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twitterTHE SENATOR’S SCANDAL:
Spouse in Ensign affair sought help in letter to Fox News
Husband’s account of how wife’s affair with Ensign ‘ruined our lives and careers’ comes to light
KLAS-TV
Doug Hampton, husband of Sen. John Ensign’s affair partner, Cynthia Hampton, appears in this KLAS-TV video Wednesday. The Hamptons were both employees of Ensign when the affair reportedly took place, and in a letter to Fox News, Doug Hampton blamed Ensign’s “relentless pursuit of my wife” for their “dismissal.”
Friday, June 19, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Related letter
Megyn Kelly
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
- 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)
Audio Clip
- Sen. John Ensign read a statement about his extramarital affair with a member of his campaign staff at a press conference on Tuesday, June 16, 2009.
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Beyond the Sun
In a letter dated five days before Sen. John Ensign’s public confession of an extramarital affair, Doug Hampton pleaded to a national Fox News anchorwoman for help in exposing the senator’s “heinous conduct and pursuit” of Hampton’s wife.
Hours before the Sun obtained an unsigned copy of the letter, Ensign’s spokesman said the senator disclosed the affair with Cynthia Hampton because her husband had approached “a major television news channel before Tuesday,” the day Ensign admitted the affair. “We learned of this fact before the news conference,” the spokesman noted in an e-mail. (UPDATE: Ensign’s office says Hampton made ‘exorbitant demands’)
In his letter, Hampton, a former top administrative aide in Ensign’s Capitol Hill office, said: “The actions of Senator Ensign have ruined our lives and careers and left my family in shambles. We have lost significant income, suffered indescribable pain and emotional suffering. We find ourselves today with an overwhelming loss of relationships, career opportunities and hope for recovery. Our pursuit of justice continues to place me and my family in harm’s way as we fear for our well being.”
Hampton could not be reached for comment, and his Las Vegas lawyer, Daniel Albregts, declined to comment on the letter.
“We are not commenting on any aspect of the case at the present time,” he said.
The letter presented for the first time Doug Hampton’s view of what took place. It was addressed to Megyn Kelly at Fox News’ corporate office in New York. Kelly is the co-host of Fox News Channel’s “American Newsroom.” She also appears regularly on the “O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly,” according to the network’s Web site.
Kelly could not be reached for comment late Thursday.
Reached by e-mail late Thursday, Ensign spokesman Tory Mazzola would not comment on the letter and wouldn’t say whether the senator was aware of it.
So among the key questions that remain unanswered are:
— Did Fox News receive the letter, and if the network did, what did it do with the information?
— How did Ensign learn that Hampton had “approached a major television news channel”?
In the letter, Hampton states that he wanted “to establish the framework for discussion and provide enough information to warrant a meeting with you (Kelly) and Fox News.” He said he had “great respect” for Fox News and was contacting Kelly because she is a lawyer and the story had several legal elements to it.
Near the end of the two-page, single-spaced document, he noted: “I could have sought the most liberal, Republican hating media to expose this story, but there are people’s lives at stake and justice is about proper process as well as outcome. Senator Ensign has no business serving in the US Senate anymore!”
Hampton’s timeline of the affair — December 2007 through August 2008 — matches what Ensign and his staff described earlier this week.
“Senator Ensign’s conduct and relentless pursuit of my wife led to our dismissal in April 2008,” Hampton wrote. “I would like to say he stopped his heinous conduct and pursuit upon our leaving, but that was not the case, and his actions did not subside until August of 2008.”
Hampton also wrote that he and others had confronted Ensign about his “unethical behavior and immoral choice” on a number of occasions over the past year.
“In fact, one of the confrontations took place in February 2008 at his (Ensign’s) home in Washington D.C. with a group of his peers,” Hampton added. “One of the attendees was Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma, as well as several other men who are close to the senator.”
Don Tatro, a spokesman for Oklahoma Republican, said late Thursday that Coburn had no comment.
In his letter, Hampton said he sought Fox News’ help out of desperation.
“It appears there may be nothing the law can do to correct and bring justice and restitution to this terrible wrong that has been done us,” he wrote. “I have sought a number of lawyers who are having difficulty finding charges that may hold up in court.”
Hampton said he understood the story was difficult to believe, but he added that there was a paper trail, phone records and witnesses to corroborate the allegations.
“It is my belief we are dealing with a very powerful person and institution in the U.S. Senate that only the media can pierce to expose the wrong and bring light and focus to what needs to be done.
“Please help me! This should not be how the leadership of our country should be allowed to behave. I need justice, help and restitution for what Senator Ensign has done to me and my family.”
He said he wanted to meet with Kelly and her “team as soon as possible” and would follow up with an e-mail.
Ensign’s sudden acknowledgment of the affair continues to create fallout in the nation’s capital and Nevada.
The Ensign-backed Republican Renewal Project — a political action committee in Nevada launched on Ensign’s vision to rejuvenate the state’s Republican Party after Democratic gains — had been scheduled to host a fundraising barbecue Friday.
Ensign was to be the featured guest at the dinner, but it has been postponed, according to the Web site.
