Affair Revelations Cloud Senator's Future

POLITICO: Nevada Republican May Lose Chance At 2012 Presidential Nomination After Admitting Tryst With Campaign Staffer

(The Politico)  This story was written by Manu Raju and John Bresnahan

---

Sen. John Ensign acknowledged Tuesday that he had an affair with a campaign staffer - an admission that stunned his colleagues, hurt his chances for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination and called into question his future as a leader of the Senate GOP.

The Nevada Republican admitted in Las Vegas Tuesday that he had "violated the vows" of marriage by having an affair with a staffer. He did not identify the woman except to say that she and her husband were both "close friends" who worked for him, and that "the closeness" of their relationship had "put me in situations which led to my inappropriate behavior."

But current and former aides to the Nevada Republican say the woman was 46-year-old Cynthia Hampton, a campaign staffer whose husband was a top aide in Ensign’s Senate office.

"It was known in [Ensign’s] inner circle that they were involved," a former aide told POLITICO.

Hampton served as the treasurer for Ensign’s reelection campaign and for his leadership fund, Battle Born PAC. According to people familiar with the matter, Ensign’s affair with Hampton took place between December 2007 and August 2008. FEC records show that she ended her affiliation with the two committees in early 2008.

Hampton is married to Douglas Hampton, who, according to Senate records, served as Ensign’s administrative assistant in his personal office from November 2006 to May 2008 - around the same time Cynthia Hampton left Ensign’s committees.

A call to the Hamptons’ Las Vegas home Tuesday night was not returned; in a statement, Ensign’s wife said the situation has "been difficult on both families."

Douglas Hampton was paid about $101,000 in 2008 and $144,000 in 2007 as Ensign’s administrative assistant. But a financial disclosure form he filed in 2007 and 2008 - required for senior congressional staffers - showed only checking and savings account worth a maximum $30,000 combined.

A review of public records shows that the Hamptons in 2006 took out a $1.2 million mortgage on their Las Vegas home, at an interest rate of 8 percent.

Political insiders in Nevada and in the Senate said that Ensign decided to acknowledge the affair publicly after the husband of the woman he had been seeing asked him for a substantial sum of money.

Ensign described the affair Tuesday as "the worst thing I have ever done in my life."

"If there was ever anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it. I take full responsibility for my actions," he said.

Ensign said he deeply regretted the affair - and that he remains committed to his Senate duties.

Sources said Ensign strayed while he was separated from his wife. The two have since reconciled. And in a statement to the Las Vegas Sun Tuesday, Darlene Ensign said: “Since we found out last year, we have worked through the situation, and we have come to a reconciliation. This has been difficult on both families. With the help of our family and close friends, our marriage has become stronger.”

Ensign informed fellow Nevadan Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader, about his situation prior to making his public announcement.

"I don’t know the details. I talked with him today," Reid told POLITICO Tuesday afternoon. "Of course, he’s my friend. This is a private, family matter. I just hope that Darlene and he work things out."

Reid said he didn’t offer any advice on how to handle the situation. "I didn’t give him any advice," he said. "I just told him he’s my friend. I’m pulling for him. Anything I can do to help, let me know."

Rumors of the affair circulated through the Capitol Tuesday in the hours before Ensign made his announcement. Republican senators were stunned by the news, and Ensign’s future as chairman of the GOP Policy Committee - the No. 4 job in the GOP Senate leadership - was expected to be a topic for discussion among senators Wednesday.

Elected in 2000, the 51-year-old Ensign has moved up the leadership chain in the Senate. As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2008, Ensign oversaw the devastating losses by GOP candidates. But his party largely spared him of blame, casting it instead on an unpopular president who dragged down the party’s brand. Since then, Ensign has sought to articulate conservative principles and is a mainstay at GOP news conferences deriding Democrats’ domestic policies.

A staunch fiscal and social conservative, Ensign has been considered a rising star in his party, recently making headlines by speaking at events in Iowa, raising speculation about his interest in a run for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012.

A born-again Christian, Ensign has been a member of the Promise Keepers, a male evangelical group that promotes marital fidelity.

