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New Details Emerge in Ensign Sex Scandal

By KATHLEEN HENNESSEY
,
AP
posted: 1 HOUR 1 MINUTE AGO
comments: 1412
filed under: Political News, Scandals
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LAS VEGAS (July 9) — U.S. Sen. John Ensign's parents gave the Nevada Republican's mistress and her family nearly $100,000 "out of concern for the well being of longtime family friends during a difficult time," an attorney for the senator said Thursday.
In a statement sent to reporters, Paul Coggins described the payment as a single check for $96,000 given to Cindy and Doug Hampton and two of their children. It was given in April 2008, Coggins said, after the senator told his parents of his affair with Cindy Hampton, a campaign aide and longtime friend.
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"None of the gifts came from campaign or official funds, nor were they related to any campaign or official duties," the statement said. "Sen. Ensign has complied with all applicable laws and Senate ethics rules."
The statement comes a day after Doug Hampton told a Las Vegas television show that Ensign paid Cindy Hampton more than $25,000 in severance when she left her job as treasurer for two Ensign-controlled campaign committees.
Ensign had not commented directly on allegations of a payments to the Hamptons, but through a spokesman called Doug Hampton's statements "consistently inaccurate."
A Washington watchdog group has said such a payment could have violated campaign finance laws because it was not reported by the committees.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has sought a Senate ethics investigation and on Thursday sent a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for a criminal probe of the matter.
Coggins, a Dallas-based attorney with the firm Fish and Richardson PC, said no laws were violated with the $96,000 check.
"The gifts are consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others," he said. "The payments were made as gifts, accepted as gifts and complied with tax rules governing gifts."
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Ensign, a 51-year-old conservative Christian lawmaker, confessed to the affair last month, after Doug Hampton approached the media and sought money from the senator through an attorney.
Until May 2008, Doug Hampton also worked for Ensign, as a Senate aide. He said Wednesday that his livelihood had been ruined by his wife's affair.
The Hamptons and Ensigns have been friends for decades. Cindy Hampton and Ensign's wife, Darlene, went to high school together. The families live in adjacent gated communities in the Las Vegas suburbs and their children attend the same school.
Ensign is the son of wealthy casino mogul and Las Vegas businessman Mike Ensign.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.
2009-07-09 03:31:12
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BT7604

08:05 PMJul 10 2009

REPUBRETARDS 08:03 PMJul 10 2009 Yezzumboss08:01 PMJul 10 2009Yes, 10% unemployment overall. <<< So is this 10% unemployment number any different than the 10% that happened under Reagan in 1983?...WHERE'S THE "CHANGE"? YOU REMEMBER "CHANGE"? LMAO."CHANGE"

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(0)

Yakami11

08:05 PMJul 10 2009

The real thigs with the real bombs Bush was afraid of. Bilderberg doesnlt know how to handle them. China will only go so far.

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(1)

REPUBRETARDS

08:05 PMJul 10 2009

Did Hannity man up yet to get waterboarded so that the money Oberlman stated he would pay would go to military families?

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(2)

Steed4660

08:04 PMJul 10 2009

ezzumboss08:01 PMJul 10 2009Yes, 10% unemployment overall. People in our cities are now resorting to hunting down cats, dogs, and even rats to club dead, skin out, and grill for food.============================================================Wow! That is so sad! Why don't they just aerial hunt moose and wolves? It's the latest thing, I hear.

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(3)

REPUBRETARDS

08:03 PMJul 10 2009

Yezzumboss08:01 PMJul 10 2009Yes, 10% unemployment overall. <<< So is this 10% unemployment number any different than the 10% that happened under Reagan in 1983?

AVG RATING:
(2)

Yakami11

08:03 PMJul 10 2009

Bush finished whathis daddy didnlt have time to do. He go tyou here and now Obama is going to put the nail inthe coffin. How about that flu stuff

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HW12948

08:03 PMJul 10 2009

Only in your dreams. George Bush and Dick Cheney, with swords in hands, took prompt, bold, aggressive, and appropriate action to keep this country safe from Muslim terror. God Bless these honorable men of action.>>>>>Saddam hated terrorists. They were a threat to his secular govt. Even Darth Cheney has admitted that the WMD's were crap. Guess Hannity hasn't activated that part of your computer chip yet. You guys are more of a Collective than the borg...

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(7)

Wompin84

08:03 PMJul 10 2009

Ensign is starting a new Christian group called Promise Breakers where you can live out your adolescent fantasies by boning your friends hot spouses.

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(8)

Kinkboy1121

08:01 PMJul 10 2009

republicans have to reach up to scratch a snakes belly

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(5)

Yezzumboss

08:01 PMJul 10 2009

Yes, 10% unemployment overall. People in our cities are now resorting to hunting down cats, dogs, and even rats to club dead, skin out, and grill for food. Obama's solution - a new food chip is now becoming available and is selling in some bodegas. It's high-protine, greenish in colour, and is crunchy and delicious. It's called Soylent Green. Don't know what it's made of but I don't like the sound of it. Damn, how we all long for those good ole' days of Republican Leadership - when people had good jobs, good cars, good food, good health care, and most importantly, their dignity.

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