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Published Monday, June 22, 2009 | 11:56 a.m.
Updated Monday, June 22, 2009 | 3:36 p.m.
Sun Coverage
Sun Archives
- In state GOP, Ensign finds few defenders (6-21-09)
- War of words between Ensign and Hampton escalates (6-20-09)
- Ensign's office says Hampton made 'exorbitant demands' (6-19-2009)
- 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 returned to the capital today to handshakes from colleagues.
It was the first public appearance for the senator who admitted last week to having conducted an eight-month affair with a former campaign staffer who is married to one of his former top aides.
In a dark suit and bold red tie, Ensign arrived on the Senate floor for a vote on a tourism bill he co-authored.
Several senators from both sides of the political aisle, including Democratic Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts and Sen. Chuck schumer of New York, shook his hand. Republican Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, a housemate, stood by his side at the Nevadan's desk.
Earlier today, an ethics watchdog group said it is preparing an ethics complaint against Republican Sen. John Ensign, calling for an investigation of activity surrounding his affair with a former campaign staffer.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington expects to file the complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee by mid-week.
“We are filing an ethics complaint against the senator,” said spokeswoman Naomi Seligman. She declined to provide details of the complaint, only that it would seek an “investigation into activities surrounding his affair.”
Ensign returned to Washington today after being out last week as he acknowledged the affair. The former campaign staffer, Cynthia Hampton, is the wife of one of Ensign’s former top aides, Doug Hampton.
The Senate Ethics Committee is famously tight-lipped about its work.
Potential questions could involve the affair or the pay the Hamptons received while working for the senator, as well as their departure in May 2008. Cynthia Hampton's pay could also be a question for the Federal Elections Commission.
Ensign’s office has maintained Cynthia Hampton’s pay raises during the time of the affair were in line with added duties at his campaign committees. Ensign’s office has said Doug Hampton’s extra pay during his final month was accrued vacation.
GREAT NEWS! get this bum. if it doesn't work. maybe, i'll call his lil lady over to my apartment and show her what a real man is like. :-)
THE NEWS MEDIA still hasn't found any "Cindy Hampton" for info and background photo---WHY NOT? ISN'T SHE LOCAL IN LAS VEGAS AT THE SAME SUMMERLIN AREA ADDRESS WHERE THE "DOUG HAMPTON" PHOTO WAS TAKEN, OR IS HE LIVING IN A DIFFERENT LOCATION?
She worked in Sen. Ensign's Office, yet there is nothing with the Senator at an event?...She was a fundraiser, yet no contacts there either?...She worked with other staff, interns, offices, and yet no one has a picture?...Pretty hard to believe.
Usually, news stories cover pictures of both involved in affairs, don't they? Maybe some of these interns who want to leave Ensign have a picture with him and her in it??? So far the national, state, and local news have presented NOTHING on her. Why not?....
A few random searches on the internet do provide some tidbits for a news reporter to follow up on as research prospects though, unless research is no longer a news reporters tool of the trade.
It's possible, THE "Cindy Hampton" in the Senator Ensign affair may have LA connections, so check it out....
1) At age 46, would she be a "Class of 1981"? ...
2) What was her maiden name?...
3) There is a "Cindy (Barnes) Hampton" listed for Canyon High School, Anaheim Hills, California, on Classmates.com, could this be her?...
4) Would there at least be a picture in the yearbook?....
5) Do you know anyone there to check it out in the school or local library?....
If you can't work backwards from when she worked in DC with the Senator, maybe you can work forward from high school to the present.
Just curious from some random internet searches that led to this possibility. Good luck.
MAYBE TOMORROW....
All from his own mouth, Senator Ensign I hope you used safety glass when you built your house, less cuts that way .
September 23, 2004
Senator John Ensign today called on Nevada State Controller Kathy Augustine to resign in the wake of the state Ethics Commission finding that she improperly had an employee work on her reelection campaign on state time
January 4, 2007
I'm always grateful to Nevadans not only for their support but also for the faith and trust they continue to place in me to stand up for their values and beliefs in the Senate.
September 03, 2007
A GOP leader Sunday denied a double standard in pushing Sen. Larry Craig to resign after a sex sting guilty plea, while remaining silent over GOP Sen. David Vitter's involvement with an escort service.Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., the Senate Republican campaign chairman, said Craig "admitted guilt. That is a big difference between being accused of something and actually admitting guilt."
