Christian group paid for Ensign’s foreign travel
The Family-sponsored trips to Japan, Middle East legal
By Lisa Mascaro (contact)
Thursday, July 23, 2009 | 2 a.m.
Washington — Republican Sen. John Ensign took three trips paid for by an arm of the religious group The Family, which operates the C Street house that has been at the center of recent sex scandals involving the Nevadan and other elected officials.
The trips Ensign took in 2003 and 2004 to Tokyo and the Middle East were apparently allowed under congressional ethics laws that have since been rewritten to restrict privately funded travel.
But the trips have come to light as questions have arisen about the secretive group and its work with elected officials.
Ensign and Republican South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford have admitted to extramarital affairs. Both have ties to C Street. Former Republican Rep. Chip Pickering has been accused of an affair while he lived there.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/jul/23/christian-group-paid-ensigns-foreign-travel/