Ensign's Parents Gave Mistress $96K
(CBS)
The Nevada Republican's parents gave the gifts to Cindy Hampton, Doug Hampton and their two children in April 2008 after learning about the affair, Ensign's attorney Paul Coggins said in a statement.
The gifts came in the form of $12,000 checks from each parent to each member of the Hampton family, totaling $96,000 -- small enough amounts to make them exempt from IRS reporting requirements and exempt from gift taxes.
Coggins said in the statement the gifts were made "out of concern for the well-being of long-time family friends during a difficult time" and were "consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others."
None of the gifts came from campaign or official funds, Coggins said, nor were they related to any campaign or official duties. He said Ensign has complied with all applicable laws and Senate ethics rules.
The statement was released after the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington today asked the Justice Department to investigate Ensign's payments to Hampton.
The secrets of tennis legend 
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 60 Commentsseveral things wrong with this--unless the laws have really changed. The IRS is well aware of people trying to 'beat the system' and therefore they installed these caveats for the 12K/year amounts:
1. Recipients can only receive 12K TOTAL in payments in a given tax year. Such amounts still must be reported to the IRS though they would be exempt from taxes.
2. To be eligible, recipients must be over 18 years of age and the disbursements must be disclosed at tax time.
If any money was given to kids underage, this must be tallied with the amount to the parents and as such, if the parents are already at their limit---then the amount over must be disclosed and taxed
3. If money was funneled to Ensign's parents and then back to the Hamptons, this paper trail will be investigated--if so, it may be prosecutable
4. If this money was from their personal monies, still the amounts over 1 year will be scrutinized also, since Ensign is indicated stress placed on him and his family to pay up or face consequences, the idea of extortion and/or blackmail must be explored.
5. The relationship of Ensign's parents to the Hamptons must be explored. If it turns out that the Hamptons had only a cursory relationship or NO relationship with Ensign's parents then they were simply a front from which payoffs were made and the real source of the money as well as the reason it was given must be examined.
This is far from over and it looks like several laws were broken. Personal lawyers are known for denying all guilt or culpability--that does not make it so--after all, the lawyer does not get in trouble for his lies or position--it is his client who will either benefit or suffer from the lies the lawyer tells.
This group numbered less than 20 people, and what's even more striking, NOT ONE YOUNG MARINE. In the heart of Marine country.
If they can't pull a crowd here, they haven't got a chance of appealing to anyone meaningful except other old, bigoted hypocrites like themselves.
The party used to stand for a few reasonable beliefs, but they decided to pander to bigots masquerading as christians; The results of that are a stain on the history of the greatest nation on Earth, the country I love and served in uniform proudly, just like my father and his before him.
So keep up the good work! Dig that hypocrite's grave deep and wide, and keep jumping in 'til you are all a bad memory and the rest of us can get on with fixing the world you broke.
Clearly, Senator Ensign should leave office, immediately if not sooner.
2. Paid hush money
3. Paid it in small increments to avoid taxes
The term republican is beginning to mean dishonesty.
Right. Where I come from, that's called hush money.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- next
See all 60 Comments