October 18, 2007
"There's too many people that paint with a broad brush that we're all corrupt, we're all amoral," he said. "And having these kinds of things happen, whether it's a Republican or Democratic senator -- we certainly have had plenty of Democratic scandals in the past -- we need people who are in office who will hold themselves to a little higher standard."
RESIGN you bloviating blowhard.
KUDOS to CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) for calling for the U. S. Senate Ethics Commission to open and investigation into U. S. Senator John Ensign, (Republican-NV) who has pulicly admitted he committed the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT!
This is NOT just another garden-variety adulterous affair people!
And given the facts that Ensign also admitted his SEXUAL HARRASSMENT went on for several months, it raises the obvious serious question:
"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
The high school pictures are suspect, what is her maiden name? Someone had a So. Cal. woman mis-indentified, there was also a picure from a High School in Boulder Colorado. The picture is probably worth a few bucks at this point, and I'm sure the LA tabloids are on the hunt. They know who their lawyer is, and where their house is and where Doug and Brandon supposedly "work."
Not only should they look into Ensign, they should investigated the whole crowd at the DC "cult house" he and Coburn et. al. occupy.
I thought the newspaper editor at the other paper (Sherm the "PACaDERM") said this case was just a "roll in the hay."
The Nevada Commission on Ethics, by the authority granted it under chapter 281A of N.R.S., strives to enhance the public's faith and confidence in government by ensuring that public officers and public employees uphold the public trust by committing themselves to avoid conflicts between their private interests and their public duties.
1. John Ensign US Senator
Admits to lying and adultery
2. Cynthia Hampton TREASURER for most of John Ensigns political entities including PAC's.
Admits to lying and adultery.
Battle Born PAC Expenditures 2008
Hampton, Cynthia $13,384
Hampton, Cindy $9,754
Hampton $5,174
Battle Born PAC Expenditures 2010
November, Inc $18,924
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/lookup2....
3. Doug Hampton Manager for Ensign Senate office
Demanding large amounts of money to keep quiet.
Add it up...we need to investigate the 'public money' first then the ethics...
I noticed governor Mark Sanford of SC (R) was missing for 3 days, and ditches his security on a frequent basis. He says he goes away to "write." I wonder....? He is a "family values Republican."
I say we need to investigate everyone involved and determine all of the facts - and let the chips fall where they may!
Ensign has admitted to more than just adultery - what Ensign did is a classic definition of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT! Ensign was the superior and Hampton was his subordinate!
Of course, we need to know: "Who initiated the affair?" But, I don't think anyone can fairly argue that it was "consenual" given the superior / subordinate relationship!
Questions regarding money are all appropriate and should be asked and answered under oath as well!
I want the facts - ALL of the facts!
We also know from Ensign's own public admission that his SEXUAL HARRASSMENT went on for months, and he continued to pursue the woman even after he spilled his guts to his wife and she forgave him - that leades to a logical question:
"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensing, (Republican-NV) also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
Don't hold your breath waiting for anything much to happen with this whole thing....Ensign is back in Washington and it looks as if all of his Senate buddies, on both sides of the aisle, have welcomed John back into the fold....
FOX NEWS and the right-wing news sources (I'm using the term news rather loosely...) will spend much time, energy and money to convince all of us that Ensign has really done very little wrong....
Some things never change.....
"Republican Sen. John Ensign returned to the capital today to handshakes from colleagues". Colleagues or fellow travelers? Ethics--We don't need no stinking Ethics. I hope all voters, Democrat, Republican, and Independent, will not forget about this in 2012. Let's finally send a message that we don't suffer from memory loss and that we the people will stand up to the moneyed elite that think they own the government. Do as we say, not as we do can no longer be tolerated . Any one who votes for an incumbent gets what they deserve. Throw the bums out.
By Ensign's own admission we know Ensign is guilty of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT - no room for spinning on that point!
And, again, by Ensign's own admission, we know Ensign continued his SEXUAL HARRASSMENT for several months, even after Ensign fessed up to his own wife, and even after the employer/employee relationship ended - Ensign continued to pursue another man's wife!