Ensign remains away from Washington, missing several votes, and is not expected to return until next week.
The Senate is scheduled to resume debate next week on a tourism bill important to Nevada that Ensign co-sponsored with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
The affair with Cynthia Hampton occurred while she, her husband and their adult son were all on the senator’s payroll. She was Ensign’s onetime campaign treasurer and the former treasurer of the senator’s Battle Born Political Action Committee.
Unnamed sources cited in various media reports initially raised the specter of extortion as the reason for Ensign’s news conference, but Metro Police and the FBI said they were not investigating. Ensign’s office on Thursday declined to say today whether the Hamptons sought any money to keep quiet.
Cynthia Hampton’s salary doubled as she took over as treasurer for Ensign’s leadership campaign account until she left in May 2008. Doug Hampton’s final month’s salary as a top aide at the senator’s office was nearly $20,000 — more than his normal pay at the $160,000-a-year-job, although the extra sum could have been for accrued sick or vacation time, or as a stipend.
The couple’s son, Brandon, was also on the payroll with a $1,000-a-month summer job at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2008, which Ensign chaired at the time.
The New York Times reported today that after Ensign reconciled with his wife and dismissed Cynthia Hampton, he paid her a severance out of his own pocket.
Ensign’s office has declined to comment on the Hamptons’ salaries, or any severance.
Doug Hampton took a job with Allegiant Air, a Las Vegas company whose CEO is a major Ensign supporter.
Discussion: 107 comments so far…
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Hampton has "great respect" for Fox News. What an absurd statement. It should be Faux Noise. Entertainment all the time, no news at all.
So much for fair and balanced
Fox couldn't get to the phone fast enough to call Ensign.
So Ensign could smear them and call them extortionists.
Do all politicians play this dirty? Even with one another?
I think the entire male portion of congress needs
some kind of sex addiction therapy.
Absolutely bizarre.
From what is stated in the article, it sounds to me like Mr. Hampton gave the letter to Fox, who in turn did a collective 'OMFG, we can't run a negative story on a republican', then immediately turned around and contacted Ensign about the letter so he could have advance warning and start his apology/spin/smear campaign against the Hampton's.
The fact that Mr. Hampton took this information only to Fox News says everything...he didn't want to give it to the 'most liberal, republican hating' channel. LOL, what an absolute clown...glad to see that worked out well. In return for Mr. Hampton's exclusive story, Fox threw him under the bus instead to quell the story on one of the neocon heroes, lollololololol. Thanks Fox! Whoooops.
Whatever. Now if only this will just go away. I'm sleeping real good these nights.
Senator Ensign was confronted about his affair in February by friends and collegues, including Senator Coburn. Yet he continued the affair into August. Both Hamptons fired from the jobs in April and their son in May, yet Ensign continued the affair.
My family and I are good Christians. My husband is a Promise Keeper--or he was. He attended at least two, maybe more, PromiseKeeper events where Senator Ensign was the main speaker. I just can't believe what a liar and hypocrite John Ensign is. He gives a bad name to us Christians and he has completely degraded PromiseKeepers. I have asked my husband to stop attending PromiseKeepers--they are just a phony cover story for men's infidelities.
John Ensign is a really really shameful and shameless person. As someone who voted for him twice, I urge him to resign. He is the most outrageous phony in the entire state of Nevada. Shame. Shame. Shame.
PS: My husband and I voted for Senator Ensign because he was a Christian like us. After Senator David Vitter's fandango with prostitutes with him wearing diapers!, and the ensuing scandal, I just can't believe how stupid John Ensign is. John Ensign lied to us and to all the people who voted for him here in Nevada. Are all "Christian" politicians liars? John Ensign owes it to the people who voted for him to resign--he is not the man he claimed to be. A pox on John Ensign and his family. No forgiveness for this out and out liar who destroyed the Hampton family without one iota of regret until he was exposed. May he burn in Hell for his sins.
EnSIN and Gibbons, should both resign. When you run on family values and you break those values you should do the honorable thing. However, these self-absorbed individuals think their above everyone else. I would rather have an honest politician ( if there is such a thing), than these two hypocrites.
The truth is out about Fox News and their claim to fair and balanced news. Of course if anyone thinks for a minute this right wing extremest nut job program is going to give up a 'good ol' boy' like this dirt bag Ensign they are delusional.
After all O Reilly is a scumbag sexual predator himself who has paid settlement money after he sexually harassed a female co worker.
Ensign should be arrested.
He is a fraud.
The Ensign family is a disgrace to Nevada
So among the key questions that remain unanswered are:
-- Did Fox News receive the letter, and if the network did, what did it do with the information?
-- How did Ensign learn that Hampton had "approached a major television news channel"?
Answer to both: FOX dropped a dime on Hampton.
So Fox reports and we decide? They had this information and DIDNOT report it. They called Ensign and gave him head's up and then worked with him to keep it secret until Ensign had his little 'no questions' faux new conference.
Ensign should resign NOW.
He is not fit to represent anyone in Nevada.
Puts a new meaning to "Partying at the Hamptons"
Sorry- had to take it there.
