Former Ensign aide Hampton pleads not guilty to federal charges

WASHINGTON -- There will be no speedy trial for Doug Hampton, as prosecutors on Monday turned over "hundreds of thousands of pages of documents" to the attorney representing the former top aide to Sen. John Ensign.

Federal public defender A.J. Kramer told a federal judge that he would need time to study the voluminous material handed to him on a computer hard drive in order to prepare a defense against charges that Hampton violated a federal lobbying law.

The most relevant documents might turn out to be "a much smaller universe," Kramer said. Still, the cache "requires some independent analysis," he said.

Justice Department attorney Deborah Mayer said 400 to 500 documents "seem to be at the core of the case" involving Hampton, 48, who was arraigned before U.S. District Judge Beryl A. Howell.

The former Las Vegas resident stood before the judge and entered an innocent plea to charges that he circumvented the federal "revolving door" law three years ago in transitioning from his job as Ensign's administrative assistant to become a lobbyist for Allegiant Air and NV Energy, both Las Vegas-based companies whose executives were Ensign supporters.

Hampton has accused the Republican senator from Nevada of being aware of the law and of helping him violate it. He has said Ensign wanted to set him up financially after Hampton discovered that the senator was having an affair with his wife, Cindy.

Neither Hampton nor Kramer commented before or after the arraignment. Cindy Hampton was not present.

Dressed in gray slacks, dark jacket, white shirt and no tie, Doug Hampton let Kramer do the talking during the arraignment. Hampton nodded when the judge addressed him. Kramer leaned over and told him it was OK to speak up.

SEVEN CHARGES OF VIOLATING LAW

Kramer told Howell that Hampton "enters a not guilty plea" and waived a reading of the charges, which are seven counts of violating the federal "revolving door" law that prohibits former Senate aides from lobbying the body for a year after they leave their jobs. An indictment charges that Hampton began contacting Ensign's staff on behalf of clients within weeks of leaving his administrative assistant job.

Hampton was released on his own recognizance. His allowed travel was limited to California, where he now lives, Washington, D.C., and Nevada, where Kramer said he "still has legal matters."

Howell set July 1 as the date of the next hearing on the case. Kramer said he might ask the judge to allow Hampton not to appear at that hearing.

Hampton was found indigent by a federal magistrate, was appointed Kramer as his attorney and was flown to the arraignment by the U.S. Marshals Service.

PROTECTIVE ORDER ON EVIDENCE

Meanwhile, prosecutors filed a motion seeking a protective order on evidence in the case. Sometimes sought in high-profile cases, the motion seeks to limit the sharing of documents to members of the defense team and expert witnesses.

"The government submits that there exists a substantial likelihood that the public disclosure of certain information contained in the discovery materials could cause reputational damage to and/or unnecessary harassment of certain witnesses and individuals ... and otherwise compromise this criminal investigation," according to the motion.

Ensign has acknowledged making job recommendations for Hampton but has denied breaking any laws or Senate ethics rules.

The Justice Department has acknowledged it completed an investigation of Ensign without seeking charges. The senator remains under investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee in the matter.

Ensign, whose reputation was badly damaged from the revelations of the extramarital affair and subsequent allegations of a cover-up, has said he will not run for re-election when his term expires next year.

The maximum penalty for each count against Hampton, if convicted, is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Contact Stephens Washington Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.