Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Published Friday, June 19, 2009 | 1:34 p.m.
Updated Friday, June 19, 2009 | 1:41 p.m.
Related letter
Sun Archives
- Spouse in Ensign affair sought help in letter to Fox News (6-19-2009)
- Ensign's office: Woman's husband approached media with story (6-18-2009)
- Unanswered: Why he told (6-18-2009)
- Ensign resigns GOP leadership post (6-17-2009)
- Ensign fallout could weaken GOP efforts to rebuild party at state, national levels (6-17-2009)
- Ensign's mea culpa tops bad day for GOP (6-17-2009)
- Ensign acknowledges extramarital affair (6-16-2009)
WASHINGTON -- Republican Sen. John Ensign’s office said today that the lawyer for the husband of the woman he was having an affair with has made “exorbitant demands” for cash and other financial benefits over the past month.
Ensign’s office released a brief statement this afternoon that elevates the dispute between the senator and his former staffers, Doug and Cynthia Hampton. Doug Hampton had been one of the senator's top aides, and the senator acknowledged an eight-month affair that ended in August with Cynthia Hampton, a former campaign treasurer.
“Within the past month, Doug Hampton's legal counsel made exorbitant demands for cash and other financial benefits on behalf of his client,” Ensign’s office said. "Doug Hampton’s outrageous demand was referred to Senator Ensign’s legal counsel, who is handling the matter going forward.”
The Sun was trying today to reach the Hamptons' attorney for comment.
Earlier today, Fox News acknowledged that it got a letter from Doug Hampton and was in the process of investigating it when Ensign held a news conference earlier this week to discuss his affair.
The Sun reported today that it obtained a letter that Hampton had written to Fox News dated five days before Ensign’s public confession of an extramarital affair.
A Fox News spokeswoman reached today declined to comment to the Sun regarding a letter sent to the news channel, referring the paper to an interview the show’s producer did with the Huffington Post.
Tom Lowell, senior producer of Fox’s “America’s Newsroom,” said Hampton “did reach out to us about 24 hours before the news conference, and he sent an e-mail to a booker on my staff."
Lowell told the Huffington Post that a member of his editorial staff followed up with Hampton that day.
"We followed up with him, but he seemed evasive and not credible, thus we didn't pursue it," he said. “Clearly this guy had a story to tell and we just didn't get to it before the senator got to it."
Lowell also stated emphatically that no one at Fox News alerted Ensign about the story, the Huffington Post reported.
"I know there are people asking if we alerted the senator," Lowell said. "Definitely no one on our editorial team called anyone in Senator Ensign's office prior to the announcement.”
"Within the past month, Doug Hampton's legal counsel made exorbitant demands for cash and other financial benefits on behalf of his client," Ensign's office said. "Doug Hampton's outrageous demand was referred to Senator Ensign's legal counsel, who is handling the matter going forward."
What is the name of the person making this statement on behalf of Ensign and his office?
What, specifically, were these demands?
So, no one at FOX tipped off Ensign - did Ensign's office find out by magic?
Come on Lisa, you're a good reporter - dig please DIG!
Again, if Hampton was demanding exorbitant demands for cash that's extortion. Extortion of a United States Senator is a federal crime as well as a state crime.
Why, then, did the Senator's staff not go to the cops or the FBI?
Why don't people get this riled up about all the racist comments, emails and jokes that are made by members of the Republican party? Doesn't that offend anyone's values as much a hypocrite screwing around on his wife? How many people were hurt nationally by Ensign's act, other than the immediate families and the Republican party? Compare that to how many people are affected by the "spook" picture or the gorilla joke. I guess it is all a matter of priorities. Moral outrage is reserved for "family value" sex related issues.
Isn't ANYONE else concerned that the picture above titled "Doug and Cindy Hampton" clearly shows that Cindy Hampton is actually a truck? If Ensign was having sex with this truck then he should resign right now!
@measie-
I think people are riled up because of the hypocrisy. After all, Senator Ensign is a member of the "Promise Keepers", a group that makes fidelity to one's spouse the highest priority. He has stated that he would never even be alone in a car with a woman not his wife to avoid any possible appearance of impropriety. Ensign was also one of Bill Clinton's harshest critics, demanding that he resign over the Lewinsky affair. He also called for Larry Craig's resignation. Lots of politicians have affairs, but in Ensign's case his posturing and holier-than-thou attitude has people outraged over his hypocritical values.
Ensign could always run to the democrat party for cover, then Doug, Cindy the "alleged" affair would just disappear. Ensign would be promoted as a standup guy and we can get back to global warming, windmills and little golf carts that run on solar.
