by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright June 18, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

            In another blow the Republican Party, 51-year-old presidential hopeful Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) admitted to an affair with ex-campaign staffer and family friend, 46-year-old Cindy Hampton.  For the born-again Christian religious conservative, it wouldn’t be that unusual except for the fact that Cindy’s husband, Doug, Ensign’s golfing partner, was also on the payroll.  Federal officials indicated that Cindy received pay raises at two political entities controlled by Ensign during the affair.  “Last year I had an affair.  I violated the vows of my marriage,” Ensign said at a brief Las Vegas new conference. “It is the worst thing I have ever done in my life.  If there was anything in my life that I could take back, this would be it,” said Ensign in a scripted mea culpa.  Ensign was vociferous moral critic of former President Bill Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

            Ensign’s mea rings hollow since more rumors swirled about an earlier affair in 2002.  Back in 2002, Ensign went incognito, dropping off the radar for two weeks.  An unnamed person knowledgeable about that situation indicated Ensign told a close colleague that he had an earlier affair, contradicting his recent public apology that “it was the worst thing I have ever don in my life.”  Were it not for Ensign’s holier-than-though attitude and intolerance of his colleagues’ peccadilloes, his indiscretions would not seem that big of a deal.  Ensign went public Tuesday, June 16, inexplicably confessing his sins.  Rumors flew that he went public because Cindy’s husband and golfing partner, Doug, tried to blackmail him for an undisclosed sum of cash.  No law enforcement agency, including the D.C. police or FBI, has considered that possibility, discounting the rumor and possible motive.

            Resigning from his senate leadership position with the powerful Republican Policy Committee, Ensign indicated he would remain in the senate.  Ensign had little patience for Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), urging him to resign after caught June 11, 2007 soliciting a gay sex act in public restroom at the Minneapolis International Airport.  While there’s nothing illegal about having an affair, Ensign has a lot of explaining to do, especially about Cindy’s curiously timed pay raises while working for his political action committee.  “He accepted responsibility for his action and apologized to his family and constituents.  He offered, and I accept, his resignation as chairman of the Policy Committee,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kt.), sidestepping some key questions, namely, why he was granting Cindy raises while his affair was active and ongoing.

            GOP officials were grooming Ensign for a possible run at the presidency in 2012.  His recent revelations destroy his political future, at least for a presidential run.  “It is unfortunate the senator chose to air this very personal matter, especially after the Hamptons did everything to keep this matter private,” said Hampton’s Las Vegas lawyer David Albregis, begging the question of why Ensign went public.  It’s possible that Ensign thought if he went public and blamed Cindy’s husband for blackmail, he’d discredit the affair allegation and ascribe an evil motive to Cindy, soliciting sympathy and taking the offensive with his damage control.  Ensign’s love triangle became a dangerous high-wire act, where it was just a matter of time before he destroyed his career.  Apart from his affair, Ensign violated very known ethical principle and rule about conflicts of interest.

            Excusing Ensign’s behavior runs afoul with GOP senators, trying to pick up the pieces since the Nov. 4 election.  Fortunately, President Barack Obama handed the GOP a convenient diversion with health care reform, currently dominating the headlines on Capitol Hill.  Ensign’s affair says less about promiscuity and more about continued nepotism and corruption.  Paying Doug Hampton $13,385 a month on his political action committee, while, simultaneously, doubling Cindy’s salary to $2,771, then, paying her son more another $500-$1,000 a month, shows egregious abuse of campaign finance laws.  While tempting to point fingers at the affair, the financial entanglements pose far greater problems.  Simply stepping down from a committee assignment doesn’t begin to address more serious legal and ethical breaches.  Senate investigators must not get distracted by a garden-variety love triangle.

            Ensign’s conflicts of interest warrant his immediate resignation from the U.S. Senate.  His affair with his golfing partner’s wife doesn’t begin to itemize the venal and possibly criminal activity related to abusing campaign funds.  Crying potential blackmail doesn’t excuse Ensign  from violating practically every known principle of conflicts of interest.  No U.S. senator, or any elected official for that matter, can abuse the public trust without consequences.  Stepping down from the Republican Policy Committee doesn’t restore Ensign’s credibility or constitute a consequence for Ensign’s behavior.  Senate investigators need to thoroughly examine potentially career-ending campaign finance law abuses.  When Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) got caught playing footsy, Ensign was the first asking for his resignation.  Now that the shoe’s on the other foot, Ensign must swallow his medicine and get out.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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