We already told you that Sen. John Ensign’s campaign has raised only $50 — all from one contributor — this year. But his political action committee is doing even worse.
The Nevada Republican’s Battle Born PAC has taken in a grand total of $0 so far this year, according to FEC records examined by TPMmuckraker. By comparison, the PAC for Ensign’s fellow conservative GOP senator, Jon Kyl of Arizona, has raised $38,000 in 2010, records show. Both men would face re-election in 2012.
Battle Born played a role in the scandal that has laid Ensign’s political career low. Cindy Hampton, with whom Ensign had an affair, served as the treasurer for both the PAC and the re-election campaign during the 2007-08 cycle, when the affair occurred. Ensign’s parents have said that they made a payment of almost $100,000 to the Hamptons, calling it a gift. Had Ensign made a payment directly to the Hamptons, it could have been considered an unreported contribution from him to his PAC or campaign.
The Justice Department is currently probing these and other questions relating to the aftermath of the affair.
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