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Sen. John Ensign announces he will not seek another term in 2012 during a news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2011.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Sunday, May 29, 2011 | 2 a.m.
John Edwards
Sun Coverage
Related Document
Sun archives
- Does ethics report put John Ensign in legal jeopardy? (5-13-2011)
- Ensign report provides insight into Nevada’s entrenched political structure (5-13-2011)
- Six things revealed about John Ensign (5-13-2011)
- Ethics panel chairwoman: ‘Reason to believe that Ensign violated laws’ (5-12-11)
- Dean Heller sworn in as U.S. senator (5-9-11)
- John Ensign poses for pictures, keeps low profile as 16-year run nears end (4-28-11)
- Sandoval chooses Dean Heller for John Ensign replacement (4-27-11)
- Until the end, John Ensign a master of close-call politics (4-22-11)
The federal indictment that is due any day now for former presidential candidate and Sen. John Edwards, who fathered a child with a campaign staffer and then tried to cover it up, is raising speculation around Washington about another similarly scandal-ridden senator: If Justice goes after Edwards, would it be more likely to go after John Ensign?
The circumstances of Edwards’ and Ensign’s cases are eerily similar. Both had been charting a course toward the White House; both took up affairs with campaign staffers; and both have since been haunted by accusations that they misspent campaign money to cover their tracks. (Both also have the same initials, J.E., and an obsession with their own, admittedly impressive, heads of politician hair.)
But although the Justice Department seems poised to pull Edwards up on charges that he broke finance laws by using campaign money to support his mistress, it passed on a chance to indict Ensign on allegations that he had broken those same laws to pay severance to his mistress, and encouraged inappropriate contact between his office and her husband, an Ensign staffer-turned-lobbyist, late last year. So did the Federal Election Commission.
In a report released this month, the Senate Ethics Committee urged both to reopen their investigations of Ensign, because “we have reason to believe that Sen. Ensign violated laws within their jurisdictions,” committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer of California said.
The question now is whether they will — and whether the Edwards case will at all influence that decision.
Any legal decision of course must be made on the facts of the case, and despite how similar the allegations are, there are differences that could suggest the Edwards scenario is a more prosecutable case.
Prosecutors say Edwards used hundreds of thousands of dollars donated by millionaires Rachel Mellon, 100, and the late Fred Baron, to pay for a house for Rielle Hunter, the campaign videographer with whom he fathered a child. Edwards claims the money that went to house Hunter and support his out-of-wedlock child were personal gifts not tied to his campaign; prosecutors, citing Baron and Mellon’s history of giving to Edwards’ campaign and associated political action committees, say they were misappropriated campaign funds.
The $96,000 payoff in Ensign’s case was much less, and the money came from a much murkier source: Ensign’s family trust. It was his parents who cut the check to Cynthia Hampton, Ensign’s mistress; Doug Hampton, his former top aide and best friend; and two Hampton children in equal parts.
But new revelations about the Justice Department’s tabled Ensign investigation suggest there may actually be a new compulsion to resume the case.
According to the news agency Reuters, the Justice Department didn’t have all the documents that were available to the Ethics Committee because Ensign’s lawyers didn’t turn them over to ethics investigators until after Justice had shuttered its case.
The formerly missing documents include about a thousand emails among Ensign, advisers and attorneys that the Ethics Committee tried unsuccessfully to snag for 18 months, until one day, they just handed them over.
Now, the investigation found through attorneys close to the case, it’s “almost certain” that the Justice Department will reopen its case, not least because it has to protect its reputation.
“Each case has its own individual facts and each person is entitled to a judgment on his own case,” said Daniel Lowenstein, an expert in election law who teaches at UCLA. “On the other hand, certainly, any prosecuting agency should have some consistency.”
1. Prison, circa 2012:
John: So tell me about that $400 haircut, John. Did you get anything else for your money, or was it just a snip job and a blow-dry?
John: No, John, my hair-dresser was into the snip wet and blow dry. She did what my wife once did, but did it so much better that it was always worth the extra cash the way I felt about it. It's hard telling now what it cost me, but actually i didn't mind the negative press. It kinda thrills the ladies to read about a fancy coiffure; it makes them feel pretty and that helps them justify their 'do' to their hubbies.
John: Would ja do it again the same way?
