Ensign willing to cooperate with potential investigation

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., says he'll cooperate if officials want to investigate his role in an alleged illegal lobbying effort by a former aide.

Ensign, who became embroiled in scandal in June after acknowledging an affair with former employee Cindy Hampton, made the statement Saturday morning through a spokeswoman.

It comes one day after the New York Times highlighted efforts Ensign made to help Doug Hampton, husband to Cindy and a top Ensign aide at the time, find private sector work that would get him out of the Senate office.

Hampton characterized the work as lobbying, which would be in violation of so-called revolving-door laws that restrict lobbying of Congress by former government employees.

Hampton said Ensign not only knew lobbying was occurring, but that the senator helped orchestrate it, which could be considered aiding an illegal action.

The new allegations ramped up insider speculation that a Senate Ethics Committee inquiry, and possibly an investigation by federal law enforcement, was in the works.

"Sen. Ensign will cooperate with any official inquiries," Ensign spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher stated in an e-mail. "He is now focused on working hard for the people of Nevada."