Nevada newspaper reports that Sen. Ensign (R-Nev.) is likely to be indicted

In an April 4^th article Political reporter John Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun disclosed that Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign is likely to be indicted for a $96,000 payment he made to the husband of the aide with whom he had an affair.

Mr. Ralston reports that prosecutors looking into the scandal surrounding Ensign's affair with former aide Cynthia Hampton are focusing on the payment made by Ensign's parents to the Hamptons, that detractors said was used to pay off the husband, Doug Hampton.

Ralston notes that two former federal prosecutors have said there is enough evidence to indict Ensign, based on what both the senator has said and what Mr. Hampton has said under the federal standard of probable cause.

"If Ensign gets indicted, he will become a national and state nightmare for the GOP," Ralston reports. "National Democrats will brandish him as a symbol of corruption.  

Back in June 2009 Senator Ensign confirmed reports of his having an affair with Cynthia Hampton between December 2007 and August 2008. It later emerged that Ensign's parents had given $96,000 to the Hamptons, a move that was widely interpreted as an attempt to try to hush up Mr. Hampton.

Last week KLAS, a local Nevada television news station reported that the Department of Justice had expanded its investigation of Ensign's activities, issuing subpoenas to six Nevada companies that had contact with Ensign.