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twitterTHE SENATOR’S SCANDAL :
Ensign’s pal lacked usual qualifications for top job
Sunday, July 5, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Sen. John Ensign with his wife, Darlene, and Cynthia and Doug Hampton.
Ensign Admits Affair
U.S. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., acknowledged an extramarital affair with a campaign staff member Tuesday afternoon at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas.
Sun Archives
- Handling the public display of contrition (6-27-2009)
- Off the cuff, Ensign guarded but genial (6-26-2009)
- Fox News had Hampton’s letter earlier than it said (6-24-2009)
- For Ensign, a new lot in Congress (6-24-2009)
- Ensign apologizes during lunch with GOP senators (6-23-2009)
- Back in Washington, Ensign received warmly (6-23-2009)
- Ensign back in D.C.; group plans ethics complaint (6-22-2009)
- In state GOP, Ensign finds few defenders (6-21-2009)
- War of words between Ensign and Hampton escalates (6-20-2009)
Sun Coverage
When Sen. John Ensign hired Doug Hampton to be his senior aide in November 2006, Nevada Republicans were baffled.
Hampton was an unknown, without a policy profile or political experience.
According to eight Nevada and Washington Republicans, Hampton’s chief qualification: He and Ensign were best friends, as were their wives.
“It was a hire based on a relationship,” said a prominent Republican who was granted anonymity to speak freely.
“Best pals,” said another Republican. “It was ridiculous.”
Ensign’s decision to hire Hampton turned out to be fateful. From the end of 2007 until August 2008, Ensign had an affair with Hampton’s wife, Cynthia, who also worked for Ensign. The senator acknowledged the affair last month in a brief statement.
The matter threatens to destroy the career of the second-term lawmaker, who had been considered a rising star in Republican politics. Ensign faces the possibility of multiple investigations related to the affair, his relationships with his employees and payments to the Hamptons. Ensign and the Hamptons declined to be interviewed for this story.
Among the questions Republicans are asking:
Why did Ensign hire the Hamptons?
More fundamentally, who are they?
An unusually low profile
Few people in Washington or Nevada are familiar with the one-time top aide, which is unusual. Senior aides to U.S. senators are generally well known in policy and political circles, especially if the senator has a profile as high as the one Ensign enjoyed.
Cynthia Hampton and Darlene Ensign have been friends since they both attended Canyon High School in Anaheim, Calif. Cynthia and Doug Hampton married in the late 1980s, and they lived in Orange County, Calif., in the 1990s.
Doug Hampton, who has a business management degree from California State University, Fullerton, worked in the Southern California aerospace industry for more than 25 years, according to a biography distributed at a 2006 energy industry conference.
In 2004, the Hamptons purchased a 4,360-square-foot stucco villa on a cul-de-sac in a Summerlin-area gated community for $1.2 million. The Ensigns live nearby. The Hamptons keep mostly to themselves, said several neighbors who requested anonymity because of the high profile nature of the dispute.
When the Hamptons first came to Nevada, Doug Hampton got a job at what was then Nevada Power. A Republican source said Ensign helped Hampton land there. He was a manager in the conservation department. At the time, before the company won credit for conservation toward its required renewable energy portfolio, the department was likely not viewed as a place for rising stars.
Cynthia Hampton went to work for the Ensign political operation, where she would stay until April 2008, months before the affair ended.
The Hamptons were not politically active and did not donate money to political campaigns, which is consistent with what appears to be their largely apolitical life in Southern California, according to campaign records.
The families bonded through shared history, as well as children and faith, people who know them say.
Doug and Cynthia Hampton have three children, as do the Ensigns. The Hamptons have twins who attend Faith Lutheran High School, a private academy in Las Vegas. Blake Hampton and the Ensigns’ son Trevor are in the same grade and were close friends who played on the golf and basketball teams together, said a former teammate who graduated in 2007.
The Hampton and Ensign families also shared conservative evangelism, according to people who know them. The men shared a commitment to the principles of Promise Keepers, a Christian fellowship that espouses strong marriages and families.
Friends, then employees
The personal side of their lives spread into the professional when Ensign hired the couple. Cynthia Hampton became treasurer of Ensign’s reelection campaign and his Battle Born Political Action Committee in 2007. She saw her salary double during the affair, before she left the job in May 2008.
An Ensign spokesman said Cynthia Hampton received a pay increase at Battle Born PAC and Ensign for Senate when she became responsible for direct mail, accounting and compliance.
