In the wake of allegations that Senator John Ensign provided $25,000 in severance to his former mistress, Cynthia Hampton, CREW called on Attorney General Eric Holder to order a criminal investigation into those payments. Ensign fired Ms. Hampton from positions with his campaign committee and leadership political action committee (PAC).  Hampton's husband, Doug, who worked in Ensign's Senate office, revealed the $25,000 payment in an interview aired in Las Vegas yesterday.

If, as it has been alleged, Sen. Ensign provided Ms. Hampton with a severance payment out of his own pocket, he made an in-kind contribution to his campaign committee, Ensign for Senate, and his leadership PAC, Battle Born PAC. Neither committee, however, reported receiving such in-kind contributions from the senator.

Last month, having learned only that the senator gave Ms. Hampton some severance payment, but with no information about the amount, CREW asked the Federal Election Commission to investigate the committees’ failure to report the contribution in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and to determine whether Sen. Ensign made an illegal excessive contribution to the PAC, as the FECA prohibits contributions of over $5,000 by any individual.

At the same time, CREW had also asked the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate Sen. Ensign’s conduct.

Today, CREW asked for a Department of Justice investigation as well, based on Mr. Hampton’s statement that Sen. Ensign had provided his wife with over $25,000 in severance.  Our letter to the Department of Justice can be viewed here.

Under the FECA, the knowing and willful failure to report contributions totaling $25,000 or more in a calendar year is a federal crime, punishable by up to 5 years in jail.

Melanie Sloan, CREW’s executive director, stated:

As despicable as Sen. Ensign’s conduct has been, it now appears it also may have been criminal. The Department of Justice has a responsibility to ensure that all Americans – even high level political officials – are held accountable for their actions.