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Associated Press File
Sen. John Ensign’s office announced Wednesday that he is no longer the target of a Department of Justice investigation.
Published Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 | 1:10 p.m.
Updated Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010 | 6:30 p.m.
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Lawyers for Sen. John Ensign say the Department of Justice has halted its investigation of the Nevada senator, who was accused of improperly paying off employees to cover up an extramarital affair.
"The Department of Justice has informed us that Senator Ensign is no longer a target of its investigation and that it has no plans to bring any charges against him on this matter," lawyers said in statement.
This is the second recent reprieve for Ensign, with the Federal Election Commission deciding last month not to pursue a campaign finance complaint against the senator.
That leaves only the Senate Ethics Committee investigation into Ensign. On Tuesday, Sen. Barbara Boxer, the committee's chair, said she would not comment on progress, but said the investigation "is ongoing."
Ensign has already said he will run for re-election to a third term in 2012.
"It'll be a hard road, either way," he said Tuesday, prior to the news that the DOJ was dropping the complaint.
But a spokeswoman for Ensign said Wednesday that the news indicated that "truth in this matter is finally coming to light."
"He has long stated that he acted in accordance with the law," said spokeswoman Jennifer Cooper. "It is the senator's hope that the Ethics Committee soon follows suit."
Ensign became the subject of two independent ethics investigations, by the Department of Justice and the Senate Ethics Committee, last year after it was revealed that he had allegedly taken steps to steer lobbying work -- and a gift of $96,000 from his parents -- to Douglas Hampton, a former Ensign Senate office staffer and the wife of Cynthia Hampton, with whom Ensign was having an extended affair.
The affair took place between December 2007 and August 2008, while Cynthia Hampton was working for Ensign's campaign operations: Ensign for Senate and the Battleborn PAC, of which Ensign is honorary chair.
Ensign denied any wrongdoing, claiming the monetary gifts -- divided equally among the Hamptons and their children -- fell within legal limits, and that the job recommendations he made for Douglas Hampton were in line with what a boss would do for a former employee.
The revelation of the affair in June 2009 seemed all but guaranteed to decimate Ensign's political career, which some poll watchers were predicting might be geared toward a potential Senate run in 2012. But in the time since, it hadn't seemed likely that Ensign could even hang onto his Senate seat for the rest of his term.
That may all change now -- especially if the Ethics Committee follows the Justice Department's lead and drops charges.
Boxer didn't return an immediate request for comment.
Ensign declared his intention to seek re-election to a third term shortly after the November elections, despite having had to pay legal bills that had drained his election war chest to about $280,000, as reported in FEC filings for the last quarter, ending Sept. 30.
National Republican Senate campaign committee chairs haven't yet been willing to weigh in on Ensign's candidacy in 2012, but haven't been working against it either.
"All I can say is, there's bound to be a primary," Sen. John Cornyn said Tuesday.
But an emboldened Ensign may make it harder for others to stage challenging runs.
While Ensign's legal troubles are not behind him yet, the stakes have already been eased. While the Justice Department can pursue charges that carry fines or jail time, the Senate Ethics Committee by definition is limited in its punitive ability to the confines of the Congress.
If the Committee does indict him, the repercussions could still be serious -- the committee can recommend anything from simple censure to expulsion from the Senate.
But an indictment alone isn't even a political death sentence.
According to Historian of the Senate Donald K. Ritchie, there have been 11 senators who have been indicted, four of whom have been convicted -- though only two of those convictions stuck.
Senators who have been indicted and acquitted have gone on to re-election. Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison is one such example.
Neither would Ensign be the first senator who has cheated on his wife to stage a successful re-election campaign. Sen. David Vitter, who was implicated in the D.C. Madam scandal, managed to get a win in Louisiana last month by a margin of 20 points.
But Democrats in state political circles say regardless of what charges do or do not proceed, Ensign is tainted goods for 2012.
“This decision does not change the fact that John Ensign betrayed his own family, lied to his employees and ruined the lives of those he called friends," said a Nevada Democratic source who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the still-pending Senate investigation. "Ensign may have stopped the bleeding for now, but his self-inflicted wounds are still festering and remain far from healed. If anything, this only opens the door to swift punishment by the Senate Ethics Committee."
Good news for Senator John Ensign and Nevada. Bad news for the Ensign haters and demonizers...
Sure makes all of his enemies at the Sun look like total idiots doesn't it?
Ensign or Crazy Cat Lady Angle?
Looks like Ensign is the preferred candidate. After all, we know who would run if Ensign was prosecuted.
OK, who is going to get the Cynthia Hampton interview?
"Justice Department halts John Ensign probe"
wonder how much that cost his parents?
When will Greenspun eat a copy of his newspaper?
And how much did mommie and daddy pay this time?
Did he get advice from Clinton like be sure not to know what the word "is" is?
i can't wait to see who contributes to his election campaign...
that list will be scrutinized very very closely...
of course...
johnny is a snot nosed spoiled rich kid who was given everything in life...
and just took whatever else he wanted if mommy and daddy could not provide it...
even if it was his best friend's wife...
bottom line...
mommy and daddy ensign better get out the check book...
His parents are rich and powerful people. Did anyone ever think he would have to face the consequences for his criminal behavior. I knew this would happen. Still not a snow balls chance down south that we will send him back to the senate in 2012. Sharon Angle 2012!!!!
No surprise here. The real "juice" in Washington D.C. is named Reid not DeMint. Johnny-boy caught a break when Reid got re-elected. Reid talked to Obama, Obama talked to Holder, case closed.
If Harry Reid got re-elected after all of his negatives, then John Ensign should win by a landslide...
Okay, so Ensign successfully skirted the law. Still, is this the kind of person we want representing our state in the United States Senate? Either political party should be able to field a better candidate than John Ensign. Can we all find common ground on this one issue?
Clinton got away with criminal acts so....what is the big deal?
Democrats still worship him like a god....and they are whining about Ensign?????
The country my men and I founded has become a JOKE! Only in American can a sleaze like Ensign break laws and cheat on his wife and get away with it. Now his party blocked the child nutrion bill. Time for you sheep to wake up and get your heads out of your behinds.
Liberals/Democrats believe in selective enforcement of laws.
Enforce all laws, written and unwritten, with vigor against Conservatives.
But use maximum prosecutorial discretion when enforcing laws against Democrats...
What a bunch of hypocrites...
In 2012, John Ensign's seat will go to
a DEMOCRAT.
Nevada doesn't need anymore greedy republicans.
It is not the Republicans who are greedy and trying to tax everyone to death...
larry, what a crazy comment.
A 3% increase for the top 2% is taxing everyone
to death? Are you out of your mind?
Everyone under 250,000 keeps the tax break, is
what Obama wants.
Do you make over 250,000?
I luv Nevada politics...
:-)