I urge my fellow Nevadans to join me in a recall. Everyone who reads this should petition his neighbors and contacts. If we all get together and bring in 50 names by next week, and urge all of our friends to do the same, we can have over a quarter of a million names and our voices will be heard. Ensign shames Nevada and our country. I believe in redemption for sinners but this man is unrepentant and evil.
Any reporter and news organization would contact Ensign for his side of the story. If I had the story, I wouldn't give up such a juicy exclusive by contacting the Senator before the story was ready to air. In some ways, this shows Fox really isn't much of a news organization, or they are totally in the bag for Republicans. If this had been a Democrat, I am fairly confident there would have been a news truck in front of Ensign's house to get his reaction to the story at the top of the newscast, aren't you?
Yesterday, I was close when I speculated the story got out because he was running for President, not because of extortion. The truth is far sadder. Ensign is going to end up looking like a scumbag here. His career life-span is dwindling fast.
I'm absolutely not condoning Ensign's behavior, but is everyone forgetting that it was an "affair"? Ensign wasn't having that affair with himself. Cynthia Hampton was right there with him.
To: Sabatia -- I'm sorry your fellow Christian betrayed you on so many levels. And I don't want to lecture you, but please, in the future, vote for someone because of their political views and values and not their religious ones.
Those without sin cast the first stone.
The whole story seems funny to me. This man waits till now and sends a letter to Fox news, because he likes them. To me it is a set up to make both the senator and fox news look bad. Yes the senator did wrong, but I didn't see so many people yelling about Kennedys, who are famous for their affairs. Look at Bill Clinton, he did it in the oval office, yet he did not have to resign his job. I think the crooks like Dodd, Murtha, Frank, Pelosi, or the ILLEGAL firing of the IGs, by the Obama Administration, looking into the stealing of funds by AmeriCorps is more important. Somebody REALLY wants that 60th senate seat for the Dems!
He should have just hit it...then quit it!!
I heard lots of yelling about Clinton and I've heard lots of yelling about all the other situations eg mentions. But this is not about them, it is about how John Ensign set himself up as a model of family values while he was cheating on his wife. And betraying his supposed friend.
If you want to defend Ensign you can't do it by pointing out how "they did it too." That is what small children do. Ensign shouldn't have been so judgmental of others if he didn't want those same judgments himself.
"May he burn in Hell for his sins"
I think maybe Ensign succumbed to temptation because he was dead sure Jesus would forgive him, as long as he claimed to believe in Jesus as his savior. That's what the Christians taught him.
"My husband and I voted for Senator Ensign because he was a Christian like us. "
I hope you learned your lesson. Not a good reason to vote for someone. Have you and your husband figured out yet that for years you've been dupes of the Republican command? They've used religious zealots like you to carry out their pro-rich, anti-everybody-else economic agenda. They couldn't get elected on economic policy, but put on the holier-than-thou mantle of "Christian values" and you suckers just couldn't wait to vote for these shallow, lying scumbags. In turn, they couldn't wait to screw the American public, hanging on our backs the fatly increased wealth of the richest one percent, the ones who needed it the least, the most arrogant, the most abusive of power, the most over-the-top greedy pigs.
And what on earth makes you feel that being Christian makes anybody superior? How insulting to most of the world's citizens, who are not. This type of attitude has led to centuries of war and misery. Not to mention the serious damage that's been done to the middle class by Republicans. Wake up.
Senator Ensign and his wife were seperated at the time the affair had occured...it takes two tongo. Perhaps this man needs to ask his wife why she continued the affair.
.
..
...Three comments on this story..
...I agree with the sleazeball Mr. Hampton I'd like to meet with Megyn Kelly as soon as possible too...To bad she can't spell.
...After seeing Cynthia Hampton's photo in the New York Daily News, I believe the Senator needs a new pair of glasses..
...This Ensign affair reminds me of a story where a young mother was bathing her young boy, when the child pointed to his penis and asked his mother, "Is that my brain Mommy?," she replied "Not yet dear."...
..
.
Another article mentions that the Hamptons were upset that Ensign made the announcement of the affair, that the "wanted to keep it quite". Well why did this guy supposedly write a letter to Fox news? Was he really try to extort money?
aka Senator Enstench...
If Senator Ensign cannot keep a promise to God, how can he be expected to keep a promise to defend us against our enemies
I have comment on one thing here, Doug Hampton claims Ensign "pursued" his wife. Doug, Dude, the affair last nearly a year, right in the office where you worked, and right behind your back.
I'd dump the chick in a New York City second.
And Ensign's wife should do the same. People who cheat suck, and people who cheat for a year obviously suck a long time.
GunownersforObama,
I tend to disagree with you statement about who has done more damage to the middle class. It is the congress who authorizes spending, and the dems have controlled that for the last 3 years. People seem to forget that a lot of the previous spending was after 911, Afganistan, Irag, and Hurricane Katrina. this Administration and congress have spent more in the last 6 months than any other administration.
To Sabatia:
jjpz is right. Church and State were separated for a reason.
Also, you claim that Senator Ensign doesn't represent you as a Christian anymore since his recent confession. You've even asked your husband to discontinue going to Promise Keepers and you've issued a Pox on Senator Ensign's family. You've even damned Senator Ensign to Hell.
