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In the latest twist in a widening scandal, a lawyer for U.S. Sen. John Ensign revealed Thursday that Ensign's parents paid his mistress and her family $96,000 after learning of the affair.

Paul Coggins, Ensign's Dallas-based attorney, called the money legal gifts given "out of concern for the well-being of longtime family friends during a difficult time."

The payments were made to Cindy and Doug Hampton and their children in April 2008, around the time the couple left Ensign's employ.

Doug Hampton had said Wednesday that his wife received more than $25,000 in severance pay from the senator.

No such payments were reported to the Federal Election Committee as required by federal law.

The figure of $25,000 is key, because it's the threshold that could trigger a possible felony charge against Ensign. Late Wednesday, Ensign in a prepared statement said Doug Hampton was "consistently inaccurate in his statements."

According to the senator's lawyer, Mike and Sharon Ensign each wrote four $12,000 checks to Hampton family members, not surpassing the threshold beyond which gifts must be declared for tax purposes.

MONDAY

'PROPHET' BLAMES GOD

Las Vegas police were searching for more victims of a self-proclaimed prophet who is accused of sexually assaulting two juvenile members of his church.

According to a police report, Benito Catello, 76, cited "the spirit of God" as the reason he might have sexually assaulted the two girls.

He also told detectives that "if the girls said he did it, he must have," the report said.

Catello told police he is a prophet and God spoke to the girls through him.

TUESDAY

SUSPECT SHOT IN BACK

A sexual assault suspect killed by Las Vegas police on July 1 was shot in the back, Clark County Coroner Mike Murphy said.

The revelation corrected what Murphy called a "clerical error" by his office a day earlier that had John Paul Hambleton, 32, of Las Vegas, dying from a gunshot wound in his chest.

WEDNESDAY

ACTIVISTS CLOSE CLINIC?

Complaints from abortion foes might have led state regulators to close down a Las Vegas clinic on Tuesday.

Two local associates of an anti-abortion group are claiming some responsibility for the closure of Clinica de Mujeres at 3700 E. Charleston Blvd.

State authorities said the tip that triggered their investigation did not come "through usual channels," namely a former clinic patient or employee.

THURSDAY

CASINO WIN FALLS AGAIN

One streak ended but another continued as casinos statewide reported $889.1 million in revenue in May.

The figure represents an 8.3 percent decline over the same month last year.

That snaps a string of seven straight double-digit drops but extends a streak of consecutive monthly declines, which stands at 17 and counting.

FRIDAY

UNLV'S ASHLEY OUSTED

The Board of Regents voted not to renew the contract of UNLV President David Ashley. Instead, Ashley was reassigned to a faculty professorship.

Ashley defended the job he's done but agreed with criticism that he hasn't been visible enough.