Nevada Senator John Ensign To Resign
In June 2009 Ensign publicly admitted that he had an affair with Cynthia Hampton, who was his political treasurer and was married to Doug Hampton, Ensign’s administrative assistant. The Ensign and Hampton families lived in the same neighborhood outside Las Vegas and were considered the best of friends.
In 2008, when the affair became known to the other spouses, Ensign dismissed both Hamptons from his political and legislative payroll. Ensign’s parents, wealthy casino magnates, paid the Hampton family $96,000 in what was labeled gift income for tax purposes, the precise amount legally permissible without triggering taxes.
In addition, Doug Hampton returned to Las Vegas and began working as a lobbyist for a consulting firm run by Ensign’s top political advisers. Doug Hampton has alleged that Ensign helped him line up his first few lobbying clients — all donors to Ensign’s political committees — and that the senator helped arrange meetings for Doug Hampton with Obama administration officials.
Newly-elected Republican Governor Brian Sandoval is likely to replace him with Republican Congressman Dean Heller. Heller was going to run for Ensign’s seat, as Ensign has previously said he was going to retire at the end of his term.
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