The Hill reports that staffers for Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) have told the Senate Ethics Committee that their boss knew he was breaking a one-year lobbying ban when he helped a former staffer set himself up as a lobbyist.
In depositions to the committee, Ensign’s staffers said several aides openly discussed helping to get lobbying gigs for former staffer Doug Hampton, after Ensign had an affair with Hampton’s wife. The aides also discussed that such help apparently violated a one-year ban on Congressional staffers moving to K Street, sources close to the investigation told The Hill.
The committee is investigating whether Ensign broke any laws when he allegedly helped Hampton with his lobbying career after leaving Ensign’s office. Ensign’s parents also paid Hampton and his wife $96,000 after they left his employ.
The DOJ is also investigating Ensign over the sex-and-lobbying scandal.
