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A sex scandal claims another politician: Nevada's Republican Senator John Ensign announced his resignation Thursday, saying in a statement that he will step down on May 3. “It is with tremendous sadness that I officially hand over the Senate seat that I have held for 11 years,” said Ensign. “The turbulence of these last few years is greatly surpassed by the incredible privilege that I feel to have been entrusted to serve the people of Nevada. I can honestly say that being a United States senator has been the honor of my life." Ensign had already said in March that he would not seek re-election in 2012 after admitting to having an extramarital affair with campaign aide Cindy Hampton, whose husband Doug Hampton was Ensign’s deputy chief of staff. Ensign has been under investigation by the Senate for reporting giving Doug Hampton a lobbying job and having his parents pay the couple $96,000. “There are consequences to sin,” Ensign said in March about his affair.