Washington in 5 Minutes

CALIFORNIA

Poizner taps personal fortune for campaign

California Republican gubernatorial hopeful Steve Poizner is following through on a pledge to tap his personal fortune to help his struggling campaign.

Campaign-finance reports show the state insurance commissioner sent $15 million from his family trust to his account this week.

That brings Mr. Poizner’s personal contributions to more than $19 million. The total is about the same amount one of his rivals for the Republican nomination, former eBay Chief Executive Meg Whitman, has given her campaign.

A Public Policy Institute of California poll this month found 32 percent of likely Republican primary voters support Ms. Whitman, while 12 percent favor former congressman Tom Campbell and just 8 percent support Mr. Poizner.

But 44 percent still had no opinion on the race.

ETHICS

Ensign makes list of top ethics scandals

A government watchdog group has put Sen. John Ensign on its Top 10 list of ethics scandals for 2009.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington listed the Nevada Republican for his conduct involving his affair with Cynthia Hampton, a campaign staffer and wife of his then-administrative assistant Doug Hampton.

The Washington-based group takes Mr. Ensign to task for failing to disclose $96,000 Mr. Ensign’s parents paid to the Hamptons, and his efforts to help Mr. Hampton become a lobbyist.

Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, also was criticized for helping Mr. Hampton violate the lobbying ban by meeting with Mr. Hampton’s lobbying clients.

The watchdog group filed a complaint with the Senate Ethics Committee seeking an investigation.

ALASKA

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