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Ex-mistress's husband says Ensign paid severance Posted on 7/9/2009
The sex scandal engulfing Sen. John Ensign, R-NV, has deepened now that his former mistress's husband has revealed new details about the relationship.
$25,000 Paid to Woman Doug Hampton said Sen. Ensign paid his wife more than $25,000 in severance when she stopped working for him.
Hampton also provided a letter to the Las Vegas Sun that he claimed was a handwritten apology from Ensign to Cindy Hampton, a former treasurer for the senator's campaign committees.
Letter Details The letter said, "I used you for my own pleasure."
Sen. Ensign wrote in the letter, "Plain and simple it was wrong; it was sin."
More Embarrassment for Sen. Ensign The letter and Doug Hampton's interview on Wednesday with a local television news show mark another embarrassment for Ensign, a 51-year-old Christian conservative who abruptly came forward last month and confessed to the affair.
Campaign Finance Issues A severance payment could pose campaign finance or ethics issues for Sen. Ensign.
Hampton learned of the affair between his friend the senator and his wife when he discovered an incriminating text message.
Meeting with other Senators Hampton also detailed a February 2008 meeting in which he, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-OK, and others encouraged Ensign to end the affair, as well as the working relationship with the Hamptons.
Encouraged Compensation Hampton said Coburn and others tried to encourage Ensign to compensate the couple and help them relocate.
Hampton said, "These men were the ones that said, 'What we need to do is get Doug Hampton's home paid for, and we need to get Doug Hampton some money. We need to get his family to Colorado.'"