That raises the next obvious and logical, two-part, question:
"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Republican-NV) also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
Facts are FACTS! And I'm going to keep asking until I get honest, factually based answers - that's what investigative writers do! So, if it takes clear up to Ensign's 2012 attempt at re-election - I'm going to keep asking, and asking and asking!
NOTE TO ENSIGN & HIS STAFF: Staying silent won't work! Here's why: "U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Repbulican-NV), and his staff, continue to refuse to answer questions regarding a case of sexual harrassment that Senator Ensign admitted to back in June '09 - because the sexual harrassment continued even after Ensign allegedly confessed to his wife, and even longer after the other woman involved left the employ of Ensign, questions remain unanswered such as:
"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Republican-NV) admittedly guilty of the crime of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, also guilty of the crime of STALKING and being a SEXUAL PREDATOR?"
Again, follow the money.
All the principals in this situation are paid with federal tax dollars. You have to at least consider the payments suspect; you have to consider whether the Senator was using his payroll to a) keep Mrs. Hampton quiet; b) keep Mr. Hampton quiet.
By all means there needs to be a full and public airing of the facts and the timeline.
Thank you.
Ya gotta' love these "family values Republicans." They lie, cheat, steal, and then lecture US on ethics and values? Come on, I know there's a sucker born every minute, and there sure as hell are plenty of suckers traveling to Vegas every day, but I'd think most Nevadans are a lot wiser than the tourist suckers and will be too wise to place a sucker bet on a guy like Ensign when he's up for re-election. Put Ensign's re-election campaign chances up on the board; he's gotta' be a 6-1 dog going into the next election. I'll take all the action you want to lay on Ensign. He's toast!
A poll just came out this week that placed Ensign's approval rating higher than Reid's.
Wow "A poll" you say "SgtRock" - do you even know how to evaluate a poll? Are you talking about the idiotic polls that the RJ pays hacks to do for them? Guess what, educated people know how to look at the components of a poll and determine if it is done on an objective basis - or, not! Did you do that? Oh, let me guess, you didn't know about basic statistical standards - or, you forgot, right?
Dude, get real, you are out of your league - so, why not just sit back, read and learn - and not waste your time, or anyone else's, with your silly, childish, sophmoric dribble!
Now, since this is a story about John Ensign, Cindy Hampton and Doug Hampton - could you possible stay focused on the people in THIS story (and not forget that this is June 2009)? Good boy, I know you can do this! Just keep looking at a calendar if you that helps!
And please, I know a great many veterans would very much appreciate it if you'd come up with a handle that doesn't imply that you might be a veteran - especially, if you're just another pathetic poser impersonating a veteran - PLEASE?
He used tax payer money to buy her silence. What else do we need?
Hannity seemed tougher on Ensign than Chris Mathews on "Wiffle-ball." Mathews didn't even cover the financial elements of the situation. Hannity "almost" called for his resignation.
Maybe the Dems like a weak Ensign over a stronger replacement, Heller, Heck, etc.
It was not tax payer money. It was political donations or PAC funds. Bill Clinton was the one who promoted his cigar girlfriend from intern to White House staff because of her cigar skills. They (Clinton and cigar girl) were working hard...very hard...on the taxpayers dime.
Hey, "SgtRock" if I buy you a cigar and hire a gal to give you a B.J. - will that be enough for you to start living life and enjoying 2009?
ROTFLMAO!
I think we all know who SgtRock is going to vote for when Ensign runs for reelection in 2012, don't we?
That's not a surprise if you follow the many posts that SgtRock has made concerning Senator Ensign, Senator Reid and Bill Clinton....
What is a surprise is the number of people out there who agree with SgtRock & his distorted and myopic way of thinking.......very scary stuff!
SgtRock,
The massive raises he gave the couple were from Senatorial staff funds. That was taxpayer money. He also used Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee money to not only buy the silence of the couple, but to give their 19 year-old son a job as a consultant! A consultant! For what?
This, at the very least is a misappropriaton of funds.
Ask yourself this: Would you hire someone who misappropriated other people's money to provide for the silence of his paramour, her husband, and their son? Would you trust that person with your money?
So why should we continue to trust Senator Ensign with our tax dollars?
