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March 18, 2010

Subpoenas issued as Ensign probe deepens

By CREW Staff

Ethics, Lobbying, States, Nevada, Senate Members, John Ensign

A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas to at least a half-dozen Nevada companies with connections to ethically tained Sen. John Ensign (R-NV). Politico calls the subpoenas "a sign that the criminal probe into Ensign’s romantic relationship with a former aide is accelerating."

KLAS, the CBS-TV affiliate in Las Vegas, reports:

The subpoenas sought any and all records; including emails, phone calls and calendars regarding any interaction the Las Vegas businesses may have had with Ensign, his Chief of Staff John Lopez, Doug Hampton, Hampton's wife Cindy -- the object of the senator's romantic interest -- Ensign's principal political advisor Mike Slanker, and Slanker's company November Inc.

Slanker and wife Lindsay were hired by Ensign to run the fundraising effort for the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

After Ensign's affair with Hampton's wife became known, Ensign urged the Slankers to hire Hampton at November Inc. Hampton was later hired by two Nevada companies with known ties to Ensign, but the trail of subpoenas makes it clear the Justice Department wants to know if other Las Vegas businesses had their arms twisted to give work to Hampton, or whether they were pressured by Ensign or his senate staffers, and what the businesses expected in return.