Ensign admits payment to Hamptons

Posted: Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:50 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Republicans

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier today, we mentioned how the John Ensign story was getting stranger. Now an attorney for the 51-year-old Nevada senator has admitted that Ensign's parents paid Cindy Hampton (the campaign staffer he had his affair with), Doug Hampton (her husband, who had also worked for Ensign), and their children a total of $96,000.

Here's the statement from Ensign attorney Paul Coggins:

In April 2008, Senator John Ensign's parents each made gifts to Doug Hampton, Cindy Hampton, and two of their children in the form of a check totaling $96,000. Each gift was limited to $12,000. The payments were made as gifts, accepted as gifts and complied with tax rules governing 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. The gifts are consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others.

None of the gifts came from campaign or official funds nor were they related to any campaign or official duties. Senator Ensign has complied with all applicable laws and Senate ethics rules.

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Comments

So-that's how that family values thing works out--son has an extramarital affair and his parents help him out with "gifts" to the girlfriend and her family. Not blackmail or a payoff, of course. Just Republican family values at work. Now I understand.

Steeler Fan Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:56 PM)

Wow, the Hamptons ended up with $96000! That's all Rielle Hunter got out her deal with John Edwards was a baby.

Andrea G., NY NY (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:57 PM)

Affairs are never easy, or cheap.

Bill C., Chappaqua NY (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:59 PM)

The GOP needs to burn away the political fat (and if they are nothing but political fat then they just need to burn).

I hoping for a re-birth of conservatism, but I think the reality is this party is going to simply get buried next to the whigs, and the know-nothing party...My apathy for two party politics has intesified quite a lot over the last month.

Jonathan Flint, MI (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:59 PM)

I should have hooked Senator Ensign up with my sources. It would have been a heck of a lot cheaper.

Eliot S., Bronx NY (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:00 PM)

Gives a whole different meaning to "Spending the Weekend in the Hamptons".

P. Technorati (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:02 PM)

Sounds like a payoff to keep your mouth shut type of thing to me! Stinks like rotten road kill!

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:04 PM)

Might be time for Ensign to buy a dog.

Jim Fiddo, Lincoln NE (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:04 PM)

Oh, for crying out loud.

In the interst of full disclosure, my parents gave my best friend a crystal vase and a handknitted throw for her sofa last year.

And, Mr. Montanare-I looked up your CNN/Opinion research poll.

It came out in LATE JUNE. As in, before the latest jobs report; to be fair, so did Quinnipiac's national poll.

I guess you get to keep your Obama decoder pin, awarded to ALL members of his press fan club.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:05 PM)

Let's play Lawyer Ball!

See, it was all just a nice, legal, Christian gesture on the part of the Senator's parents! A gift!

LMAO! Nothing to see here!

JC from IA (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:06 PM)

shawn, mobile, alabama (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:06 PM)

Well, I guess this where the bad economy is leading us all to. Now in days you have to screw a Senator in order to pay your kids way through college.

Brian Bounds (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:07 PM)

These government officials such as this guy and Sanford are not just having affairs, they are abandoning their positions to do it, and using Tax Payer money to have their fun. If lying, cheating, and using the hard earned money of their contstituents is not enough for them to be unseated, what is? What if this was Clinton? How effective can these people be now too with all the drama following their lives? Mistresses, missing money, tasks being ignored that now need to be attended to-Really? They need to go!

shannon (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:10 PM)

So his parents made a act of kindness for what seems a shortfall by there son. I see that as something that should not be raked over the unbiased coals.

Don

Don Myers, Sunnyvale, Calif (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:10 PM)

At least Cindy Hampton is hot. Sometimes these guys pick some real anti-lookers.

JTL - Kentucky (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:10 PM)

He is starting to lie most likely. That is always what brings politicians down. He is a grown man. Why would his parents pay his mostress and her family except to try to hide the payment from auditors. Does he really think we are ALL that stupid or just his Republican supporters.

Elliot Round Rock Texas (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:11 PM)

Well, this is really something. I'll bet if you dig a little deeper you'll find some tax payer dollars.
Perhaps, his attorney should spend time looking for cheddar and less time on spinning lies.
-------------------------------------------
Disgusted in america (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 1:38 PM)
Let's hear it for the black man who thinks he knows everything who is married to the black lady who thinks she has a great figure!

