Senator’s Aid After Affair Raises Flags Over Ethics.....the end of mr. ensign

[spanone]

WASHINGTON — Early last year, Senator John Ensign contacted a small circle of political and corporate supporters back home in Nevada — a casino designer, an airline executive, the head of a utility and several political consultants — seeking work for a close friend and top Washington aide, Douglas Hampton.

“He’s a competent guy, and he’s looking to come back to Nevada. Do you know of anything?” one patron recalled Mr. Ensign asking.

The job pitch left out one salient fact: the senator was having an affair with Mr. Hampton’s wife, Cynthia, a member of his campaign staff. The tumult that the liaison was causing both families prompted Mr. Ensign, a two-term Republican, to try to contain the damage and find a landing spot for Mr. Hampton.

In the coming months, the senator arranged for Mr. Hampton to join a political consulting firm and lined up several donors as his lobbying clients, according to interviews, e-mail messages and other records. Mr. Ensign and his staff then repeatedly intervened on the companies’ behalf with federal agencies in Washington, often after urging from Mr. Hampton.

While the affair made national news in June, the role that Mr. Ensign played in assisting Mr. Hampton and helping the clients he represented has not been previously disclosed. Several legal experts say those activities may have violated an ethics law that bans senior aides from lobbying the Senate for a year after leaving their posts.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/02/us/politics/02ensign.html?em=&pagewanted=print

[malaise]

1. Oops this is not going away

Ensign should have resigned by now. This is scandalous.
Rec

[spanone]

2. i will watch with glee

it couldn't happen to a bigger prick

:toast:

[malaise]

5. You'll have lots of company

:fistbump: :rofl:

[Hepburn]

4. It's like he thinks there are NO rules which apply to him! n/t

[malaise]

8. It's a FAMILY 'thingie'

They're special - rules do not apply to them - ask Sanford, Vitter, Bush, Cheney, Palin, etc.

Rachel will be discussing this shortly - too good. :hi:

[wtbymark]

3. We, in Nevada, can only hope n/t

[madokie]

6. What a trash heap he is

I doubt he makes it to the health care vote let alone much longer.

[malaise]

9. The fun has just begun

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/1262314.html
<snip>
Ensign's ex-mistress, husband sought $8.5 million
WASHINGTON -- Sen. John Ensign's former mistress and her husband sought an $8.5 million settlement from the Nevada Republican before the affair became public, The New York Times reported Thursday.

Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, a friend of Ensign, acted as an intermediary in negotiations last spring with the lawyer for Cindy and Doug Hampton before Ensign publicly admitted the relationship with Mrs. Hampton, the Times said.

According to the Times, Coburn rejected as "ridiculous" the $8.5 million figure suggested by the Hamptons' attorney, Daniel J. Albregts. The amount was to cover the purchase of the couple's home in Nevada, lost wages and pain and suffering.

The Times said that the Hamptons' lawyer came back with a $2 million figure, which Coburn passed on to the senator, who flatly rejected it.

Both Hamptons worked for Ensign while the affair was taking place, Doug Hampton as his administrative assistant and Cynthia Hampton as treasurer for two Ensign-controlled campaign committees.

Early last year, Coburn warned Ensign that if the affair did not end, Coburn would "go to Mitch," referring to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and tell him about the relationship.

The Times also reported that after Doug Hampton discovered the affair, Ensign played a role in helping Hampton get work representing NV Energy, the largest power company in Nevada, and Allegiant Air, a Las Vegas-based discount airline.
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Coburn is also up Shite creek

[madokie]

10. That is music to my ears

"Coburn is also up Shite creek," I can hope and dream on that one.

[gratuitous]

7. "He's a competent guy" What a ringingly tepid endorsement!

Could have at least said, "And his wife is smokin' hot!" Come on, Mr. Ensign. You can write a better letter of recommendation than that, can't you?