GOP Senator Ensign allegedly paid mistress $25,000. Was it federal taxpayer money?

In the wake of the Mark Sanford revelations, Senator John Ensign's affair fell off the radar screen. That probably made Senator Ensign and his GOP colleagues pretty happy. But, last night, the husband of Ensign's former mistress, Doug Hampton, appeared on Las Vegas TV to provide additional details about the affair and its aftermath. Remember, Doug Hampton and his wife, Cynthia (the mistress), both worked for Ensign. Mrs. Hampton was on the campaign staff. Mr. Hampton was on the Senate staff.

According to Mr. Hampton, his wife was paid $25,000 when she left her job (and Ensign.) Also, we learn that Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK and widely known as Dr. No) served as Ensign's marriage counselor:

Doug Hampton spoke publicly for the first time today about the affair his wife had with Sen. John Ensign, saying the Nevada Republican continued his pursuit even after intermediaries tried to get him to stop.

Hampton said that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and others urged him to end the affair and help the Hamptons pay off their home and move to Colorado. But Ensign was so infatuated that he continued, Hampton said.

John Hart, Coburn's communications director, released a statement Wednesday afternoon saying Ensign should have ended the affair.

"Dr. Coburn did everything he could to encourage Senator Ensign to end his affair and to persuade Senator Ensign to repair the damage he had caused to his own marriage and the Hampton’s marriage," according to the statement. "Had Senator Ensign followed Dr. Coburn’s advice, this episode would have ended, and been made public, long ago."

Hampton’s comments came during an exclusive two-part interview with Sun columnist Jon Ralston, to air tonight at 5:30 p.m. and tomorrow on “Face to Face with Jon Ralston.”

“In response to today’s television interview, Senator Ensign said Doug Hampton was consistently inaccurate in his statements,” Ensign spokesman Tory Mazzola said in a statement.

Cynthia Hampton was the treasurer of Ensign’s political action committee and re-election campaign, while Doug Hampton served as a senior aide on Ensign’s Senate staff.

Hampton said Ensign paid the woman more than $25,000 in severance when she stopped working for the senator.

Wait, so you mean he may have used federal money to pay off his mistress?