Doug Hampton made $160,000 annually in his Senate job.
The Hamptons’ 19-year-old son, Brandon, received $5,400 from the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which Ensign controlled, for work as an intern in summer 2008.
The Ensign spokesman said Doug Hampton approached the committee’s staff about hiring his son in spring 2008. He said Brandon Hampton worked as a full-time intern and his pay was consistent with his responsibilities. The young man went to Washington after finishing high school and planned to return to Las Vegas to attend college after the summer, the spokesman said. John Ensign was not consulted as part of the decision to hire Brandon Hampton at the committee, he added.
Help from Ensign
Doug Hampton left Ensign’s office in April 2008, some months after he discovered the affair. He went to work at a political firm, November Inc., which has close ties to Ensign. Hampton then went to work at Allegiant Air, whose CEO has given tens of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to Ensign.
Sources for Allegiant Air and in Republican politics say Ensign was instrumental in helping Hampton land those jobs, fueling questions about whether these payments and jobs were hush money.
In early 2008 the Hamptons put their two-story, five-bedroom, 5 1/2 bathroom home on the market for $1.66 million, according to one neighbor. It has not sold.
Ensign’s associates told other media outlets he had been “extorted” by the Hamptons, though his spokesman later said he revealed the affair because the Hamptons approached a major news outlet after asking for a large sum of money.
The Las Vegas Sun disclosed the nature of that approach last month. Doug Hampton wrote a letter to Fox news detailing the affair, but the document drew attention here and in Washington almost as much for its style as its substance.
In the world of Washington, home to driven, type-A perfectionists, Doug Hampton’s single-spaced missive stood out for its clunky English and spelling errors. For example: “I have great respect and affection for Fox News and many of your collages,” he wrote, meaning colleagues.
The letter leads back to the question Republicans are asking: Why did Ensign hire Hampton?
“There a lot of people who do this stuff for a living who could have done that job,” said Chuck Muth, the conservative activist and former executive director of the state Republican Party.
Discussion: 28 comments so far…
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There is still a lot of brush to clear in this backwoods story. Maybe Edsign will buy brush cutters for everybody. Not.
OK then, let the attacks on Doug Hampton and the defense of John Ensign begin.
The Ensign apologists will simply go nuts after reading this article.
What a tangled web we weave....
Let the brush clearing begin.
If the Republicans want to hire incompetent cronies, that is there right under the U.S Constitution they carry in their back pocket next to their Bible. After all, Enswign's hard work led to the Republicans losing 8 senate seats.
Enswign has got lucky with Sanford, Jackson and Palin grabbing the headlines, for the time being. How much time did the Hampton's spend in DC and how much in Vegas? Who paid for the trips back and forth? Where did Ensign and his honey bun do the act? and how many times? Did he use a condom? Did his mistress get pregnant? Was there an abortion involved? Who was watching the children when they were playing around? Is VD involved?
ENcompetence breeds ENcompetence....what's so hard to understand about Enstench hiring his buddy to get in his wife's pants?
When it comes to politicos, NevaDUH is the black hole of black holes in both parties.
Just look at what we have in Douglas County: http://texex-xpress.blogspot.com/2009/07...
Does anyone really care? Does it make one bit of difference? Remember Clinton, Edwards, Craig, Sanford, Guiliani, Gingrich and so forth. I wish each of them would get a pistol and one round and do the honorable thing.
By olygene - 7/5/09 at 10:23 a.m
"Does anyone really care?"
Yes, I care. John Ensign is the Senator from my state. He is not trustworthy by his own admission of being an adulterer.
John Ensign broke his sacred marriage vows (after claiming to be a "family values" politician and a Promise Keeper). And, he's not "Clinton, Edwards, Craig, Sanford, Guiliani, Gingrich and so forth." Besides, they never promised to be faithful to their wives and families like a Promise Keeper does. Go check out the "Promises" if you don't believe me.
How can the people of Nevada trust him to keep any other vows?
John Ensign should resign.
Where is the investigation of ethics violations?
I agree, we need more details. Were condoms used? Is disease an issue?
Was sodomy involved? State laws violated.
We should know. After all Ensign is the one that thinks sexual lifestyles should be a public policy matter. lets have that discussion now.
Statements like this just crack me up, "Besides, they never promised to be faithful to their wives"
What do they do then? Do they promise to cheat on their wives?