When former Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested in an airport men’s room in the summer of 2007, Ensign was among Craig’s toughest critics, saying Craig should step down because he had been charged with a crime.

"I wouldn’t put myself, hopefully, in that kind of position, but if I was in a position like that, that’s what I would do," Ensign told The Associated Press at the time.

During the 1998 impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Ensign, then a Senate candidate, called on Clinton to resign.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Nevada Republican May Lose Chance At 2012
Presidential Nomination After Admitting
Tryst With Campaign Staffer"


Are you kidding me?

This skanky politician should be thrown out
for being a TWO FACED, LIAR, to GOD, and his
voter base.

The man LIED to GOD and COUNTRY.

Pleeezzze go away, we need fewer out and out
liars and repentant jackazzes like this
sleeze ball "running" (ruining) our country.

He needs to be run out ASAP, just as he did
with others.

He found another hole to put his little head in,
he may just want to crawl in there and rot.

I'm tired of all these two faced reeetards telling
us how they have "changed".

Go visit your skanky political friend in Lousyana.

[starleo146]

What Rush??? What did you say about this???? I didn't hear you, I said I didn't hear you.

[mark19572]

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE SENATOR'S POLITICAL FUTURE,, BUT "HE WHO IS WITHOUT SIN , SHALL CAST THE FIRST STONE"

[rushlimpdrug]

Hey stupid, I'll throw the stone with no problem.

The man LIED to GOD, and COUNTRY.

Would you trust a bank robber with a bank because
he "repented"?

Your thinking is what is keeping these corrupt
politicians in power.

[starleo146]

If Senator Ensign hadn't acted holier than thou about all the other Senator's and Clinton and doing the same thing himself, paying the women involved with a big pay raise, her husband likewise, and a cousin to the accused all with campaign money he should resign not only did he go against the principles of the organization of family values he belongs to he committed a crime to hide it from all concerned. So for all of this he should resign, his voters will never forget his hypocrisy.His family is who I feel sorry for.

[Sloughfoot]

You made your bed and you slept in it. Now just "Go aawy"!

[randomlybanned]

Yes, Republicans are moral people and we do not want an adulterer as president. We can forgive but not forget. Rudy G had the same problem when he was running. Dims, on the other hand, have no problem with any past indiscretions or even criminal or illegal behavior by their candidates. Just see Fwanks, Dodd, Pelosi, Burris, Blogovich, Obama, etc. The list could go on forever.

[jeff-fla]

You know how they are, Do as I say not as I do.

[stn_sage]

After pretending to be a Christian Conservative, and demanding that other politicians step down who likewise committed adultery, I believe he should follow his own advice, and do so, with all rapid speed!

And, I wouldn't remotely consider him for any additional political office!

[indythoughts]

The issue is really the hypocrisy with Republicans. People in both parties cheat but the Republicans brand themselves as the party of morality. That is why politially it is worse for Republicans. Democrats have more fun out in the open. Vitter - cavorting with hookers, Ensign - sleeping with his top aide's wife. At least Vitter will be replaced by Bobby Jindal in LA if he chooses to run for the Senate.

[asoneparadise]

STEP down you PERVERT... for God sake... STEP down!!!
He had his fingers, toes, hands, lips and mouth inside the katonchi of some Ho. He had his old gray haired nutsack slappin against some washed-up Vegas showgirl's lettuce pussiegalora, and they hung out in some low_end Vegas strip hotel room with a Do NOT Disturb sign on the door at the taxpayers expense. Can you imagine??? Uhk!!!

STEP down Senator, STEP down!!!

[toldyouso29]

"A born-again Christian, Ensign has been a member of the Promise Keepers, a male evangelical group that promotes marital fidelity."

THE PART NOT TOLD...LMAO. About the time the affair started, Hamilton received a promotion and a raise from one company that was affiliated with Ensign and received a pay raise for another company affiliated with Ensign that she also worked for at the same time.

it looks like there are no innocents in this matter except maybe Ensign's wife. It appears Hamilton pimped his wife out and when that did not help their finances, then they decided to go for blackmail or extortion. Ensign decided to come clean rather than get milked whenever the couple needed more money--but he should also step down--public trust and infidelity does not go hand in hand--because if you don't honor your commitments and lie and deceive the one you love--how can the public to expect anything more than lies and deceit and dishonor--when you have no ties to them?

