Ensign: Sex, Money, Power, Bribery, Extortion Cover-up

Part I Segment 1 Part I Segment 2 Part I Segment 3 Part I Segment 4

Part II of the Ralston interview of Hampton can be found at the Las Vegas Sun. Reporters J. Patrick Coolican and Lisa Mascaro’s article on the the shrinking GOP support of Senator Ensign can also be found on the Las Vegas Sun. Additionally, Jon Ralston writes about why the story is about Ensign — and his hypocrisy and lies.

The Ensign soap opera just continues to build. It has a good chance of becoming a movie, when once it is all sorted out. It has all the ingredients for a John Grisham book.

At the center is Nevada’s Republican Senator, 51- year old John Ensign (see also Project Vote Smart and OpenSecrets) and 46-year old Cynthia Hampton, who carried on an adulterous affair for months while employed by Cynthia’s husband, Doug Hampton.

Ensign’s parents, Michael and Sharon Ensign, “paid the (Hampton) family a total of $96,000 about the time Cindy and Doug stopped working for Ensign. Ensign’s attorney said the money was paid by the elder Ensigns “out of concern of the well-being of the longtime family friends during a difficult time.” Further that the gifts were “consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others.”

Ever astute as to money matters, Michael and Sharon cut the $96,000 into four $12,000 payments to avoid taxes.

I don’t buy that for a minute. They were paying money to the Hamptons to shut them up. The $96,000 was on top of the $25,000 severance pay to Cindy when she left Ensign’s employ from Ensign’s election campaign and as bookkeeper for his political action committee, Battle Born PAC.

Doug Hampton comes across as sort of a sleazy guy is trying to milk this thing for all it’s worth. Close to extortion.

Related posts:

1. Ripples from the Ensign affair
2. Ensign’s “Dear John” letter to Cynthia Hampton
3. Ensign: In a new bind re Hampton affair
4. The Ensign Affair Plot Thickens
5. Senator McConnell keeping his mouth shut