Jun 17, 2009 10:15 AM
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New York, 9:33 AM
Wed Feb 10
56 posts in the last 24 hours
Why did Republican Senator John Ensign's sexual dalliance with a married former staffer get revealed now? Because of subprime mortgages and the Nevada housing crisis!
Ensign's affair was with Cynthia Hampton, his reelection campaign treasurer. Hampton's husband was an administrative assistant, which is awkward. Even more awkward: the Hamptons are broke, and maybe defaulting on their shitty mortgage.
Douglas Hampton was paid about $101,000 in 2008 and $144,000 in 2007 as Ensign's administrative assistant. But a financial disclosure form he filed in 2007 and 2008 – required for senior congressional staffers - showed only checking and savings account worth a maximum $30,000 combined.
A review of public records shows that the Hamptons in 2006 took out a $1.2 million mortgage on their Las Vegas home, at an interest rate of 8 percent.
God, where is that Fannie Mae money when you need it? Cynthia shoulda slept with Harry Reid!
Nevada is the home of the second-highest rate of delinquent or foreclosed mortgages in the nation and also rapey governor Jim Gibbons, so it is frankly just remarkable that all of this didn't come out earlier.
Send an email to Alex Pareene, the author of this post, at alexp@gawker.com.
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