@batman9
That was the best thing I have read all day. You win one free Internets.
prosecute the extortionists! celine dion did!
Senator Semen er Ensign needs to go. He needs to follow his own advise and resign. What demands were exorbitant, stop boinkin my wife? The double salary didn't pay off my house, I want more?
For anyone to think that Fox News was a bastion of propriety and would take up the challenge of fighting the good fight boggles the mind. It took two to tango unless there is a rape charge I haven't heard about. A pox on both of these guys.
I feel sorry for Mrs. Ensign as she is the only one in this whole deal that deserves any sympathy. Oh, and all of us Nevadans who are going to have to put up with the good Senator's lies, obfuscations, and distortions until the end of his term/career.
Ensign never struck me as all that bright.
But, to Nevada's powers that be, he was an ideal political candidate. Close to the elite, given his mother's second marriage, plus a guy who looked the part.
Above all, he was one who the king makers believed they could easily manipulate.
A classic case in point of the downside, when the 'system' becomes plutocratic.
Is Ensign trying to make people think he's a victim? Not gonna fly Senator, you're not a victim you're a sleazebag.
@batman9, thanks for making me laugh. the vision of Ensign "peening" a truck exhaust pipe ...well, you know what I mean: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Gotjobs, if you were even close to the target, John Edwards would be VP.
Endsign paid out plenty of money as is, what is exorbitant? What would all this sex cost him out in NYE County? He got off cheap as is. What if there are STD's involved, some of the Herpes lawsuits get very pricey. They have judicial success.
Your right where is the FBI? or the Justice department. What place did all this take place? The house he shared with Coburn and the other Bible-thumper-humpers? Or did he rent a hotel at taxpayer expence? What jusidiction was the love nest in? The RJ and Fox are in cover-up mode. Maddow did a good summary of the case on MSNBC, CNN is out to lunch. She had a Bush McCain advisor on Mark McKinnon who said Endsign should resign. The Republicans are stupid, Gibbons could appoint Heller or Heck and they would have the seat wrapped up for 10+ years.
"Oh, and all of us Nevadans who are going to have to put up with the good Senator's lies, obfuscations, and distortions until the end of his term/career."
You did it for Clinton.
So you got a lot of practice.
So exactly what are you whining about?
You must come from the Hannity "two wrongs make a Right" "The democrats did it to," dittohead response....actually I'm more of a libertarian than a Democrat...so try to develope a new stick between listening to the Rush Replay...and getting your "SGT. Rocks" off watching Megan Kelly on FOX...
The Hamptons are the victims and have done nothing more than hired an attorney to demand restitution - that's what attorney's do, and why there are no law enforcement investigations going on - the Hampton's have committed no crime!
We need an ethics investigation into whether, or not, Ensign committed sexual harrassement that led to Ensign becoming a sexual predator (or not)?
HINT TO SUN REPORTERS: Dig guys and gals - some of Ensigns staff are beginning to crack on this story and talk off-the-record! They all want out of Ensign's office ASAP, but they need good paying jobs (and don't want to have their names tainted or reputations damaged any further)!
I'm hearing that Ensign tried to keep this litte affair secret, but, over time many staffers picked up on the fact that something was very innapropriate was going on between Ensign and this staffer....then, suspicions grew when they saw salaries being doubled, and the totally unqualified son got hired too!
It wasn't just a case of croynism where family and friends get hired - that's par for the course in politics today. Others, noticed those little glances, and over-heard whispered little nothings, and a lot of people knew something totally innappropriate was going on!
Of course, everyone dared not say a word, for fear of losing their jobs - that's how intimidated they all were - total loyalty is not only expected in political staff, it is demanded!
When Ensign got the Hampton's new jobs and left, the staff hoped that the truth would never, ever come out - at least, not while they were still working for Ensign - and the cat got out of the bag! That's what I'm hearing and I believe it!
But, obviously, we need a complete, thorough investigation to get to the facts!
Was Cindy Hampton a willing seductress, or a victim of sexual harrassement? Was Doug Hampton aware, a part of a scheme, or a victim betrayed by Ensign who became a sexual predator fixated on the wife of another man?
The people of Nevada have every right to know the facts and truth!
I hope the reporters do their due diligence and dig up all of the staff lists of everyone that has worked for Ensign during this time frame, and start calling and asking some good, pointed questions! Get to the truth for all of us - even if you have to "go off-the-record" first, that's par for the course, but follow the facts and follow the money!
