John Ensign

Sen. Ensign's Dad Withdraws Kansas Casino Bid

Rachel Slajda | August 19, 2009, 4:50PM

Mike Ensign, casino magnate and the father of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), has reportedly dropped a casino proposal in Kansas.

The Associated Press reports that the group Ensign was working with, South Central Gaming Partners, decided to drop their proposal and instead back one by Foxwoods. The two firms had originally submitted competing proposals; now, Foxwoods' will go forward, along with that of a third developer.

An attorney for the Kansas Lottery, which is reviewing the proposals, said it was a business decision and that the lottery was not involved.

Mike Ensign and his wife were recently caught up in their son's scandal, admitting that they paid $96,000 to Sen. Ensign's mistress and her husband, both of whom worked for the senator. Mike Ensign earned around $300 million in the early 2000s when he sold his shares of the Mandalay Bay Group, which owned Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas.

A few weeks ago, lottery officials said there'd be an ethics investigation into Mike Ensign before his proposal could be approved.

But now, an official says it wasn't a concern for the Lottery.

"That's not an issue to us at all. There hasn't been any allegation of wrongdoing at all," said executive director Ed Van Petten.

John Ensign

Nevada GOP Rep: Ensign Should Answer Questions About Affair

Zachary Roth | August 13, 2009, 12:34PM

The pressure is growing for John Ensign to break his silence over his affair with a staffer who was his close friend's wife.

Rep. Dean Heller has become the first high-ranking Nevada Republican to call for the senator to address the numerous unanswered question about his torrid liaison with Cindy Hampton. Speaking in a televised interview to Las Vegas Sun political columnist Jon Ralston -- who has led the way in keeping the story in the spotlight -- Heller said: "I don't want to speculate, but until John talks, we haven't seen the end of it."

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John Ensign

Emails Show Santorum Was Tipped To Affair The Day Before Ensign Went Public

Zachary Roth | August 4, 2009, 12:53PM

The John Ensign story just won't go away -- and that's not good news for the Silver State philanderer.

Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun has obtained emails sent by Doug Hampton which show two interesting things:

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John Ensign

Sen. Ensign's Dad Could Lose Casino Project Over Scandal

Rachel Slajda | August 3, 2009, 10:48AM

Michael Ensign, the father of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), may be finding his business deals threatened after he admitted to giving his son's mistress and her husband $96,000.

Ensign, a partner in a proposed casino in Kansas, may be asked to withdraw from the project if investigators find he violated campaign finance law.

The head of the Kansas Lottery told the Kansas City Star that the lottery will conduct its own ethics investigation into Ensign's involvement in the scandal, in addition to watching for the results of any federal investigations into Sen. Ensign and his parents.

"If it is found that there was wrongdoing, that would have an effect on things," said Ed Van Petten. That effect could include keeping Ensign out of the management of the casino, or asking him to withdraw altogether, he said.

Ensign was chairman of the board of the company that ran Vegas's Mandalay Bay Resort. He reportedly made about $130 million after orchestrating Mandalay's sale to MGM in 2005.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington has filed an FBI complaint over the payment.