Soooooo, by pulling your husband from that program, you are telling the universe that your faith was in Senator Ensign's words and NOT the actual program. Aren't you supposed to put your faith in JESUS and your husband?
And the fact that you've judged and SENTENCED a man to Hell who just asked for FORGIVENESS doesn't sound very Christian-like.
Sure, you say that Senator Ensign doesn't represent you as a Christian anymore, but it sounds more like he represents the exact same Christian that YOU ARE: fraud and judgmental.
Please open your hearts to LOVE and UNITY, people. Politics is NOT about Religion, and Christianity is NOT about Judgment--or is it?
-PoliticalDiNicola@gmail.com
..and probably worth noting that the crayons of the RJ Editorial Page when this story first broke said that Saint Johnny was one of the most reputable and respected spokesmen for the 'cause' of limited government and giving big business whatever they want.
And frankly, as this story unfolds, and given the 'high' moral ground of Ensign's GOP comrades (I am looking under the stall at you, Sen Craig!) looks like this one time they were right.
So many promises, so little time (or desire) to keep them...
eg said:
Senator Ensign and his wife were seperated at the time the affair had occured...it takes two tongo. Perhaps this man needs to ask his wife why she continued the affair.
They were separated only because she was here and he was in Washington. NOT officially separated. But it does take two to tango--not sure what tongo is??
ENSIGN MUST RTESIGN.
Using taxpayer PAC money to pay a mistress and her family?!??
Family Values? NO!
So Fox News on June 16th wrote that this was an "extortion" effort according to sources? This would be AFTER they received the letter.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/...
They're not the only ones to go with the Blackmail meme. It later appeared in right wing and a few left wing blog and news sites.
Mr. Hampton's letter contradicts the statement he made through his lawyer after Ensign came clean about the affair - that he and his wife had worked hard to keep the story quiet and they didn't understand why Ensign was going public. This is clearly a blatant lie.
Ensign is a disgrace - not doubt about it - and I am sick of holier than thou yet oh so hypocritical conservative politicians. But Mr.Hampton does not come across as a sympathetic figure in this case. Seems to me like he'd be better off spending some time in therapy, or speaking with a divorce attorney, rather than writing letters to Fox News.
"Senator Ensign and his wife were seperated at the time the affair had occured...it takes two tongo.[sic]"
No, not really. Ensign said the affair happened from December 2007 to August 2008.
"John and Darlene Ensign were separated from April to July 2008, the senator's spokesman, Tory Mazzola, confirmed Tuesday evening."
"That would indicate the affair began five months before the couple separated and ended a month after they got back together."
http://www.lvrj.com/news/48240252.html
SO, will all now call the Hamptons liars too? Because if you're keeping score,the Hamptons lied through their attorney when they said they had done 'everything in their power' to keep this 'private'....and didn't know "why" he was coming out now. See,they 'outed' themselves to make sure they were in the spotlight when Sen Ensign didn't name them, then it comes out that Mr Hampton had,in fact, written a letter to Fox News wanting serious revenge against Ensign. Is that everything in your power to keep it private? By throwing your wife under the bus almost a year after it ended?...Who is to say that the blackmail wasn't 'pay me or I'll send this letter to Fox'....? Logic people, logic....
""It is my belief we are dealing with a very powerful person and institution in the U.S. Senate that only the media can pierce to expose the wrong and bring light and focus to what needs to be done."
If you needed the media, then why did you go to Faux Noise. You got what you deserve for working for a corrupt neo-con.
"Who is to say that the blackmail wasn't 'pay me or I'll send this letter to Fox'....? Logic people, logic...."
By averagejoe
6/19/09 at 9:23 a.m.
Ok, logic would tell me that if I'm being extorted for money, and I am chosing to go public rathter than paying, then I'm going to tell the guy I'll pay, get the FBI involved and catch the guy in the act, then have him prosecuted BEFORE I go public. Extorting a US Senator is a MAJOR felony... so why have no charges been filed?
GET A DIVORCE AND QUIT WHINNING!!!!
when you say you are the representive of morality and you show your real colors, that is a problem. ensign has more than his infidelty to deal with. he should resign. it is sad when your moral governor and moral senator cannot keep it zipped. i think i will stay immoral.
When people like jpcortez and others start screaming for the resignation of a guy that had an affair while he was separated from his wife, but aren't demanding that Ted Kennedy not only resign but be jailed after he impregnated his mistress (while he was not separated from his wife) and then drowned her in a lake and claimed it was an accident - it really make those demands from jpcortez sound silly and quaint.
Why should he resign just because he had sex with someone? That's really dumb. If he should resign for that, then pretty much ALL of congress should resign.
Hey, at least he didn't get her pregnant while his wife was battling cancer....
Did Fox News tip off Mr. Ensign that the story was going to come out? That's worse than surpressing the story.
I'd have more respect for Ensign if he had done Megyn Kelly.
Anyone wondering if there is something to the concept of stoning adulterous women in some countries?
And adulterers as well...??