John: Nah, I think I'd grow it a little longer and maybe get a fro. A kinda puffball. How come you sidled up to an your buddies' wife, John? That always seemed like a dangerous thing to me.
John: Well, i don't know. It just kinda happened. She was gorgeous and complaining about not getting much attention at home because her hubby was always working late for me, so I kinda snuck in, and well, it just got to be a regular thing. Then word got out and my mom and dad wanted to help, an hell, you know the rest. I prayed for the best for both her and me. I guess this is it, huh?
"Now, the investigation found through attorneys close to the case, it's 'almost certain' that the Justice Department will reopen its case, not least because it has to protect its reputation."
Enjoyed the article, Karoun.
I'm very much mystified why the Justice Department is more interested in protecting its reputation. More so than doing the job they are paid to be doing.
I must admit I don't know much about the Edwards case. Not sure of the similarities, nor do I care.
Regarding Ensign, the only thing I know is that the longer this goes on with no resolution, the more its becoming a slap in the faces of every voter in Nevada.
To make things a bit more clearer, Ensign basically destroyed the lives of everyone surrounding him. All the way from a staffer, to the wife (Hampton and wife are going through divorce proceedings rights now, to his own family with his wife and parents in shame, to his unemployed staffers, his totally and completely disgusted constituents in Nevada and it may end up with another Senator (Coburn) becoming involved with ethics violations, corruption and maybe even criminal charges.
It sure seems like everyone surrounding Ensign has been tainted.
Except him. He destroys lives around him but, so far...he walks. Nothing is happening to him other than resigning in disgrace.
He has avoided everything.
He manipulated the system for his own gain. He used his power and arrogance to do whatever the hell he wanted whenever the hell he wanted. Then, when the vice tightened around him and he could go no further with his lies, he resigned. He walked free without being censored, thrown out nor any criminal charges.
The voters of Nevada lose.
I'm not sure if there are criminal charges contemplated or pending on Ensign, but the main thing is that even though he is gone from the political stage, it sure seems like no one is doing anything.
I lay odds that nothing happens. Because I see people who are being paid to do things seem to be looking for more excuses on why they are doing nothing and why they will continue to do nothing about this.
Ensign walks.
I recommend we give Ensign a medal. Hell, at least that's something other than just the idle talk and shoveling the case back and forth to agencies who have no teeth to do anything.
"Edwards' and Ensign's cases are eerily similar."
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Oh indeed, but this time it s the democrat who hands the mistress more money?
Gee, Ensign really was lousy, even in the payoff dept..
A couple o' pretty John-Boys
one wide left, one wide right
got caught playing with their toys...
and using OTHER people's MONEY to keep it out of sight.
Ensign & Edwards are quite a pair...
bungling cover-ups of their affair.
John from the West...John from the East
Not much difference in our Political Beast.
Money, Power, Sex & Scandal...
history is replete with guys who found it too hot to handle.
Enjoy your stays in the Federal Slammer!
Justice is about to bring down the hammer.
Frankly, I couldn't care less if one more penny is spent on further inquiry or prosecution of either of them. They both have paid the ultimate price that can be paid by people like them.
When you hold public office, purport to be a leader of the public and have shamed yourself in the manner both have, you can no longer walk among your neighbors and fellow supporters with your head held high. As far as I'm concerned they have and will continue to pay that price. Breaking them financially and/or jail time doesn't compare to the loss of respect they've already experienced and most likely will feel for the rest of their lives.
Ensign is hot. Oh yeah he's hot--ripe for INDICTMENT and CONVICTION. Thought he was soooo smooooth. Ya right.
The DOJ hack who is going after Edwards is a Bush appointee. That is not the case in the Ensign case.
Hmmmmm....Could an Edwards indictment be precursor of one for Ensign?
Of course! Ensign isn't a democrat.
It's getting to the point where you can't be a politician unless you're a criminal / scumbag.
@Bob_Realist... I don't think any of the corrupt swindling tax cheats of the democratic party will ever get a prison sentence like Republican Randall Cunningham - 8 years 4 months...though he deserved it.
There are too many democrat tax cheats running the country now.
Republicans are too gutless to mention anything about democratic corruption. Take the Obungler for instance. He recently release his birth certificate again that anyone with bad eyesight can tell it was forged.
Not one word from one single Republican about that issue.