Ensign's Ex-Mistress Sought $8.5M Payoff

(AP)  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.

On Thursday, Ensign's office responded to the report with an e-mail noting that it had previously been publicized that the senator helped Hampton get two jobs. Ensign's office did not reply to further questions.

Coburn's spokesman could not be reached for comment.

Ensign has a long record of assisting Allegiant and NV Energy. The Times reported that Hampton, in coordination with Ensign and his staff, played a significant role in pushing the Washington agendas of both companies.

According to the newspaper, Hampton spent the summer of 2008 strategizing with the senator's chief of staff, John Lopez.

Following requests from Hampton, said the newspaper, Ensign called the secretary of transportation last year on behalf of Allegiant Air. Ensign also arranged for Hampton and his clients to meet the new transportation secretary in a successful effort to resolve a dispute with a competitor, the Times said.

[stuart-johns1]

I notice the many, many vile, negative comments posted by republicans about the IOC's decision to award the 2016 Olympics to Brazil. Curious they want to make this a "personal" issue about Obama. But they have always gone after Obama "personally" anyway. They just want him to fail period.

Anyway. Why are'nt the hypocrit fools here making the same "personal" attacks against this blatant immoral and corrupt behavior of two of their own?

It's so telling is'nt it. The republican trolls are just soooooooooo pathetic.

[timdgrim]

'The Family' brotherhood of C-Street is starting to unravel. They've moved their lair from C-Street to somewhere else so they can make more plans to govern the non-rich and connected as "God Intended"...What a crock of criminal fundamentalist hypocrites!

[Hosheen]

Let's see, TWO politicians engaging in an illegal act to cover up the immoral activities of one! Wow! When did that ever happen in either party?

What's disturbing is that they are not going to be fired, as would happen in the real world, much less go to jail, as would also happen in the real world. But politics is nothing like the real world, is it?

[babooph]

Hookers can always ask for a lot more from a family values guy....

[newsworthy8]

Yes Republicans we are glad he is your problem, unfortunately I live in Nevada. Get rid of this scum of an idiot..

[wadem7-2009]

I wonder what Ensign and Coburn would have done if confronted with the faux-pimp and prostitute the RightWing unleashed on ACORN? Forget the tax dodge; they probably would have set them up in business in Las Vegas!

[Sloughfoot]

He'll find it cheaper down on Lower Street.

[vuenbelvue]

He could have gotten the lobbiest who are interested in a high speed rail system from 60 miles outside Los Angeles to a desert town (Las Vegas) with no water to contribute $8.5 million.

[imnho]

They have a strange concept of family values. One senator acting like a pimp negoating a deal for the other senators expenisive lady of then night. It lT looks like they were trying to blackmail the senator and it almost worked. They just got hung up on the price tag.

Senator Esign should resign ASAP.

[msimamaji]

Wowee!!!

Isn't the GOP the party of family values and Christian morality. Right now the GOP seem like a bunch of pimps and johns. Let's pull out that good old fashioned country-Western classic, "The Harper Valley PTA."
The GOP once again proves to be Harper Valley hypocrites.