Backstory:
Anti-Gay Bigot John Ensign (R-Nev.) Admits to Extramarital Affair, June 16, 2009
WASHINGTON — July 17, 2009 — Today, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a supplementary letter with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) regarding additional campaign finance law violations that may have been committed in regard to payments made by Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) and his family to the family of his mistress, Cynthia Hampton.
On June 24th, CREW filed a complaint asking the FEC to investigate whether Sen. Ensign’s campaign committee and leadership PAC had failed to report in-kind contributions made to them by the senator when Cynthia Hampton was paid severance after being terminated from her positions with both committees. New information released by Sen. Ensign suggests the senator’s parents, Michael and Sharon Ensign, may have paid Ms. Hampton severance, each providing her with checks for $12,000. Such payments would exceed the contribution limits for campaign committees ($2,400 per election) and PACS ($5,000 per year). In addition, neither the campaign committee nor the PAC reported receiving any in-kind contributions from either of Sen. Ensign’s parents.
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting ethics and accountability in government and public life by targeting government officials — regardless of party affiliation — who sacrifice the common good to special interests. CREW advances its mission using a combination of research, litigation and media outreach.
