Posted on 07/09/2009 2:00:51 PM PDT by freespirited
Sen. John Ensign's (R-Nev.) parents gave the family of the woman with whom he had an affair gifts totaling $96,000 after they learned of their son's affair, an attorney for the Nevada senator said Thursday.
Ensign's parents gave the gifts to Doug and Cindy Hampton and two of their children, in the form of a single check. The gifts were limited to $12,000 per person at most, in order to avoid taxes on gifts, given by each of Ensign's parents.
After the senator told his parents about the affair, his parents decided to make the gifts out of concern for the well-being of long-time family friends during a difficult time," said Ensign attorney Paul Coggins, in a statement released Thursday. "The gifts are consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others."
Ensign's parents wrote the check in April 2008, the same month both Hamptons left Ensign's office. Doug Hampton was Ensign's chief of staff, while Cindy Hampton was treasurer for both Ensign's campaign and his political action committee.
Ensign's parents are independently wealthy. His father, Michael, was chairman and chief executive officer of the company that ran the Mandalay Bay casino before retiring.
Coggins said the gifts did not come from campaign or official funds, which would have been a violation of campaign finance and Senate ethics rules.
On Thursday, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington called for a criminal investigation into a payment of $25,000 given to Cindy Hampton in severance. If that money came out of Ensign's own pocket, it would constitute an in-kind contribution to the campaign committee, CREW argues.
None of Ensign's campaign arms reported such an in-kind contribution. Failure to report contributions would violate campaign finance law.
CREW has previously filed complaints against Ensign with both the Federal Election Commission and the Senate ethics committee. The latest complaint, filed with the Justice Department, alleging that giving that much money to a political action committee and failing to report contributions that high amount to a felony offense.
The disclosure of the gifts comes a day after an interview in which Doug Hampton admitted to discussions between his attorney and Ensign's surrounding restitution he sought in the amount of millions of dollars. The interview, on a Las Vegas politics and public affairs show, has reinvigorated a scandal that Ensign appeared to have successfully put behind him.
Meanwhile, both Ensign and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) have said Hampton was not honest during the interview, with Nevada political expert Jon Ralston. Hampton told Ralston Coburn was present when Ensign wrote a letter to Cindy Hampton professing to end the affair.
"In response to [Wednesday's] television interview, Sen. Ensign said Doug Hampton was consistently inaccurate in his statements," Ensign spokesman Tory Mazzola said in a statement released Wednesday.
Coburn told reporters Thursday morning he was not present when Ensign wrote the letter, nor did he suggest a financial settlement of any kind with Hampton, a statement at odds with Hampton's claims. But Coburn has acknowledged he counseled Ensign, with whom he shares a house in Washington, to end the affair.
A Coburn spokesman put out a blistering statement late Wednesday saying had Ensign listened to the Oklahoma Republican, the affair would not be so bad.
Late Thursday, Coburn refused to elaborate on Ensign's predicament.
"There's nothing I can add to it," Coburn told The Hill when asked why he would not answer more questions.
Ensign is refusing to describe his relationship with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), though he told the Las Vegas Sun on Thursday his colleague and housemate was correct.
"His statement, as far as my recollection, is accurate," Ensign told the Sun. "If I had listened to him things would have been a lot better off."
Part two of Ralston's interview with Hampton airs Thursday night.
So, the “hush” money didn’t work?
“If I had listened to him things would have been a lot better off.”
Yeah, no s**t, John.
Ready to hang myself. It appears Zero, Pelosi and Reid might take the Donkeys down with them and now losers like Ensign and Sanford are giving them get out of jail cards.
So Coburn’s now gotten himself involved in this mess?
KEEP YOUR NOSE CLEAN, CONSERVATIVES.
Props to Coburn for telling Ensign to stop it.
'In mid-February, Hampton said he realized the affair was continuing and asked four friends — including Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) — to confront Ensign. The four men, all members of the Fellowship Foundation, a Christian prayer organization, urged Ensign to write a letter to Cindy Hampton making clear the affair was over.
It was Coburn and the Fellowship Foundation members, Hampton said, who urged Ensign to pay off the Hamptons' house and move them to Colorado. In a statement provided to the Las Vegas Sun, a Coburn spokesman confirmed the Oklahoma senator's involvement.'
That's some high-priced bullshit.
The Hamptons blackmailed Sen. Ensign. Nothing they say can be believed. Sounds like Coburn tried to get Ensign to put an end to it, but he would not.
His PARENTS paid off the Blackmail?? OMG! That is disgusting.
I agree, they dont sound like saints either.
Mighty expensive piece of tail.
Who’s on deck in Nevada?
At least Sanford didn’t ask his momma to pay off the argenitine babe.
You mean people don't cough 100 G's your way when you're facing hard times? That sh** happens to me almost every day.
Right after the HABITUAL DRUG ADDICT Patrick Kennedy. I am sick of “throwing the baby out with the bathwater” mentality. Why are we so quick to jetison folks who make mistakes. How PURE must a politician be? So many on FR were ready to throw Ted Stevens out. Now were stuck with an absolute liberal asshole and Ted Stevens has been exonerated.
Yikes! Something smells. To buy some kinky photos?
The Hampton’s are running a skin game. she has sx with Ensign and he walks in like he didnt know what was going on.
They both need to spend some time in jail.
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