Advocacy group pushing for Ensign investigation told to send its concerns to FBI

Ensign complaint redirected to FBI

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Justice has told an advocacy group that concerns should go to the FBI over whether Sen. John Ensign violated campaign finance law with payments to a former mistress.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had asked the Justice Dept. to investigate whether severance payments made to former campaign aide Cynthia Hampton should have been reported to the Federal Election Commission.

The group contends that the Nevada Republican must report such payments.

William Welch, chief of the department’s public integrity section, says the FBI would determine whether an investigation may be warranted.

CREW says the response is surprising given the section’s role in prosecuting conflict of interest crimes.