How about John Edwards for President
John Ensign for Vice President
Bill Clinton for Sec of State
Tax Dodgers for the cabinet
Hey, "JPinLV" the pathetic attempts to deflect the issues from Ensign to others misbehavior are childish and sophmoric and won't work!
Where is the U. S. Senate Ethics investigation?
The people of Nevada have every right to know the facts! Was someone attempting to bribe or extort Ensign, or was Ensign sexaully harrassing an employee and did Ensign become a sexual predator? That's what we all want to know - the facts!
Obviously, Ensign admits he's a lying, cheating, disloyal, not-to-be-trusted, unfaithful husband that has no respect for his wife, the institution of marriage, or could not care less about his family - nor, the family of "good friends" - WE KNOW THAT MUCH!
Sgt Rock, I did nothing for Clinton. He should not have lied. He was impeached as I recall , or don't you believe in due process? This is 2009 not 1998. Isn't it about time we learn from the past? Shouldn't Sen. Semen have gotten a clue from history that while sex may sell, cheating on your wife and trying to get away with it doesn't? Isn't that what Clinton did? Are you defending what you're against? The Senator's problem is that he is a do as I say not as I do politician. The let them eat cake mentality of our elected officials frightens the hell out of me. He did it first mommy is not a defense that worked when I was a kid nor should it now. Wake up and smell the septic tank sarge.
Is U. S. Senator, JOHN ENSIGN a SEXUAL PREDATOR?
That's the big question for all!
That cold preventative that RUSH advertised, that was pulled off the market by the U S Government FDA, (the stuff you swabbed up your nose)did it just damage the sense of smell, or did it compromise brain function? I noticed the "Hannitized dittoheads" are becoming even more irrational. (e.g. SGT. Rocks)
So, here's some questions I want asked and answered:
1.) Who initiated the affair between Ensign as the employer/superior and Hampton as the employee/subordinate?
2.) Was this a intimate "sexual harrassment" relationship that took place on the taxpayers time, or dime, in any way, shape or form?
3.) Why did Ensign continue this totally innappropriate affair after he confessed to his wife and she, allegedly, forgave Ensign?
4.) Why did Ensign continue to pursue another man's wife even after she left his employ - did Ensign stalk this woman?
5.) Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (R-NV) actually a SEXUAL PREDATOR?
We need an investigation NOW!
Didn't a self-righteous Democrat named Elliot Spitzer resign after an out-of-marriage sex thing?
Should Senator Semen consider the same path?
How come there has not been word one from Senator Semen's wife?
Why no comment from Cindy?
Is it sexist to only hear from the males?
Is there an ethics violation that should be investigated by the Senate?
Will good friend Harry Reid quietly block such an investigation?
Come on journalists, do your job!
Fox news says "no comment" A news organization says NO COMMENT!!!!and you right wingers believe in their journalistic integrity. You sheep should watch Sesame street for your news, you would be better informed..
Doesn't matter party affiliation, Ensign did wrong, period, and like he asked Clinton/Craig to resign, he should also, it is the right thing to do..."do as I say, not as I do" won't cut it.
All this partisan bickering is what's wrong with our country. Reps and Dems are literally foaming at the mouth...ready to pounce when the other does wrong... it's sick.
"JPM42" makes an important point - this is not, or should not, be a partisan concern!
I'm confident that the vast majority of Nevadans and Americans want our law makers to be law abiders!
How hard is it for these people to just pay their fair share of taxes, any back parking tickets, and respect the rule of law like the rest of us - THAT is NOT too much to ask (though, obviously, in today's politics it is, apparently, too much to expect)!
JEEEEEESHE!
I personally do not care what happens in the intimate affairs of others - as long as it is not criminal!
Ensign is guilty, by his own admission, of the crime of sexual harrassment! There needs to be a full investigation by the U. S. Senate Ethics Commission to determine the facts - the people of Nevada, and America, have every right to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth from everyone involved sworn under oath!
The most disturbing question of all is - "Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (R-NV) a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
Sexual harrassment is not a crime.
It is something that a person can sue another person for in civil court.
The police do not arrest people for sexual harrassment.
If they did then Clinton would have been arrested several times.
Sexual harrassment is a crime "SgtRock" - you are wrong! The police do not arrest anyone unless they catch them in the act of committing a crime - that we all know dumbo!
The Hamptons should pursue their legal rights in a civil court - and I hope they do so, because the big question remains (and I'm going to keep asking it until I get a good, solid, honest, legal answer):
"Is U. S. Senator, JOHN ENSIGN who admits that he committed the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, also guilty of STALKING and/or being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"