Why Now, Ensign? [Updated]

Since his presidential ambitions, such as they were, are shot anyway, what was the point in bringing it out into the open now?

By the way, there is NO evidence of blackmail made by the Hamptons.

“There are a lot of legitimate questions,” said a Nevada Republican operative who was granted anonymity to speak freely.

Chief among them:

• Has Ensign contacted authorities about the alleged extortion? If not, why not?

• What other reason could Ensign have for revealing the affair?

• Were payments to the Hamptons, documented in Senate and federal election records, intended to ensure their silence about the affair?

• Was the subsequent employment of Doug Hampton at Ensign-connected political consulting firm November Inc. also intended to win his silence? Did Ensign help secure a consulting contract for Hampton from Allegiant Air, which is a significant contributor to Ensign’s campaign funds?

Ending their own silence, the Hamptons appear ready for a public fight.

Pass the popcorn. This should be good.

I agree there has to be much, much more to the story.

It may be very hard for Ensign to move on, especially with the appearance of impropriety in the Hamptons' salaries being raised.

And what about Allegiant Air?

More Ensign Sleaze, as if There is Any Other Kind of Ensign Story

The son of Ensign's mistress was paid by a GOP committee while his mom and her boss were carrying on a torrid affair. Of course Cindy Hampton was paid a tidy sum for her "work" for the senator from Nevada:

An Associated Press review of federal records showed Cynthia Hampton, 46, received a promotion and a pay raise around the time of the affair at one political entity controlled by Ensign and a pay raise at a second. Her husband was an employee in Ensign's Senate office.

Ensign told a hastily arranged news briefing on Tuesday he had an extramarital affair with a woman on his campaign payroll, and it lasted several months, ending last August.

The disclosure resurrected questions about a two-week period in 2002, when Ensign abruptly dropped from public view. A person familiar with that episode, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Tuesday the senator told a close associate the absence followed an earlier affair.