The Senate ethics committee has released its report into former Senator John Ensign's affair with his married staffer, followed by his parents' giving $96,000 to the married staffer's family, followed by Senator Ensign's surprise resignation announced late last month.
The ethics committee has referred the case to the Department of Justice, saying it found evidence that Mr. Ensign had conspired to violate the revolving-door law for congressional staffers, lied to the Federal Election Commission, violated campaign finance laws and obstructed the committee's inquiry.
The documents, all PDFs, are below. Executive producer Bill Wolff points out the detail about how the married staffer, Cynthia Hampton, had been great friends starting back in high school. That's on page seven of the big report (page 14 on the PDF counter).
Have fun reading in with us. As always, hit the comments with your finds. We'll have a full report on the show.
Special Counsel's report to the ethics committee
The committee's referall to the Justice Department
The committee's report to the FEC
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Ensign's "forgiven" loan to Hampton: $20,000
Ensign's parents gift to Hampton: $96,000
Ensign's Special Council Report: 22 months & unknown price-tag
Ensign's resignation and possible criminal charges: Priceless
Why is it that no one ever goes to jail for the violations of their office and laws which have been broken. What of the taxpayer money which is wasted in the investigations of these violations. What compensation is made by those which have been found guilty, even if they don't go to jail. They should be still found liable financially and be forced to pay.
because you don't live in the country that you think you do......the sooner realized, the better !!!
Page 5 of the report.
Somebody please explain to me how this was not sexual harassment which, because her family's well-being was contingent on her cooperation with the Senator's "unwelcome" advances, did not turn into rape?
Why isn't this guy, and his accomplices not in jail? Why is her HUSBAND under indictment?
Ensign should reimburse us(=gov't) for the cost of the investigation. Its not like some grey area where he stepped over a little line: he knew that he was wrong, violating rules and laws. I guess he didn't violate his personal ethics: doesn't have any!
Raaaaaaaaaaachel, it was just a gift, a err random 90k gift from mommy and daddy to err ya the staffer I just happened to be shtupping, why ya gotta get all accusatory-like.....
Ummm, is "wrongdoing" anything like breaking the law?
Not for those highly placed, or very rich.
Is a "misstatement" anything like lying, or perjuring?
Same answer.
There are two levels of justice in America. One for the rich and/or powerful, and another for the rest of us.
Apparently, we have the best justice system money can buy. The only time the rich and powerful get punished is when the need is seen for a sacrificial lamb, to "convince" us that the law is applied equally. OK, Madoff went to jail, but how many others just get to pay a million-dollar fine (after stealing hundreds of millions!) With no admission of "wrongdoing" either.
Try that with a guy who robs a corner liquor store, or is caught selling a small quantity of some "controlled substance".
I am totally unimpressed. Moreover, with the news this past week or so I am not enthused. Yawn, phase I guess. My problem, not you guy'es
He should have covered his a$$ with one of those "not intended to be a factual statement" comments his buddy Sen. Kyl championed.
Somehow I don't get the gut feeling Ensign is lying in a fetal position like Jim Bakker while we all read this. I am getting the image in my crystal ball, It's coming into focus now. Why he's on a poolside lounge having a frozen cocktail, having his feet massaged, reading Ayn Rand. Just keep those Government pension checks coming, and he'll keep quiet and contrite!
snackin' on Wheat Thins still!
Leave the Wheat Thins out of this! Ensign eats saltine crackers. Blech!
It's LONG past due that Congress passes a law making it ILLEGAL to lie to each other in Congress and US!..Their employers! It's the LIES that cause so much wasted time, hate, and destruction of trust. If I lie to Congress I go to prison, yet THEY, MY EMPLOYEES, are allowed to lie to me and themselves, without any repercussions. What's wrong with this picture?
umm, I don't know how many laws this guy broke, but he definitely broke more than one. And he doesn't appear to have an even passing relationship with ethics or morals.
I'm actually disgusted...and that's not easy to do.
What a piece of trash.
Even looking at the summary, you can tell that Ensign is hosed.
You know at first I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, thinking that his folks gave the money to make up for their son's indiscretions like some families do when their son mistreats his gf. But it looks like it wasn't their idea at all; ergo he is hosed.
Politically, his seat may still be vulnerable when the election comes, particularly since it is looking like 2012 "might" be another Dem wave election thanks to Republican overreaches in many areas including unions which Nevada has a few of.
Anyone get a statement from Sen. Coburn Yet ? Since the money was his idea, I'm dying to know how this relates to his gynecological care of Ensign.
You're absolutely right. He might be the next one to fall with this one.
i don't think the money was his idea, but he was heavily involved in the negotiations between ensign's parents, ensign's lawyer, and hampton.
when asked about his involvement, he said, among other things, that he was a doctor, and therefore bound to privacy, and could not talk about his involvement and wasn't going to.
he later changed his mind for some reason (what could that be) because he handed several thousand documents over to the FBI, cooperating with their requests.
he should have some sort of punishment, i wouldn't mind seeing him fall either.
