Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Former Administrative Assistant to U.S. Senator Charged with Making Prohibited Communications to Senate Office

WASHINGTON – The former administrative assistant to a U.S. senator was charged today by a federal grand jury in the District of Columbia with violating criminal conflict of interest laws, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen of the District of Columbia; and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

The indictment charges Douglas Hampton, 48, formerly of Las Vegas, with seven counts of violating the criminal conflict of interest laws. Hampton will be arraigned on March 31, 2011, in U.S. District Court in the District of Columbia.

According to the indictment, from January 2007 to April 30, 2008, Hampton was employed as the administrative assistant to a U.S. senator. The administrative assistant and chief of staff positions were the most senior positions in the senator’s office. While he was serving as administrative assistant, Hampton allegedly signed a form certifying that he had completed training required by the Senate Select Committee on Ethics that included training on the one-year post-employment lobbying restrictions mandated by The Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007.

According to the indictment, that legislation was enacted by Congress for the purpose of providing greater transparency and accountability in both Houses by, among other things, slowing down the “revolving door” between congressional employment and post-employment lobbying activities. The legislation prohibits a senior Senate staffer, for a period of one year after termination of employment with the Senate, from knowingly making any communication to a Senate office with the intent to influence official actions on behalf of another person.