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Ensign: you can just see our statements on that, uh, I think it's pretty clear. Uh, I said in the past I've recommended him for jobs just like I've recommended a lot of people, uh, but, we absolutely did nothing except for comply exactly with what the ethics laws and the ethics rules of the Senate state. We were very careful in everything that we did and you can see our statements on that.
Blonde (Dana Bash?): Do you have any indication that the Justice Department is investigating?
Ensign (running away): We, we, fully plan on co-op. . . we are going to co-operate with any official inquiries, but as you all know, you can't comment on any of that stuff, on any of those kinds of things.
Dana Bash: Well, you could tell us if you've gotten any calls from the Justice Department, or your lawyer has.
Ensign: Uh, Let me, let me state this very carefully. We will co-operate with any official inquiries. OK? (smiles cheesy, guilty smile)
Smart Reporter (mostly off camera): Senator Ensign, the New York Times sheds (shows?) emails and other documentation that you had meeting with Allegiant Air, and NV energy, and intervened on their behalf on specific items that they needed help with (Ensign looks like he's smelling a fart) and Doug Hampton represented them. Now, do you deny that that is the case?
Ensign (looking like he ate something bad at lunch): Um, all of these things will you know come out. All of these things will come out at their due time. But, there's no question, we complied with all of the ethics . . .
Smart Reporter: But you had contact with him . . .
Ensign: We, we, we complied, we complied with all . . .
Smart Reporter: . . . within one year of working with you, right?
Ensign: . . . of the ethics rules. Remember, just like you know, we, Senators who, who have leave they have a two year, it doesn't mean you don't, you don't talk to them.
Dana Bash: Senator, Senator, why was . . .
Ensign: You can talk to anybody. (Looking smug)
Smart Reporter: But not about clients! And not about matters that they are lobbying for.
Ensign (looks longingly across the street, desperate to be away from this reporter who can put 2 and 2 together, puts lips together in an internal effort to keep from incriminating himself): Oh, I never talked to Doug Hampton about any of that stuff.
Smart Reporter: But your staff did!!
D. Bash: Senator, why was it so important to get Doug Hampton those jobs?
Ensign (knows he's busted): Just look at our statements. Just look at our statements, they're very clear on that stuff, ok?
D. Bash: Is there any chance, is there any chance that you, are you considering resigning?
Ensign (cold knot is stomach forming): I am focused on doing my work and I'm going to continue to focus on doing my work.
finis.
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