John Ensign, Affair | featured news

Republican Sen. John Ensign says he has no plans to resign despite his affair with a staffer's wife and his parents' $96,000 payout to the woman's family, and will seek re-election in 2012.

The story of Sen. John Ensign's affair with a former staffer took a new twist Thursday with the revelation by Ensign that his parents gave the woman's family $96,000 as a gift.

Nevada Sen. John Ensign's ex-lover says she did "everything possible" to keep their affair private, but a spokesman for the Republican lawmaker refuted the claim Thursday, saying the woman's husband approached a major television news channel before Ensign's public confession.

Much has been written in the media about men cheating on their wives. We have the tale of two Jo(h)ns: John Edwards, whose wife, Elizabeth Edwards, appeared on "Oprah" recently to promote her new book, "Resilence," in which she addresses her husband's much publicized affair, and Jon Gosselin, costar of the hit TLC reality show "Jon & Kate Plus 8," whose rumored affair has become tabloid fodder.

Republican senator from Nevada acknowledges having an affair with a campaign staffer. "I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions," he said.