither he nor his then wife lived in Chicago and had the files in that case sealed. Like Ryan there have been rumors of accusations against the Congressman afloat for years. His salamander shaped seeming safe seat extends deep into Illinois’ Bible Belt and were his file unsealed the Illinois Congressional delegation might just tip as well.

Meanwhile the lines to buy the Clinton book personally signed by the popular former President stretch out the door and around the block. The Republican effort use sexual morality to bring down one President failed but its precedent just might help bring down this one. The coop door is open and the chickens are coming home to roost.