Ensign apologizes again

WASHINGTON, July 26 (UPI) -- Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., has made another apology for an affair, saying he has kept quiet because of a possible ethics complaint.

The Las Vegas Sun posted a prepared statement from the senator on its Web site Friday, The Hill reported.

Ensign admitted in June he had had an affair that ended last year with Cindy Hampton, a bookkeeper with the senator's political committees. Her husband, Doug Hampton, was on Ensign's Senate staff.

Both Cindy and Doug Hampton resigned their posts well before the extramarital affair became public knowledge. Both received payments that have been characterized as severance packages.

The Washington watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics has called for investigations by federal agencies into Ensign's actions.

"I know there are questions regarding my affair with Cindy Hampton that people want to know the answers to," Ensign said in his statement. "It was reported, however, that CREW was planning to file complaints with the Senate Ethics Committee and the Federal Election Commission, so I have been advised not to publicly comment further at this time."