Republican family values?

The wealthy parents of Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) gave $96,000 last year to the staffer who was then his mistress and to her family, his attorney said yesterday. Ensign has said that the sexual affair with Cynthia Hampton began in December 2007 and continued until the following August.

Since Ensign admitted the extramarital affair several weeks ago, he and his defenders have accused the Hamptons of making exorbitant financial demands but denied that Ensign provided any severance payments or other financial assistance for the couple. Ensign has said he has no plans to resign his office.

In an interview this week, Douglas Hampton also alleged that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a close friend of Ensign's, urged Ensign to end the affair early last year and suggested financial compensation for the Hampton family.

Yesterday, Coburn told the Roll Call newspaper that he would refuse any attempts to compel him to testify in court or at the Senate ethics committee about his role. Coburn, an obstetrician, claimed a legal privilege against such testimony as his physician and religious adviser.