To Whom It May Concern:
Karl R just sent this GOP talking points memo.
Please circulate it to all the Nevada AM Radio listeners and 'promise keepers' ASAP...
I have forwarded it onto Rush, along with his Friday 'scripts. (Hopefully he will read this, before he takes them.)
MB
How to respond to Liberal Media Attacks re: Ensign Zippergate/Payoff:
* "Bill Clinton. Cigars. Disgrace. All three.
* We Love our Troops--as does John. Not relevant really, but still poignant.
* He is sorry...(for tapping her..not for getting caught..make that clear)
* Best Hair in the US Senate
* Obama is mortgaging your children..not their future. Your actual children. (again not relevant, but powerful)
* Wont someone think of the children?--no matter the question, this one works.
.* Ensign was just following our Founders' dream: life (having the time of his...) liberty (taking them) and of course, "pursuing happiness" (emphasize the 'hap' not the "..ppiness" part.
* Ronald Reagan and/or Jesus
Will touch base with Rupert and let you know if we can come up with others.
Keep the faith(ful)
MB
"Doug Hampton wrote that he and others had confronted Ensign about his "unethical behavior and immoral choice" on a number of occasions over the past year.
"In fact, one of the confrontations took place in February 2008 at his (Ensign's) home in Washington D.C. with a group of his peers,"
That "raised the specter of extortion" to me. Who was playing who here.
I would have thought that Doug Hampton would have been mad about his wife and John - but no Doug was worried about "unethical behavior and immoral choice"
Doug Hampton, husband of Cynthia Hampton acts like Cynthia had no say in the matter. Typical male.
Since Doug knew all along of the affair why did he not resign before April 2008?
Mr. Hampton makes it sound like he and his wife were complete victims. Ensign cheated on his wife with a married woman; Mrs. Hampton cheated on her husband with a married man - both are 100% at fault. Mr. Hampton, your wife is a cheater! Own it and quit trying to get everyone's sympathy by pushing the whole thing off on the Senator. Man up!
I read the letter he wrote to Fox News. This guy sounds like a whiney little b@#ch. I'm sure he wasn't complaining while the money was flooding in. His wife simply took one for the team. Even her son benefitted from it financially.
Oh what a web we weave, when we hope to deceive.
I think Mr. Hampton might have criminal grounds against Ensign, Rape; no wait, Cynthia was a willing participant.
Could it be that Doug Hampton is up-set with the loss of corrupt ill-gotten income, so his next move is, to appear up in arms about the whole affair? Now, his family can't swindle taxpayers anymore, so he tried to squeeze it out of Ensign, but it back-fired, Ensign cut his losses, and came clean to the media.
Ensign is no Saint (all men fall short) we all know that, so why all the pushing to have him step down, he should finish his term without added expense (impeachment) to taxpayer. For those of you, who feel slighted, abstain your vote.
Otherwise, hate the sin, not the sinner.
Fox news is denying receiving a letter from Mr. Hampton, but they did receive an e-mail from him 24 hours before the news conference, which they were in the process of verifying. They deny that they notified the senator. I guess we have not heard the whole side of the story yet.
Where is Ms Hampton's response? Both did not have any problems continuing to work for the senator or taking the money.
"Could it be that Doug Hampton is up-set with the loss of corrupt ill-gotten income, so his next move is, to appear up in arms about the whole affair?"
Considering his two most-recent careers were:
1. Working for John Ensign
2. Working in a job obtained for him by John Ensign, surrounded by former Ensign staffers
Are you implying something about John Ensign? Are you implying that Ensign or Ensign's cronies are corrupt?
Hah. Well, it would be interesting to know what Fox News intended to do with this information. Of course, since it's been more than a week, I'm sure Fox has covered its tracks if there's any tracks to cover over.
Expect Hannity and O'Reilly to work overtime to somehow poo-poo this and turn it into an attack on liberals.
there is a missing component to this story.
A thread is missing that ties all this nonsense together. What is it?
Ten years ago it was hard to be a Democrat. I'm so glad I survived that time. Now, I am so glad to be a Democrat. I'd rather be spit on as a liberal than have to live with being a hypocrite. And stupid to boot. Pretzel logic is amazing.
LOL
I guess the "heinous conduct and pursuit" doesn't apply to someone who does so willingly. She volunteered to open her flower to the Senator, she is just as much to blame as Mr. Ensign. Mr. Ensign when you deal with hookers the "going rate" can double when you are in it.
Blogger suggest Ensigns might be swingers. Interesting supposition?
http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archive...
A person who writes like this, with this many grammatical errors, made $160K a year? That's ridiculous!
By dash 6/19/09 at 10:42 a.m.:
"Mr. Hampton makes it sound like he and his wife were complete victims. Ensign cheated on his wife with a married woman; Mrs. Hampton cheated on her husband with a married man - both are 100% at fault. Mr. Hampton, your wife is a cheater!"
I don't necessarily disagree, but, I do have a question:
Wasn't Cynthia Hampton working for Senator John Ensign?
That throws an entire new twist into the issue, as in Senator Ensign might have used his powerful position to get her to satisfy his needs. That might also mean, in addition to being an adulterer, the Ensign forced himself on her though Sexual Harassment. Lots of employers demand more than typing skills from their administrative assistants.
