Sen. Ensign's parents gave family of mistress $96,000

[babylonsister]

:popcorn:

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/sen.-ensigns-parents-give-family-of-mistress-96000-2009-07-09.html

Sen. Ensign's parents gave family of mistress $96,000
By Reid Wilson
Posted: 07/09/09 03:22 PM


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 indiscretion, an attorney for the Nevada senator said Thursday.

Ensign's parents gave the gifts to Doug and Cindy Hampton, along with 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.

"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.

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.

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.

[BR_Parkway]

1. I've been screwed a ton of ways by various Congress persons - and no one

wrote me a check!

[WI_DEM]

2. Sounds like hush money to me!

[babylonsister]

5. You're being kind. But I guess it didn't work! nt

[Hepburn]

6. LMBO....

...nearly $100K...and it did not work!

:rofl:

[napi21]

3. Yea, but what about the $25,000 severance pay? Unless Ensign paid it out of his owm pocket,

wouldn't that also be against CFL's? Of course, if he paid it out of his own pocket, was it a bribe?

[babylonsister]

4. He's frantically trying to prove his or his family's money

was paid, not any campaign money. His desperation is showing.