John Ensign Scandal: Mistress's Husband Speaks Out, Says Senator Kept Pursuing Affair (VIDEO)

Doug Hampton, the friend of John Ensign who discovered the Republican Nevada senator was having an affair with his wife, sat down with ABC News to discuss the ongoing scandal. Hampton accused Ensign of breaking ethics laws and said he believed Ensign was still pursuing the illicit relationship in 2008.

"I think he's absolutely at this time pursuing her," Hampton told "Nightline". "He's absolutely fixated on Cindy ... He's in love with her." According to Hampton, Ensign told him, "I'm not going to apologize for how I feel. Not only am I going to pursue the relationship, you can't work for me anymore."

Hampton also accused Ensign of helping him line up lobbying clients.

"There's no doubt," he said. "Why would a client hire Doug Hampton if he didn't think he would have access to John Ensign's office? It's the only reason I would hire him."

Watch:

In another segment, Hampton details how he discovered the ongoing secretive relationship between Ensign and his wife via the senator's cell-phone.

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Read much more from the interview here.

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Comments

[Gould123]

07:19 PM on 11/24/2009

Why isn't Fox all over this, an this' hppt://shannynmoore.com/2009/11/22/moore-up-north-2/

[booker52]

04:56 PM on 11/24/2009

I watched the interview and I say he knew about the affair. His wife is just as much at fault as the Senator is. I do agree that he, his wife and family got a payoff via the Senator's parents.

[Tennys Daughter]

03:24 PM on 11/24/2009

John Ensign is a handsome man. If I were the Misses I would be throwing rocks at Doug Hampton too. He's a real bow wow!

[Maygressive]

02:48 PM on 11/24/2009

C Street strikes again. I am sure Ensign felt "entitled" to do this because he had been "chosen" to be a Key Man by god.

[MIKELIN8]

12:41 PM on 11/24/2009

How much time per show do Rush and Beck devote to this story?

Is Ensign the headline on Faux News?

Surprise!

[Guitar63]

02:27 PM on 11/24/2009

If he is, he is "mistakenly" labeled as a democrat.

[pjean]

11:04 AM on 11/24/2009

Those darn RethugliKKKan Christian values again.

[ESerafina42]

10:58 AM on 11/24/2009

Let's see, we've got the extortionist calling the adulterer unethical.

[WhitneyKyle]

09:54 AM on 11/24/2009

A Nevada voice: I don't think Ensign will resign any time soon, unfortuanately for Nevada and America. The lobbyists are still pouring money into his pockets. They would not be doing this if he were going to resign. My home state of Nevada has a long history of Republican crimes and mischief. Ensign's cohorts in the casino industry will protect him. Better to have a crook in office, then a Democrat is their philosophy. We still have two more elections to go to turn this state blue on the inside, and they know this.

[thepoliticalcat]

07:31 AM on 11/24/2009

Let's not forget that D**per Dave (aka Senator Vitter) continues to bang his bible (and, undoubtedly, many fine young ladies named Wendy) in teh Hallz of Power. IOKIYAR.

[grf67]

05:17 AM on 11/24/2009

Ensign is just another of a long line of adulterers in the family values party. Within the GOP, he is the norm and what is expected.

[sadwitness]

03:54 PM on 11/24/2009

Remember- the family values party is the parental party. It's a do as I say not as I do world for them with no need to explain reason or rationale- think "because I said so, that's why?".

[capitaldysfunction]

01:51 AM on 11/24/2009

As important here as any scandel is how right-wingers poll on lapses of judgement by a Republican as opposed to their opinion of a Democrat who has transgressed. Hypocrits. Absolute morality thumpin', Bible pumpin' Republican hypocrits.

[mongus]

12:43 AM on 11/24/2009

So, folks. What is going to happen to the fine senator from Neveda?

My, bet is that he is going to deny, deny and deny.

This whole mess will get swept under the rug.

How long did it take for any action on Senator Widestance?

So much for the ethics of our 'much respected' lawmakers.

How sad.

Ju

[postman66]

12:59 AM on 11/24/2009

I think you're right.

[thepoliticalcat]

07:30 AM on 11/24/2009

Let's not forget that Diaper Dave (aka Senator Vitter) continues to bang his bible (and, undoubtedly, many fine young ladies named Wendy) in teh Hallz of Power. IOKIYAR.

[coolchange]

12:37 AM on 11/24/2009

Ensign will resign by the end of the week.

[weatherwaxx]

12:38 AM on 11/24/2009

That would be nice, but why should he? These folks have no shame.

[postman66]

12:40 AM on 11/24/2009

I doubt it, he's not up for reelection until 2012. He'll hope to weather the storm.

[weatherwaxx]

12:37 AM on 11/24/2009

"Hampton also accused Ensign of helping him line up lobbying clients. "There's no doubt," he said. "Why would a client hire Doug Hampton if he didn't think he would have access to John Ensign's office? It's the only reason I would hire him."


So... it's okay to rent out the Mrs because it brings in the lobbying business?

It's a pity he doesn't wear the big hat and pink trenchcoat and drive a 1985 Cadillac El Dorado. It would fit the job description so much better than a plain old suit.

[tiredofthesameoldstuff]

08:24 AM on 11/24/2009

You should search for the old stories on this guy. He first reported the affair to fox news and the letters are hilarious in showing how utter in denial he was in about fox news will to report on Republicans doing bad things.

It wasn't until the emails leaked to other newspapers the affair came to light.

[Nana Red]

12:00 AM on 11/24/2009

I didn't hear too many of you people outraged over Bill Clinton. He totally abused his power with sexual harassment. Not that anyone called it that.

[weatherwaxx]

12:29 AM on 11/24/2009

You still don't get the reason people are scoffing at Ensign, do you? When a whole party sets itself up as being the (self) righteous, "Christian," superior dictator of moral authority ... and then one of its spokesmen gets caught not only cheating, but using the power of his office to buy the services of another man's wife...

Look, Bill Clinton is not a man I'd want for my husband -- but his affairs didn't affect his job performance. He didn't vanish for days, he didn't pretend to be superior to other people.

The GOPsters getting caught with their pants down are the very same ones who were excoriating Clinton for his imperfect private behavior.

Yes, it is satisfying to see hypocrites get caught in their hypocrisy. The only amazing thing is how many of their supporters turn a blind eye to what they condemned in Bill Clinton, particularly when it's compounded with the hypcrisy.

[postman66]

12:41 AM on 11/24/2009

What kind of 3rd grade logic was that? The thread is about Ensign, Clinton was 15 yrs ago.

[ESerafina42]

10:57 AM on 11/24/2009

They're bring back their standard response from the Bush years, postman 66 - "But, but, but, Clinton...."