Maybe that was why Ensign wanted to be out in before the letter was made public?
By habanero 6/19/09 at 12:01 p.m.:
"A person who writes like this, with this many grammatical errors, made $160K a year? That's ridiculous!"
And 19 year-old "Brandon, was also on the payroll with a $1,000-a-month summer job at the National Republican Senatorial Committee in 2008, which Ensign chaired at the time."
Which is why there are 8 fewer republicans in the US Senate today.
My schadenfreude runneth over.
Doug Hampton said of his decision to go to FOX News 5 days PRIOR to Ensign's coming forth publicly: "I could have sought the most liberal, Republican hating media to expose this story, but people's lives are at stake and justice is about proper process as well as outcome. Senator Ensign has no business serving in the U.S. Senate any more." My question to you Mr. Hampton is: "Glad you went to Fox News NOW"??...LOL!!!
Sounds to me like FOX NEWS was looking for a way to cover this up.
a brief list of topics that Faux News had to tackle before they were able to investigate this one..
* blonde girl missing in Florida
* blonde girl late getting home from school in CA
* car chase between Fla police & blond girl abductor
* American Idol winner reveals he's gay
* "Some Say" Obama's Birth Certificate Still Missing
* Virgin Mary appears on Pop Tart in Baja Calif
Faux News--Fairly Balanced for Those Who Aren't Since 1996
Hey Doug, If your still with this strumpet your a bigger fool then Ensign & Fox news...how could you look your wife in the eyes and trust her again? Hit the road Doug!!!!
seriously!! your wife cheated on you. it happens everyday, in every city, in every country all over the world. it ruins lives everday. you are not special in your situation. deal with it. dont complain to the news station; you look weak and helpless. what woman would come back to you now?
Ksand99:
I guess, you could look at it from that angle if you know of any wheeling and dealing Ensign was involved with.
My point was directed towards the Hampton family, and that they got some nice pay checks during the affaire. If you are making money for an illicit (sex) act, well, that is corrupt, and while perhaps Cynthia wasn't getting the money it was being redirected to her family. There will be some serious questions about that money; whether it was rightly earned by the Hampton's, or just misappropriated, wait for the ethics committee to get wind of it.
After it is all said and done, it will just be another episode of "Wild Wild West" Nevada politics.
With this sordid story came the first news of his interest in running for President. I don't know which surprised me more? He's totally unqualified to be a good philanderer, let alone a good President! It will take a better Republican candidate to unseat the Messiah.
Doug Hampton should have gone to Father Harry Reid with his information.
I find it hard to believe that Hampton supposedly sent a letter to Fox News. It doesn't make sense. Why not just go to the tabloids--same difference. Katie Couric would have loved to break this story. Or Charlie Gibson. But Fox News???
To those who think my previous comments harsh, let me explain.
Senator Ensign ran as a "true Christian," constantly reminding us of his personal values.
Senator Ensign repeatedly told us(his supporters) that he would support a Christian political agenda.
Senator Ensign repeatedly reassured us that he was an active Promise Keeper who supported the sanctity of marriage.
While to err is human,
Senator Ensign had an affair--violating his Christian marriage vows and his promises to us that he was a good Christian and believer in the sanctity of marriage.
Senator Ensign's affair was with a subordinate staffer, someone he had power over--this is abuse of power.
Senator Ensign has besmirched Promise Keepers by violating the promises at the core of this organization.
Senator Ensign did not apologize until the was about to be caught--making his apology empty.
He lied to his wife. He lied to one of his closest friends. He took advantage of his friend's wife. And, most importantly, he lied to his supporters.
As such, Senator Ensign does not deserve forgiveness for his sins--he deserves justice, here on earth and in the Hereafter.
(Sabatia)
"PS: My husband and I voted for Senator Ensign because he was a Christian like us."
--exactly why religion and government NEED to be separated.
Christianity is a sham, as is every religion. Christians, by definition, live the lie of religion. These kind of things should be expected from people who live the lie that is religion.
Fox "News" told Ensign instead of pursuing the story or helping this poor fool. They should be forced to change their name to "Republican Propaganda Outlet".
OTOH, if Hampton actually thought Fox would pursue the truth about a corrupt, amoral Republican, he's even dumber than the previous resident of the White House
Cindy Hampton is just as guilty. She could have refused but she didn't. I guess Doug thinks his wife did nothing wrong, amazing!
By traderlevel 2 - 6/19/09 at 2:50 p.m.:
"Cindy Hampton is just as guilty. She could have refused but she didn't."
You don't know:
1) if she did refuse
2) if, as a subordinate, she finally relented to a Senator - sounds like "abuse of power"
3) if she will at some time file a "Sexual Harassment" suit against the Senator for forcing her into a compromising situation.
4) if Ensign was giving her a raise, hiring her son and padding the pay of her husband, as a matter of "paying for sex."
But then, we'll probably never know the end of this story as I'm sure the republican spin machine is already trying to figure out how to shut-up the Hamptons and have Ensign relegated to a minor position within the party.
