Las Vegas Sun

October 1, 2023

Sen. John Ensign scandal

By Tiffany Brown · June 16, 2009 · 4:02 p.m.

Sen. John Ensign speaks to the media about an affair he had with a former staffer Tuesday, June 16, 2009 at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas. (Related story).

U.S. Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) announces he will not seek another term in 2012 during a news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Building March 7, 2011. Ensign's wife Darlene stands by him at left.
Details emerge from Ensign FBI investigation
Monday, December 29, 2014
Eric Lichtblau, New York Times
Three years after the fall of former Sen. John E. Ensign of Nevada, thousands of pages of previously undisclosed documents reveal new details about the evidence the FBI gathered against Ensign, a onetime Republican presidential hopeful.
Former Sen. John Ensign opens Las Vegas animal hospital
Thursday, September 5, 2013
By Hannah Dreier, Associated Press
Two years after resigning from Congress amid an ethics probe involving his affair with a former campaign staffer, former U.S. Sen. John Ensign of Nevada is opening a luxury animal hospital in Las Vegas.
John Ensign announces he will not seek another term during a news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2011.
FEC fine a 'sad end to a sad story' for Ensign
Politics:
Friday, May 24, 2013
By Karoun Demirjian
Two years ago, the Federal Election Commission deciding to fine former Sen. John Ensign $32,000 for breaking campaign finance laws would have been big news. But in a week filled with scandals, the punishment failed to stir anyone. “It’s old news, and the political world has moved on,” said Eric Herzik, a political science professor at UNR. “It’s just a sad end to a sad story.” The contorted tale of Ensign’s ethically shady steps to extricate himself from a long-term affair with his campaign treasurer — who also happened to be the wife of his chief of staff — gripped ...
Former Sen. John Ensign hit with fine over contributions
Friday, May 17, 2013
By Karoun Demirjian
The Federal Election Commission announced Friday a $32,000 fine against former U.S. Sen. John Ensign of Nevada and his former campaign committee treasurer, Lisa Lisker, for failing to disclose “excessive in-kind contributions” from Ensign’s parents.
Nevada's influence on taxes may disappear in 2013
Monday, June 25, 2012
By Karoun Demirjian
In the past 5 1/2 years, Nevada’s representatives have created a sphere of influence in Washington when it comes to taxation. But as the country gears up for a massive tax fight that many now predict will spill into 2013, Nevada is on the precipice of losing all that political capital.
Doug Hampton, a former senior aide to then-Sen. John Ensign.
Former Ensign aide pleads guilty to misdemeanor, likely to avoid jail time
Thursday, June 7, 2012
By Karoun Demirjian
Doug Hampton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Thursday morning for breaking a rule requiring former congressional aides to refrain from lobbying their bosses for at least a year after departing a lawmaker’s office.
Doug Hampton, a former senior aide to then-Sen. John Ensign.
Source: Former Ensign aide Doug Hampton to admit misdemeanor
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Associated Press
An aide to former Republican Sen. John Ensign is expected to plead guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to a misdemeanor violation of a federal lobbying law, according to a person close to the case. Doug Hampton left his job as Ensign's administrative assistant four years ago after discovering Ensign, R-Nev., had been having an affair with his wife. Federal prosecutors alleged Hampton then began lobbying the senator's office on behalf of Nevada-based clients in violation of the yearlong ban on former employees lobbying the Senate.
Ensign's former aide reaches deal with federal prosecutors
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
By Karoun Demirjian
Former U.S. Sen. John Ensign’s chief aide Doug Hampton appears to have reached a deal with federal prosecutors to settle charges he violated a cooling off period prohibiting congressional employees from lobbying for at least a year after they leave their jobs.
In wake of Limbaugh flap, a look at some notable gaffes by Nevada politicos
POLITICS: Nevada political figures have a history of foot-in-mouth disease, as well
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
By Michael Squires
Rush Limbaugh stirred controversy last week by calling a female law student a “slut” for her testimony before Congress on contraception and health insurance.
Pre-trial schedule set for former aide to Sen. John Ensign
Friday, January 13, 2012
By Karoun Demirjian
WASHINGTON -- A trial for Doug Hampton, the ex-chief of staff and former friend of former Sen. John Ensign, won’t happen until the fall at earliest, after lawyers for the prosecution and defense agreed on a pre-trial schedule today that will stretch over eight months.
Rick Santorum speaks to the media after the GOP presidential debate sponsored by CNN on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2011, at the Venetian.
Husband cuckolded by Ensign rips rising Santorum
POLITICS:
Monday, January 9, 2012
By Anjeanette Damon
Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum betrayed his professed family values when he tipped off his friend, former Sen. John Ensign, that a story about his extramarital affair was about to break, said Doug Hampton, husband of the woman with whom Ensign had been having the affair.
January hearing set for John Ensign aide in lobbying case
Friday, September 30, 2011
Associated Press
WASHINGTON -- A one-time aide to Nevada's former Republican U.S. Sen. John Ensign could head to trial next year in a Washington criminal case alleging he illegally lobbied Ensign.
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.
Could an Edwards indictment be precursor of one for Ensign?
Letter From Washington:
Sunday, May 29, 2011
By Karoun Demirjian
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: John Ensign.
Senator’s web snared Nevada’s elite pols
Letter From Washington:
Sunday, May 15, 2011
By Karoun Demirjian, Delen Goldberg
The people named in the Senate Ethics Committee’s probe of former Sen. John Ensign’s actions in the wake of his affair read like a who’s who of Nevada’s power elite.
Does ethics report put John Ensign in legal jeopardy?
Friday, May 13, 2011
By Karoun Demirjian
A few months ago, things were looking up for then-Sen. John Ensign. First, the Federal Elections Commission dropped its investigation against him, then the Justice Department decided it didn’t have the goods to move on an indictment. By the end of last year, it looked like the legal skies were clearing above him, and Ensign got such a spring in his step that he started take steps toward a reelection campaign.