Ensign staff tell ethics panel inquiry that lobbying rule-breaking was known

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/104915-ensign-staff-say-rule-breaking-was-known

In depositions to the Senate Ethics Committee, staffers for Sen. John Ensign have said the Nevada Republican and his senior aides knew a one-year lobbying ban was being broken when they helped a former staffer set up a short-lived career on K Street, according to two sources close to the investigation.

The information was provided as part of a probe the panel is conducting into payments Ensign’s parents made to Cynthia and Douglas Hampton. Ensign was having an affair with Cynthia, who is married to Douglas.

Both worked for Ensign and Douglas Hampton was a close political aide. Ensign’s parents paid the Hamptons $96,000 once they left the senator’s employment. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington filed a complaint with the Ethics panel, charging Ensign with paying the money to keep the Hamptons quiet about the affair.

The staffers told Senate Ethics investigators that several aides in the office openly discussed Douglas Hampton’s lobbying job and the one-year revolving-door ban it appeared to violate, the sources said.

[babylonsister]

1. Rec'd. I want this dirt bag to get caught (he was) and pay for it! nt

[Ernesto]

2. Screw this classic repuke pretty boy whore monger! nt