LasVegasRocks.....
4) if Ensign was giving her a raise, hiring her son and padding the pay of her husband, as a matter of "paying for sex."
Oh, he was giving her a raise alright! In more ways than one!!!
In 3 years, all this false hoopla with Ensign's infidelity will be forgotten and the man with the slick willie hairdo and slick willie behavior pattern will be re-elected.
Bank on it!
It is amazing to see how people can miss the point sometimes. We should be calling to have an independent audit of all transactions overseen by Ensign / Hamptom for all public monies. I believe the people of Nevada have the right to know if Adultery was the only Sin in our City and State!
Heres my take based on the facts we know: Cindy Hampton was sexually harrassed and forced into sexual submission by Ensign...Ensign is not the victim - Ensign is the criminal perpetrator!
Out of concern for maintaining secrecy (and hiding his guilt), Ensign give generous raises to both Hamptons and hires their son, and uses his power to prolong his "affair" when, in fact, he is guilty of sexual harrassement and, in my mind, actually rape!
Finally, when the Hamptons can tolerate such abuse no longer, they decide to do what they legally can do by going to their attorney and "demanding a settlement" in an effort to be compensated for the damages they have suffered (with willingness to remain silent) - but, Ensign decides he'd rather go public then pay!
So, what would you do if you found out a good friend of yours, and your employer, had done this to your wife, to you, to your marriage, to your family?
Yeah, I'd want to be paid handsomely, and I'd want lots of money for the pain and suffering of my wife, myself, and my children TOO!
And I'd want to the people of Nevada to know the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
Ensign should RESIGN IMMEDIATELY!
BS machine is in high gear today.
"Senator Ensign ran as a "true Christian," constantly reminding us of his personal values."
Please provide one quote from Ensign whe he is claiming to be "true Christain".
BS factor 10 out of 10.
"Senator Ensign repeatedly told us(his supporters) that he would support a Christian political agenda."
I doubt that you are an Ensign support but again name one quote where he says that he supports a Christain agenda.
BS factor 10 out of 10.
"Senator Ensign repeatedly reassured us that he was an active Promise Keeper who supported the sanctity of marriage."
Obama, Reid and other Democrats are supportors of the sanctity of marriage. Obama and Reid have used that exact words when they claim that they are against gay marriage. It is doubtful that the koolaid drinkers will be slamming Reid and Obama for the same verbiage if they get caught in an affair.
BS factor 8 of 10.
"Senator Ensign's affair was with a subordinate staffer, someone he had power over--this is abuse of power."
Clinton did the EXACT SAME THING.
Hypocrite level: 15 of 10.
"Senator Ensign did not apologize until the was about to be caught--making his apology empty."
Clinton's MO was to go after the women and totally destroy them in public. He was in the process of doing the same thing to his cigar smoking girlfriend. The dress was the only thing that saved her from total public destruction.
Hypocrite level: 100 of out 10
"He lied to his wife. He lied to one of his closest friends. He took advantage of his friend's wife. And, most importantly, he lied to his supporters."
Clinton did the same and worse. He looked millions of Americans in the eye and said one big fat lie.
Hypocrite factor 1,000 of out 10
Hey, "SgtRock" this story is about JOHN ENSIGN - two (or more) wrongs (by others) do NOT make a right, dude!
Your sophmoric attempt at logic scores a ZERO on any scale you want to set up!
Listen to sgtjfnancerock32 SPIN THE B.S.!
Just out of curiosity, why do you feel the need to defend Senator Ensign? I see many repubs have already publicly distanced themselves from him. But not the Rock!
Your post is silly.
five days is not a lot of time to verify Hamptons letter. What if they went with the story ala Dan Rather and it was not the truth or different than the letter claimed. Once they contacted Ensign he could have put them off until he went public. He could have denied the affair or stonewalled them until he made a decision to admit the affair.
I think the best comment is from "habanero" at 12:01.
Hampton writes like a sixth grader. His spelling is childish. His grammar is appalling. And this guy was making $160,000 in taxpayer dollars? Pathetic. $160,000 ladies and gentleman. Your tax dollars at work. Or, as Doug Hampton might say, yur tex dolars at wurk.
Now, as for his going to Fox News rather than the "liberal" media...what a joke. Fox covered up for Ensign! "We Report, You Decide?"
Can you spell F R A U D?
Obviously, we need the FBI to investigate this entirely and determine the facts...I say, let the facts come out and let the chips fall where they may!
No way Fox news tipped Ensign off, That is absurd and a BOLD FACE LIE by you liberal jerks !!!!! If OBAMMA was sleeping with my wife, I would go right to my favorite MSNBC newscaster ! Just joking, boy is this Hampton guy stupid or what. He actually thought Fox news would help him ?? Its almost like something is really worng with this story
Jeepers creepers, look at all that spin from JfNance32, err, SgtRock, err, James F Nance Jr!
He's so torn and upset at being let down by his hero, John Ensign, that he can't stop excusing Ensign's actions!
That's some sick pathology!
He can't handle the truth; that Ensign is just another hypocrite politician!