1) Democrats have no morality.
2) Therefore they can be immoral.
Yep, I agree with that.
integrity at its best; promise keeper ensign is this years winner of the larry craig award; hypocrits seem to abound in the republican party; whats that sgt rock?
The politicians of this country should be held to the same laws of conduct as those serving in the Military, and receive the same punishment!
"Punitive Articles of the UCMJ
Article 134-- Adultery
Maximum punishment: Dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for 1 year."
Not to mention the forfeiture of their pension and healthcare benefits!
What's truly funny is not staying on topic - John Ensign's immorality and untrustworthiness - and writing as if one is an authority on immorality. No need for further explanation, that would be a hypocritical republican apologist making a comment.
Yep I can agree - republican apologists are both hypocritical and without morals.
Comment removed by staff.
"What's truly funny is not staying on topic"
Don't be hard on yourself.
You brought up the topic that Democrats can cheat on their wives because they do not promise to be faithful. It is OK to stray off topic.
I have no problem with you stating the obvious truth that generally Democrats have no morality.
Yep...when a Democrat is caught cheating on his wife...we all just laugh and say....Democrats have no morals.....It is A-OK!
When 2012 rolls around , no one is going to remember moribund stories like this one, nor will the voter care about the senseless comments made here up to now.
Hey Sgtrock Brain, you need to learn some facts. Fact, most Democrats resign after affairs, most Republicans don't. That is the real fact, learn how to read.
"Fact, most Democrats resign after affairs, most Republicans don't. That is the real fact"
Dar are real facts...yes sir.
I know of many Democrats that did not resign after having affairs. I think I can list more Democrats that did not resign then resign. I start with your hero Clinton. Did your buddy Edwards resign? Did the current Democratic gov of NY resign? Did JFK resign? Rev Jesse Jackson? Rep. Tim Mahoney (guy who replaced Foley...LOL) ? San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome? Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa? Gov Neil Goldschmidt? Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick? Gov Governor Paul Patton? Gov West Virginia Governor Bob Wise?
Are those the real facts that you are talking about?
What would Jesse Jackson resign from? Did I miss him getting elected or appointed to a state or federal office?
He is a religious lefty figure.
OH MY GOD!!!!
If he was a religious righty figure...we would heard about day and night for months.
I understand...he had no morals (being a Democrat and all) therefore it is A-OK if he is immoral.
Yep...when a republican is caught cheating on his wife...we all just laugh and say....republicans are HYPOCRITES and are amoral.....It is A-OK!
Thanks for agreeing.
I'm totally fine with SgtRock, err, jfNance32, err, James F Nance Jr's constant comparisons between Ensign and Clinton.
We all know how much he hates Clinton. He must have just as poor of an opinion of Ensign to be comparing the two!
And yesterday he was comparing Palin to Obama. The poor guy is watching all of his heroes turn into the people he hates the most!
So what, Ensign lacks qualification as a Senator.
I have no problem with Ensign's choosing his friend as his aide. They all need someone that they can trust not to leak confidential information. How hard is it to train them for that job? Any intelligent person should be qualified.
While there's probably more to come, Ensign seems to be guilty of two things: gross hypocrisy and adultery. The hirings of the Hamptons appear to be legal, even if their qualifications are suspect. And while his adultery will cost him some of his core supporters, it's his hypocrisy that will cost him re-election if not re-nomination (assuming his opponents are credible).
SgtRock It is amazing when a Republican gets caught their answer is the Democrats are worse or they did it too. The point is Ensign held himself out and above the fray with his evangelical beliefs as well as his Promise Keeper lies. Your failed attempt to shield Ensign with your broken rhetoric regarding Democrats and their frailties is amazingly stupid. Remeber Ensign was elected to serve Nevada not lie and deceive the citizens of Nevada. This is his doing and his problem not anyone elses.
When it comes to jfnance it is obvious he is a nit wit who like SgtRock is in denial and desperate for the truth.
Perhaps, Senator Ensign lacks the usual qualifications?
Let's get to the foundation of this problem.
What we have here, is a case of to many woman married to politicians that are lousy in the sack. Every politician, (female or male) should be allowed one tart to "sexually" take the frustrations of office out on. The last thing your going to get from a spouse (male or female) at 10pm after they've been with the kids, school, house all day, is a quick (and I mean quick) relief of sexual pleasures.
Damn Mayflower.