Tulsa World: Largent says he encouraged Nevada Senator to end affair

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Largent says he encouraged Nevada Senator to end affair

Former U.S. Rep. Steve Largent, pictured in 2007, said Monday he took part in a confrontation last year to urge Sen. John Ensign to end his affair, but compensation to the senator's former mistress was not discussed. MICHAEL WYKE/Tulsa World

By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau
Published: 7/13/2009 4:04 PM
Last Modified: 7/13/2009 7:36 PM

WASHINGTON – Former U.S. Rep. Steve Largent said Monday he took part in a confrontation last year to urge Sen. John Ensign to end his affair and compensation to the senator's former mistress was not discussed.

"I think learning of the money situation was a shock to everybody," said Largent, who represented Oklahoma in Congress from 1994 until 2002.

He also said Doug Hampton, a former top aide to Ensign and the husband of the woman who became involved with Nevada senator, was not present at the confrontation organized by U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

"I have never talked about it with John (Ensign). Never talked about it with anybody. Wasn't aware that it took place," Largent said of the money reportedly paid to the Hampton family.

Last week an attorney released a statement revealing that Ensign's father and mother in 2008 paid a total of $96,000 to Doug Hampton; his wife, Cynthia, who also served as Ensign's campaign treasurer, and two of the couple's children.

That money was described as a gift unrelated to any campaign or official duty.

In an interview last week with Jon Ralston, a Las Vegas Sun columnist, Doug Hampton said the compensation issue was pushed by the men who confronted Ensign about the affair.

Hampton specifically identified Coburn as one who believed restitution was necessary. Coburn categorically denied Hampton's claims.

Even before the payments to the Hamptons from Ensign's parents were made public, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics

in Washington had filed a complaint against Ensign.

Largent said the confrontation with Ensign grew out of an understanding among a number of lawmakers who live in a townhouse near the U.S. Capitol.

When serving in Congress, Largent also lived there and still participates in the group's weekly dinners and discussions.

"We are all very good friends. He (Ensign) was wandering off the reservation," he explained. "Our feeling is that if anybody does that and does it willfully that we are asking them not to live at C Street anymore."

Largent said each of the men who live in the house has given others "license" to confront each other if "there's something going on that shouldn't be going in someone's life."

Still, he conceded the confrontation with Ensign was unusual.

"In my perspective, particularly in this environment when you are talking about members of Congress, guys in office just don't get confronted that often, particularly by their peers," Largent said.

He said the group who confronted Ensign left unsure of its impact but eventually the meeting produced a "good result."

Largent said the goal was to persuade Ensign to end the affair and allow his family to repair itself.

"It turned out to be very constructive," he said.

Largent also has been involved in counseling Gov. Mark Sanford, R-S.C., who also recently admitted to having an affair.

Unlike the others, Sanford never lived in the C Street house but agreed to meet there.

Asked if Ensign and Sanford should resign, Largent described that concern as secondary.

"First of all, my biggest concern is about their personal well being and their families' well being," he said.

"Beyond that, whether they stay in office or not, I think that's a calculation that only they can make."

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By JIM MYERS World Washington Bureau

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Reader comments for this story have been moved to the most updated version of the story, now under the headline "Largent: Payoff by Ensign not discussed," which was published on 7/14/2009. So far, 44 comments have been made.