The right wing Ensign supporters here remind me of five year old's. "but mommy, (Clinton) did it too."
In the world of Republicanisim two wrongs make a right.
Wait a minute-didn't Hampton make a claim to the tune of "we've tried to do everything possible to keep this private"?
Hey Mike123 That explains why they went to fixed news, they wanted to keep it quite ! Mike, sounds like your as bright as Hampton is . Maybe you can get a job with Ensign, hope your married ! LOL
At least I know when to use "you're" rather than "your". Nice job retard
Whew! It's a woman.I thought for a minute he was boffing Barney Franks!
.
..
...When the dust settles it will be said that the Good Senator didn't pay for family sex..
...It was you, the good Republican donors that paid for this frolicking party hardy public servant.. perhaps the American taxpayer also contributed to this Spring time fling by our amorous Senator...
...Remember fellow taxpayers and sucker Republicans...."Lust never Sleeps"....
It was you, the good American taxpayer that contributed to this fling by our amorous former President the frolicking party hardy public servant while Bin Laden was building up his army of terrorist and sneaking them into the USA to flight lessons.
...Remember fellow taxpayers and sucker Democrats...."Lust never Sleeps"....
What do we call the book? "Affair in the Desert," of course it might have happened in DC, "The Rise and Fall of the Bible Thumper-Humper" "The Hampton Inn and Outrage" "Not Your Ordinary John"
Maybe they took it to Fox news and Megyn Smelly
on O'Reilly's staff because Bill has experience handling these kind of things.Remember he was sued by an employee for sexual harrassment and Fox Snooze dished out the mula to settle.Ensign should have done likewise because now his career and reputation is toast.
I still say he should have done Megyn Kelly.
The corruption continues as our leaders live above the law and it just keeps getting uglier.
I found this article disheartening and I guess we can add Ensign, Dodd, Barney, and many more to the list. http://www.rd.com/your-america-inspiring...
Stand up Americans before we are owned by these jerks.
IS U. S. SENATOR JOHN ENSIGN, (R-NV) A SEXUAL PREDATOR?
That's the biggest question of all!
Yes, President Clinton was a sexual predator.
Is he still one? I think he is taking meds for his problem.
Perhaps he can share some with Ensign.
You do realize "SgtRock" that you're a total embarrassement to the veteran's community with your childish questions, don't you?
We all know about Clinton, and Edwards, and all of the rest from the past....
...the current question on the table NOW, is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (R-NV, who is currently still in office) a SEXUAL PREDATOR?
Look at your calendar and try to keep up with CURRENT EVENTS dude!
Hampton should pursue a civil suit against Ensign for alienation of affection from his wife. Ensign has already admitted his guilt in public, there's no way for him to win against that as a defendant. It won't undue the damage that Ensign did to Hampton's marriage, but it will force Ensign to pay the consequences of his immoral behavior.
BTW - I'm a hardcore Republican and find Ensign's behavior execrable.
I agree, "UnevenSteven" but I also feel strongly that Ensign committed the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT and may very well be guilty of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR!
We need a full and thorough investigation and the facts!
Doug Hampton should have his attorney file charges against Ensign alleging SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, STALKING, SEXUAL PREDATION and ALIENATION OF AFFECTION!
By LasVegasRocks 6/19/09 at 12:01 p.m:
"Wasn't Cynthia Hampton working for Senator John Ensign? ... Senator Ensign might have used his powerful position to get her to satisfy his needs"
Apparently she worked for him when the affair started, but the affair continued even when she did not work for him any longer - so there must have been SOMETHING in it for her ... money, excitement, whatever else her husband couldn't provide for her. Notice how she has nothing to say in the matter? She's no victim in this - she did what she did willingly and hubby found out and now he's crying to the press that Ensign took advantage of both of them. Huh? Was he in the bed with them? Instead of being a man and realizing that their marriage has some real internal problems, he's going to turn it inside out and place the blame on another man and try to get a big payoff in the process.
She was working under Ensign and working him for cash.
Let's stick to the facts we know people, and ask questions relevant to the facts we do know, while being sensitive to not making unfounded assumptions and causing unnecessary and unfair damage to anyone involved - especially their kids!
FACT: Ensign admits that he committed sexual harrassment and the relationship went on for several months. So, U. S. Senator, JOHN ENSIGN, (REPUBLICAN-NV) is GUILTY (by his own admission) of the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT!
FACT: Because Ensign admits that his SEXUAL HARRASSMENT of the woman went on for several months raises the question "Is U. S. Senator, JOHN ENSIGN, (REPUBLICAN-NV) also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
Those aren't facts. A fact about Ensign is that he allowed himself to be tricked by his own personal failings, succumbing to carnal lust and having carnal knowledge of a woman not his wife. Those are the facts.
No, "afveteran" I'm asking questions based on facts we know - as are you! You're just stating some simply obvious facts - and I'm asking some well thought out, tough, pointed, specific questions (based on what Ensign has said) - and, of course, Ensign and his staff and supporters do not want such questions asked at all!
FACT: Ensign was the superior/employer!
FACT: Hampton was the subordinate/employee!
Then, just look at the undisputed time-line, dude!