The saying goes: If you will do that much to your family--then how much more are you capable of doing to the ones you don't even know?

[silver1237]

How fast we forget the "Bill and Monica Show" lack of Morality is not Party specific. Breaking that trust between a marital partner is tragic and sad no matter whoit happens to. Another life and family in Ruins.

[dubya_luvr]

Behold, Republican morals at work!

"Do as we say, not as we do"
"Ethics are for the LITTLE people"
"Hypocrisy? Is that French? Never heard of it"

[dubya_luvr]

Behold, Republican morals at work!

"Do as we say, not as we do"
"Ethics are for the LITTLE people"
"Hypocrisy? Is that French? Never heard of it"

[bpai99]

If it is indeed true that Ensign made this announcement because the husband of the woman involved tried to blackmail the Senator, that husband is an idiot and almost as big a fool as Ensign.

Ensign is not up for re-election for the Senate until 2012. He was positioning himself to run for President, possibly in 2012. Why blackmail him now? Wait until his re-election year, or until he's a serious Presidential contender or possibly even the GOP nominee. This guy clearly failed the part of Blackmail 101 related to timing - don't put the screws on until your intended victim has the most to lose.

[parrots7]

"I don?t know the details. I talked with him today," Reid told POLITICO Tuesday afternoon. "Of course, he?s my friend. This is a private, family matter. I just hope that Darlene and he work things out."

Reid said he didn?t offer any advice on how to handle the situation. "I didn?t give him any advice," he said. "I just told him he?s my friend. I?m pulling for him. Anything I can do to help, let me know."

"I wouldn?t put myself, hopefully, in that kind of position, but if I was in a position like that, that?s what I would do," Ensign told The Associated Press at the time.

During the 1998 impeachment of President Bill Clinton, Ensign, then a Senate candidate, called on Clinton to resign.



Dumb Repugs !

[texasbilt]

Congress continues to avoid ethics reform for it's members. If they are serious they will enact a policy that calls for the immediate resignation for those violating their own list of stated rules. If the guilty person is a Republican, then the Democrat that lost the last election takes over the office until the next election; if the guilty person is a Democrat, then the Republican that lost the last election takes over the office until the next election.

[parrots7]

Then there'll be no More Republicans in government. Cheers!

[a2guy1]

Seems like it's time for Mr. Ensign to follow his own suggestion and resign. Doubt it will happen though. Things change when the shoe's on the other foot.

[starleo146]

If this was a democrat cnn, cbs, abc, nbc, and faux nooz, the republicans would be on these stations around the clock with negative comments.I wish the lawmakers would think with their heads but lets face it all of them think with how fast their zipper works.He needs to do the honorable thing and resign,no wonder nothing gets done in Wash. D.C.

[earlysaid]

Another oh so righteous and oh so hypocritical republican bites the dust. Republicans fooled their followers that they were so pure and lilly white. Fact is they were the much more corrupt party, and that keeps being proved time and time again.

[mypatch]

These are the people that God wants. If your pure and lilly white he already has you. God is working on all of these sinners. Good luck.
Don't worry the Dems do the same thing. Remember Clinton!

[gravyboat3000]

He only announced this after the staff member he schtooped asked for money or she'd expose him for the cheater he is.

However, I'm glad to hear that he and his wife are working on their marriage, it's nice to see them still together.

[thebob-bob]

You can't trust Republicans with the economy. You can't trust Republicans with foreign policy. You can't trust Republicans with the environment. And now, it's even clearer than ever, the you can't trust Republicans with being the Morality Police!

[parrots7]

Can't trust em around your wives or kids either it seems. Dumb Repugs !

[licht1]

John Ensign is a veterinarian. Is "Neuter and Spay the Only Way"?

See:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/06/17/john-ensign-promise-keeper/

[johndevinejr]

No, of course not. Just pray for forgiveness, the slate is wiped clean and you are off to the races once again.