John Ensign resigning from Senate

Updated 7:28 p.m. Eastern Time

Sen. John Ensign is resigning his Senate seat Friday amid a Senate Ethics Committee investigation into his affair with former campaign aide Cindy Hampton and subsequent dealings with the Hampton family. The resignation is effective May 3.

"While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings," The Nevada Republican said in a statement. "For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great."

A socially-conservative onetime rising star, the 52-year-old Nevada Republican has been under an ethics investigation in connection with his alleged efforts to help Cindy Hampton's husband, Doug Hampton, find a new job in the wake of the affair. Doug Hampton had been Ensign's chief of staff. The ethics committee was also believed to be examining a $96,000 payment by Ensign's parents to the Hampton family.

Ensign's resignation would likely make the ethics investigation go away. It is likely the committee would not issue a report on the matter if he is no longer in Congress. He had previously refused to resign.

The Justice Department and Federal Election Commission had already dropped their investigations of Ensign, who announced in March that he would not seek reelection next year.The ethics committee, however, had appointed a special council to investifate the matter.

Republican governor Brian Sandoval is expected to appoint Rep. Dean Heller to Ensign's seat. Heller has already announced he would run for the seat next year.

Ensign's seat has been seen as a good potential pick-up opportunity for the Democrats, though a Heller appointment - which gives Heller the advantage of some degree of incumbency - could lessen their chances. Democrats say Rep. Shelley Berkley, who they consider a strong candidate, will seek the seat.

Guy Cecil, Executive Director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in a statement that "[t]here will be a very clear choice for Nevadans between an uncompromising extremist like Dean Heller, who wants to end Medicare and cut loans for small businesses to give more tax breaks for the very rich, and Shelley Berkley, a true fighter for Nevada's economy and middle class. Nevada will remain a top target for Senate Democrats."

There are currently 53 senators who caucus with the Democratic Party, giving the party a three-seat majority. While Democrats have 23 Senate seats to defend in 2012, Republicans must only defend 10, and GOP officials are optimistic about their party's prospects for taking control of the chamber.

A Heller appointment to Ensign's Senate seat would most likely mean a special election for Heller's House seat. Sharron Angle, who ran unsuccessfully against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid the 2010 election cycle, has announced her candidacy for the Heller seat for the 2012 election. It is unclear if she would run in the special election, though there is no indication she wouldn't.

Ensign has admitted that he helped Doug Hampton obtain lobbying work with a Nevada company following revelations of the affair. His efforts were investigated as a potential violation of federal criminal law, which bans former Senate aides from Senate lobbying for one year.

Enisgn's parents had described their $96,000 payment to the Hamptons, which came following the Doug Hampton discovering the affair, as a "gift."

Ensign plans to send Vice President Biden a letter tomorrow to make the resignation official. His full statement is below.

Senator John Ensign today announced his resignation as the 24th United States Senator from the state of Nevada. In a letter to Vice President Joe Biden tomorrow, Senator Ensign will state that his resignation from office is effective as of May 3, 2011.

"It is with tremendous sadness that I officially hand over the Senate seat that I have held for eleven years," said Ensign. "The turbulence of these last few years is greatly surpassed by the incredible privilege that I feel to have been entrusted to serve the people of Nevada. I can honestly say that being a United States Senator has been the honor of my life.

"I know that my staff has been devoted to helping those in our state when they needed our assistance the most, and I hope that this will be the enduring legacy that we leave behind. As I close the door to this chapter of my life, I am left with memories that I will forever treasure. Traveling across our state during the years, I have heard incredible stories of strength, of struggle, and of compassion. I have met people who have forever changed me, and I can say that I will go through life a better person because of the struggle that I have been through and the support that I have received.

"While I stand behind my firm belief that I have not violated any law, rule, or standard of conduct of the Senate, and I have fought to prove this publicly, I will not continue to subject my family, my constituents, or the Senate to any further rounds of investigation, depositions, drawn out proceedings, or especially public hearings. For my family and me, this continued personal cost is simply too great.

"I am gratified that, after extended investigations, both the Department of Justice and the Federal Election Commission saw no grounds on which to charge me with improper conduct. I was hopeful that, with the closure of these investigations against me the wear and tear on my family and me would soon be over. This was not the case.

"As is its right, the Senate Ethics Committee is continuing its investigation of issues into which it has been inquiring for the past year and a half. Indeed, the Committee even decided recently to devote more resources to its investigation by hiring an outside counsel even though the issues have been viewed and reviewed by so many others.

"I came to office with the pledge to make this country a better place, but that pledge does not end with my resignation. I will continue to fight for a better country and for a future that our children deserve. I cannot fully express what serving the people of Nevada has meant to me, but I will try to repay them for their trust for the rest of my life.

"To the people of Nevada, I humbly say thank you for what you have given to me through the years. To my family, thank you for the support and love that you have shown me. To my staff, thank you for coming on this incredible journey with me and for standing by me despite the obstacles."