Senate moving forward on Ensign probe

When the Justice Department began contacting former aides to Sen. John Ensign, in initiating an investigation of the Nevada Republican recently, it was uncertain whether the Senate would continue with its own ethics probe, or step aside.

A report in Politico this morning indicates the Senate Ethics Committee is moving forward. The newspaper/online site attributed unnamed sources saying the committee contacted Justice to determine its level of interest in allegations against Ensign, and "has not been asked to back off."

Politico quotes veteran ethics attorney Stanley Brand saying the move suggests the Justice Department hasn't decided yet whether to move forward with a full-blown criminal investigation or else it would have been more concerned about possible complications from the dual probes.

Investigators are looking into Ensign's dealings with Doug and Cindy Hampton, former family friends and political aides who left the Nevadan's employ in April 2008. Ensign acknowledged last June he and Cindy Hampton had a nine-month extramarital relationship in 2007-2008.  

Doug Hampton has claimed Ensign helped him gain work as a lobbyist in violation of a federal law that puts limits on when ex-Senate aides can lobby their former bosses.  

Ensign has denied any legal or ethical wrongdoing, and has said he was confident of being cleared.