Former Ensign Aide Indicted

A former staffer for retiring Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) is being charged by a federal grand jury with violating criminal conflict of interest laws.

The Department of Justice announced late Thursday that Doug Hampton, Sen. Ensign’s former administrative assistant, will face seven counts of violating conflict of interest laws after obtaining employment with a Nevada government affairs consultant for an airline and energy company and making prohibited communications to the Ensign’s office.

According to the indictment, Hampton “knowingly and willfully made, with the intent to influence, communications to staff members of the U.S. senator on behalf of the Las Vegas airline company and energy company, seeking action by the senator and the staff members in their official capacities.”

Hampton pursued assistance from Ensign’s office in persuading the Department of Transportation to switch its position on a fuel surcharge that would enforce fees on the airline company he represented. Additionally, Hampton also sought assistance in convincing the Department of Interior to expedite the release of an environmental impact document that would allow a Nevada energy company to begin construction on a delayed coal-fired power plant.

These actions are, according to the indictment, in direct violation of The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. The legislation was enacted by Congress in an effort to provide increased transparency in both Houses and “slow down the ‘revolving door’ between congressional employment and post-employment lobbying activities.”

The former aide is scheduled to be arraigned on March 31, 2011, in Washington, D.C.’s District Court. Hampton could face up to five years in prison and maximum fines of $250,000 per count., totaling $1.75 million.