What great qualifications!
And don't forget the news media who all sleep at the foot of his bed!
**********************************
Disgusted
You truly are disgusting. To accuse Your President’s only qualifications to be race is most definitely ill. President Obama is light years away from your kind. Get educated, learn something about the democratic process of this great republic and rid yourself of what could possibly turn into cancer.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:14 PM)

How sad all of this is! It's high time that politicians of all flavors (conservative, liberal, independent,..etc) take their oaths of office and their wedding oaths extremely serious. It's time for all politicians to stop thinking they're above the law and bigger than life. Most of them campaing on being "public servants". Well, it's high time they keep that humble mentality as they "serve" so that they don't put themselves in positions to be seduced with money, sex, or any other form of power. Our nation has "fooled around" long enough now. God is not mocked. What we sow we will also reap. America, it's time to return to God!!

Self examination (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:14 PM)

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. The gifts are consistent with a pattern of generosity by the Ensign family to the Hamptons and others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hmmm... what's the word I'm looking for here???

Oh I know...

Blackmail! You Betcha!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:16 PM)

nothing good comes from an affair everyone hurts in the end. he needs to get out of poltics so this story just goes away.

mike ca (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:16 PM)

Over $96,000.00? DAYUMMMM!!!!

WOW (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:18 PM)

Sounds like a payoff to keep your mouth shut type of thing to me! Stinks like rotten road kill!
Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA

What more do you need to know?

Kiss and Tell (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:19 PM)

His parents were helping him? His colleagues knew about it? This is weird. How often is this happening in Washington? Is this what our tax dollars are doing or is it just doing this for Republicans? This is crazy!
shawn, mobile, alabama

How often does this happen in Washington? You have got to be kidding. You thought that clock with the numbers on it counting upward was the National Debt clock? Nope. That's how many politicians are having affairs in Washington!

There are two types of politicians in DC. Ones that have been caught cheating, and ones that will be caught cheating.

Two Ferr (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:25 PM)

And the Repuke party claims that gay marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage? They need to look in the mirror because their actions are more damaging to the sanctity of marriage. They resemble what most consider today of marriage is something that can be tossed out the window very easily. What makes these things worse is that the Repukes claim to family values which they do NOT represent FAMILY VALUES AT ALL!!!!!!!!!!And when one of their own commits an adultery they claim it was in weekness or this is a private matter or that we should forgive them, BUT when someone outside of their party does something like this THEY GO BALLISTIC!!!!!!HYPOCRISY IS THEIR MANTRA!!!!

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:27 PM)

Gives a whole different meaning to "Spending the Weekend in the Hamptons".
P. Technorati (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:02 PM)
__________

Man, I almost did a Nathan Lane spit-take reading that one. Classic!!!

Thanks for the laugh! (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:32 PM)

There are those of us who know we all have faults (or, "we are all sinners," for my more devout friends,) which me must accept to be true. What is getting old is the preaching about what can and can not be done in the bedroom then, PRESTO AN AFFAIR...
So all the i's are dotted and all the t's crossed and all these bribes are legal, I do not care. Just stop telling others what is right and what is wrong concerning their private lives. This goes under the heading of FREEDOM, something you all are trying to push down the throats of the rest of the world.
Why would foreign countries want this pick and choose - what I say is right - brand of freedom?
One thing about this specific set of legal bribes does confuse me. There is one check for $96,000 to broken down into gifts for two parents and two children to the legal amount of $12,000 each so no taxes need to be payed. Does this cover two years? Can one check be written for two years, or is it retroactive to the beginning of the affair?
This looks like fuzzy math to me, I would think the IRS should look into the whole scam...

Tim Stocken, Highland Lakes, NJ (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:33 PM)

America, it's time to return to God!!

Self examination (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:14 PM)
------------------------------------------------------
The problem has nothing to do with god. I don't do the right thing because I fear god. I do the right thing because it is the right thing! I once had a boss that gave me the best advice ever . . . Before you do something that you think might not be the right thing, picture it in a headline. Then make your decision.

That said, all people have weaknesses and make mistakes. Treat others with kindness and don't be too judgmental. Because one day you may end up in their shoes!

Chris - IL (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:34 PM)

So, let's get him under oath and get to the truth!!!

M Lewinsky (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:34 PM)

Gosh, must be nice, for 51 year old Ensign to have his parents bail him out. Maybe Ensign is 15, not 51.

Ensign is so very DONE. Stick a fork in him!

Ed, San Antonio (Sent Thursday, July 09, 2009 4:48 PM)

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