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A project of Common Dreams

For Immediate Release
Contact: Jordan Libowitz,,jlibowitz@citizensforethics.org,.

CREW Provides Information on Senator Ensign Payments

WASHINGTON

Today, 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.

Read CREW's supplementary letter to the FEC in the Related Documents section on the right.

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.