Now that GOP donors see that their money subsidized Senator John Ensign’s affair(s?) their first instinct is to protect their kids who intern in his office.

“Good Afternoon-

This is Jessica from Ensign’s office. I am trying to find out if anyone has any openings for interns. I have some really great interns that want to relocate to another office. If you have anything or know of someone who does please let me know.

Thanks for your help.

Jessica L. Walton
Administrative Manager/Intern Coordinator”

But when their children are safely away in other GOP offices, will they then wonder how much Battle Born PAC, National Republican Senate Committee, and November Inc money they donated found its way into the hands of the family whose matriarch Ensign was schtupping?

As Rachel points out here, the John Ensign affair admission is not the short sharp shock it first seemed; it’s got aftershocks galore!

UPDATE: WaPo on the case (excerpt):

The Ensigns and Hamptons were close family friends from the same neighborhood in the Las Vegas area, whose children attended the same high school. Mrs. Hampton had long worked for his political committees from Las Vegas, but in November 2006 Doug Hampton moved to Washington to become a top adviser in Ensign’s official, taxpayer-funded office.

Ensign’s office offered no further explanation as to why he chose to reveal the affair with Cindy Hampton on Tuesday, after flying home to Las Vegas, where he has been ever since while missing legislative action in the Senate.

The Hamptons have retained a personal-injury lawyer based in Las Vegas, and have issued a statement admitting the affair. They’ve asked for privacy as they consider how to tell their side of the story.

The Ensign office statement, issued late Thursday, said the payments to Mrs. Hampton doubled in 2008 because of an increased amount of work responsibilities she took on for Ensign for Senate and his leadership political action committee, Battle Born PAC.

Earning $1,885 a month working as a consultant for both political committees in 2007, Mrs. Hampton doubled her pay by the end of January 2008. That increase was based on her taking on additional roles for direct mail and accounting for the re-election committee, as well as taking over as treasurer for Battle Born PAC in February 2008 after the previous treasurer was dismissed in an unrelated legal investigation, according to Ensign’s office.