Hampton case sends a message to lobbyists, Capitol Hill staff

Its salacious subtext aside, the indictment of former Nevada Senate staffer Doug Hampton on allegations he violated federal lobbying restrictions will reverberate among congressional staff and lobbyists, according to ethics attorneys quoted in Roll Call this morning.

“It seems as though periodically it’s required on Capitol Hill that every few years there be a somewhat seismic event that grabs everybody by the lapels and tells them these rules are real and you have to follow them. ... this is a cleansing process that repeats itself over and over again,”  the Capitol Hill news organization quoted an attorney who was not identified.

A federal grand jury indicted Hampton on charges he violated a conflict of interest law in contacting his former boss, Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev.,  beginning weeks after he started work as a lobbyist in the spring of 2008.  The federal "revolving door" law enacted in 2007 banned such contacts for a year.

Hampton has accused Ensign of being complicit in the scheme by calling Nevada friends and finding him lobbying work, and by making his staff available to help Hampton clients. 

And in soap opera fashion, the entire episode stemmed from Ensign and Hampton's wife conducting an extramarital affair, which led to Hampton leaving Ensign's staff and needing a new career.

Ensign has not been charged with a crime and has denied breaking any laws or Senate rules. He remains under investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee. Dogged by the scandal, Ensign announced earlier this month he will not run for re-election. 

Defense attorney Stanley Brand, a former House counsel, told Roll Call the lobbying ban has become "a standard feature" when the Justice Department builds corruption cases.

“Obviously the department is relying on this now routinely where they think it’s appropriate,” Brand said. “It should put everybody on notice.”