Here is some perspective on all these rantings:
I am a "right wing Republican" with "family values" who is a Christ-follwer, and I find all these Republicans who cheat abhorrent. However, I also find "left wing liberal Dems" who cheat abhorrent too. Can't we leave the party designation silent and just recognize that this is the human condition? Dem or Rep, people are people, and people with no values are no respector of political party.
Second, this Doug Hampton guy is a con-artist who doesn't know how to be real if it bit him in the butt. He too, claims to have been a "family values" guy (he went to a church I once went to in OC), yet he doesn't mind being a drug addict (the press should investigate THAT), an extortionist (he'll get nothing, now that this has been blown open), who isn't even on speakign terms with his own parents. What kind of a shining star is THIS dude? And a "top adviser" to Ensign? PUHLEASE. This guy is an old family friend with the gift of gab who Ensign (with all his big bucks) put on the payroll to keep him at bay, like fly swatter from a fly. And yes, Cindy AND Doug are Orange County, Cal people.
God is SO unhappy with this behavior. He's unhappy with ALL of our behavior as long as WE keep slinging mud, keep adding fuel to the fire. These kinds of things are going to continue to happen with ALL of us (none of you are innocent either; imagine if an inquiry on YOUR (or my) life was conducted??), however, people with money and power like all these in this scandal, are just more susceptible to taking advantage, AND they go down more publicly.
Hey, "gfarrold" what you've said is all well and good in the case of a common, garden-variety adulterous affair - but, this is a criminal case of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT!
I doubt "if an inquiry" on most people "was conducted" that we'd find crimes of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT?
"Is U. S. Senator, John Ensign, (Republican-NV) who's obviously GUILTY of SEXUAL HARRASSMENT, also GUILTY of STALKING and being A SEXUAL PREDATOR!"
Inside Edition is doing a story on Channel 19 at 6:30pm and airing it again at 8:00pm - turns out Darlene Ensign and Cindy Hampton were High School friends and we now have pictures of both couples together at a High School Reunion!
If this is a case of sexual harassment, then you'd better start issuing traffic speeding violations at the Indy 500 race, or issuing homocide papers on the Taliban rocketeers who killed 2 of our Bagram AFB personnel in Afghan last week.
You're not fooling anyone "afveteran" with your attempts to spin this serious issue into a minor incident and protect your partisan views dude!
I'm a master at the communications game - and I'll push back every time you say anything that simply is not true, or, is not relevant - so, I've got all the time between now and the 2012 race when Ensign is going to try and get re-elected! This is what I do!
Over the past 6 years, my proudest accomplishment is contributing to the Dina Titus victory - and taking the pathetic political puppet Porter out of the game! Ahhhhh, the thrill of victory! If you know any of Porter's former staff - give them a call and ask them if they had wished they had listened to me and not taken me on?
I'm just asking obvious questions, based on the few facts we know, and the sooner Ensign and his Staff step-up and answer the questions the better for all concerned! Knowing their level of guilt and shame - I know they will only give up the least of information, only when they absolutely have to - and then, we won't be able to believe anything they say because they have blown their integrity!
It's such a silly game - but, they have to try and protect Ensign (until they can find new jobs) and they have to be able to say "we tried" - soooo sad!
So, we'll see what the U. S. Senate Ethics Commission can bring to light regarding Ensign's violations of employment and finance rules?
Tick, Tock, Tick, Tock....
....here, Kitty, KITTY!
Here is a link to a genuine photo of Cynthia Hampton and John Ensign and their spouses:
http://insideedition.com/news.aspx?story...
This is a horrible mistake you've made John, I hope this committee goes after you like they did Bill Clinton, oh wait, they didn't. But the liberals will attack you while they forgive and stick up for Bill.
You do get what you deserve for stepping out on your wife though John and I won't try to defend your actions. Although it is somewhat commendable for outing yourself before the state run media leaches could do it first.
Hey, everyone, South Carolina Governor Sanford (Republican) is back from his little "hike" - turns out he was in Argentina with HIS mistress, and she's another married women with children TOO! Gov. Sanford, (R-SC) is resigning from his leadership position with the Republican Governors Association - but, did not say he would resign as the Governor?
What is it with these Republican, Married Christians - with kids?
John Ensign, Bill Clinton, and now Mark Sanford have shown the world how it is possible to be a powerful political figure and still have boyish, high school loose pants mentalities. But, wait, that applique covers about 60% of the males reading this comment, and they know it.