John Ensign helped his mistress's husband get two jobs during the time the Republican senator acknowledges carrying on an extramarital affair, an Ensign spokesman said Thursday. Hampton," Ensign spokesman Tory Mazzola said in a statement. Mazzola was responding to questions about the employment of Doug Hampton, a former aide to the Nevada senator.
Ensign on Tuesday admitted having a nine-month affair with Doug Hampton's wife, Cindy, who also worked for the senator. Ensign's office has said that both Cindy and Doug Hampton left their jobs in May , and the affair ended in August In the months after leaving his post, Doug Hampton quickly landed two positions with companies connected to Ensign.
One, a consulting firm that ran Ensign's campaign, acknowledges the senator encouraged the company to hire Doug Hampton. A Las-Vegas based airline whose executives have contributed money to the senator declined to comment on whether Ensign was involved in Doug Hampton's employment. Doug Hampton's easy transition from the political to corporate worlds isn't unusual.
It does, however, raise questions about to what extent Ensign used his influence to assist two former employees who could have done damage to his career. A lawyer for the Hamptons declined to comment Thursday. The couple released a statement Wednesday criticizing Ensign's disclosure of the affair, saying they "did everything possible to keep this matter private.
Ensign's office disputed the account, telling the Review-Journal Wednesday evening that Doug Hampton had approached a television media organization. Slanker said he was not aware of Ensign's relationship with Cindy Hampton at the time. He said the senator did not pressure him to hire Doug Hampton.
