Quote
TPMuckraker - June 18, 2009
Is Ensign Walking Back Extortion Claim?
By Zachary Roth


Did John Ensign's camp try to spin the announcement of his affair by smearing his girlfriend's husband? And is it now trying to walk that back?

Quote
Las Vegas Sun - June 18, 2009
Unanswered: Why he told
Ensign and his staff silent as more details - and more questions - emerge on his affair with a former staffer.
By J. Patrick Coolican, Jeff German and Lisa Mascaro


Neither the FBI nor Metro Police in Las Vegas is investigating any claim that Sen. John Ensign’s former mistress or her husband tried to blackmail the senator for hush money about the affair, spokesmen for the agencies confirmed Wednesday.

The alleged blackmail is the only explanation so far for Ensign’s decision to volunteer that he engaged in an affair more than a year ago.

Ensign reportedly told his Senate colleagues that he publicly acknowledged the affair Tuesday because the couple had tried to extort money from him.