The most serious charge is the obstructing the inquiry. The other charges are slap on the wrist violations that normally do not merit jail time. Ensign's problems may extend to his parents who paid the money. Obstruction can mean a lot of things. It could be something benign such as failing to provide documents. Until we see the report, it is difficult to say whether the conduct rises to a criminal level. It is very possible there is other information that is not contained in the report.
I read the report and I believe that there are some legal issues relating to the lobbying and FEC violations which the committee acknowledges may not rise to a criminal charge. However, there are references to the obstruction of the investigation and it does not appear that this has been thoroughly investigated or the facts have not been included in the report. The whole report is the sugar coated version of the events and that is why it was referred to the Justice Dept.
I just gotta wonder, not unlike the Wall Streeters, what's a guy gotta do to get arrested around here?
Kudos to Rachel and staff, because they really picked up on this story early and shed some serious daylight on it. I first heard about it on Rachel's show.
Whenever I have Wheat Thins for a snack, I'll be thinking of Ensign and one of his first apologies in this affair (popping them in his lying mouth without a thought...). Rachel, what drink do you recommend to complement Wheat Thins any old how?
Under the circumstances, one might expect Wheat Thins to pair with gall.
Hopefully the Justice Department will, in fact, prosecute this criminal for his violations.
Why don't legislators lose their rights to retirement benefits earned while ignoring the law?
There seems to be a C Street-Santorum connection coming to light. Some kind of e-mail forwarding stuff. Maybe not brand new News and probably nothing provably criminal, but apparently an ethical problem resurfacing for Rick. Will Rachel have something on this tonight?
This is one of those cases where assume justice is carried out without me having to pay attention. Sex scandals seriously bore me to the point of irritation.
If people's sex lives were the personal matter it should be, people would not have to break the law to cover it up to begin with. I know, I know, Ensign is a hypocrite for publicly judging other people's sexual activities. That fear of being judged in the same way is why he broke the law to cover up his own.
Now is the time to go after every body that had anything to do with the cover up. I believe Mr Coburn should be at the top of the list!
Ensign will walk away with nothing, he is rich & has rich parents. This is what the USA looks like in 2011 going forward. This is what a bought out congress looks like.
I was watching Rachael Maddow tonight and I must ask, why so much hate? She has the affinity of a high school debate team member and not a credentialed journalist but oh what passion. She makes me sick.
Her rants draw attention away from real issues affecting America but liberals are always making mountains out of mole hills. Who cares about congressman Ensign’s extra marital affair that’s why he resigned…did it cost tax payer money? Is it hurting me or you? maybe she’s ADHD and can’t help herself.
Hypocricy, is hypocricy. As much as I hate a train wreck; I am looking forward to this one.
I am not sure what problem you have with folks telling you the truth.
What's that? WHEW!! Shiny object!
Because people like Ensign make a political career out of judging and legislating the morality of other people's relationships.
Yes, Ensign's false moral authority has hurt other people.
just because rachel reports the truth, doesn't make her a hater.
the truth DOES hurt, especially when it affects your party, and when there has been so much of this in the republican party.
i have as much disdain for a democrat who does this as for a republican.
it must hurt more when a republican stoops to this level, because they preach family values, and the sanctity of marriage so much.
this is precisely the reason why the truth must come out, because republicans do not do what they want others to do. they want others to think that they practice what they preach.
i found this information very enlightening.
thanks rachel.
I agree it needed to be reported but the abhorrent manner in which she read the details should have been left out and put on her website (my opinion). She callously paraded the report and all its salacious details out there like a wanna be reporter who just got the story of a lifetime to make a name for herself and to get a big promotion. NEWS FLASH… YOU HAVE A SHOW! I’m Sorry I watched I’ll do my penance now and watch Beck 4 days a week instead of 3…LOL. I remember now its MSNBC the channel that embraces diversity and has a real hard time keeping viewers interested so they get ex-CNN reporters who have strong contacts to help strengthen they’re reporting, (hacks).
Tim don't attack Rachel just because she tells you how it is. How much did the teabaggers paid you to post this comment? How much they pay per comments nowadays?
Rachel is the most reasonable voice out there right now. She is the best indeed. Keep up the good work Rachel.
I wish I were being paid and I'm not a Tea party member just a normal American (Disabled Vet) who can spot the moronic media on the left distracting its viewers to what's really wrong in this country today... She has an hour program but for 18 minutes she spewed her mentally challenged rant on nothing more than a soap opera. There is a River Flooding and over 5000 people soon to be homeless, F-5 Tornadoes destroyed whole towns in 6 states, the price of gas, The debt ceiling and don't forget the military ops in Libya, Asscrackistan and Iraq, I could go on... that's news!!!
Sounds like this guy was infatuated with this woman. I mean to risk everything just to be with her? It's kind of romantic in a weird way. LOL that was hilarious when I heard that Mr Hampton chased the senator in the parking lot to beat him up for screwing his woman.
You know, I would rather have this sort of soap opera worthy events be the biggest problems that Republicans create instead of destroying medicare, stripping women from fundamental reproductive rights, giving welfare to corporations on the backs of the taxpayers, etc. Any day I would rather choose to deal with amorous problems, rather than fundamental rights issues or the financial hardships they create.