O'Reilly Factor guest host Monica Crowley fawned over guest Scooter Libby and expressed her outrage over how he was treated during the Valerie Plame trial.
Sen. Ensign Comments Sen. John Ensign, R-NV, said Thursday his parents gave his mistress and her family nearly $100,000 "out of concern for the well being of longtime family friends during a difficult time."
It was his first public acknowledgment that the woman received payments tied to the affair.
Statement Through Attorney In a statement through his attorney, Ensign payments for $96,000 were given to Cindy and Doug Hampton and two of their children.
The Hampton family received the check after the senator told his parents of his affair with Cindy Hampton, a campaign aide and longtime friend.
Ensign's Dallas-based attorney, Paul Coggins, said in a statement, "None of the gifts came from campaign or official funds, nor were they related to any campaign or official duties."
He said, "Sen. Ensign has complied with all applicable laws and Senate ethics rules."
The statement said, "Each gift was limited to $12,000."
The statement said, "The payments were made as gifts, accepted as gifts and complied with tax rules governing gifts."
Under U.S. tax laws, gifts of up to $12,000 are tax-exempt.
Doug Hampton Comments The statement comes a day after Doug Hampton told a Las Vegas television show that Ensign paid Cindy Hampton more than $25,000 in severance when she left her job as treasurer for two Ensign-controlled campaign committees in May 2008.
