Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign announced today that he’s resigning, putting an end to the career of one of the sleaziest, most despicable GOP hypocrites to ever hold office, a man who built his political capital by preaching “family values” and “defending traditional marriage.”

The real reason why Ensign is resigning: to stop the ethics investigation against him. He didn’t want any more of his crappy behavior to come out.

In June 2009 Ensign publicly admitted that he had an affair with Cynthia Hampton, who was his political treasurer and was married to Doug Hampton, Ensign’s administrative assistant. The Ensign and Hampton families lived in the same neighborhood outside Las Vegas and were considered the best of friends.

In 2008, when the affair became known to the other spouses, Ensign dismissed both Hamptons from his political and legislative payroll. Ensign’s parents, wealthy casino magnates, paid the Hampton family $96,000 in what was labeled gift income for tax purposes, the precise amount legally permissible without triggering taxes.

In addition, Doug Hampton returned to Las Vegas and began working as a lobbyist for a consulting firm run by Ensign’s top political advisers. Doug Hampton has alleged that Ensign helped him line up his first few lobbying clients — all donors to Ensign’s political committees — and that the senator helped arrange meetings for Doug Hampton with Obama administration officials.

What a corrupt creep. Good riddance.

Unfortunately for Ensign, the ethics committee is still going to finish their investigation.