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LAS VEGAS – Embattled politico Sen. John Ensign of Nevada declared weekday that he module depart amid an current motive investigation, a move that could constituent him from the continuing embarrassment of the closely watched probe.

Ensign insisted he's finished nothing wrong, but said he could no individual guy his kinsfolk and constituents to the pure focus on his illicit intimacy with a past employee and the right allegations clouding that relationship.

"For my kinsfolk and me, this continuing individualized outlay is only too great," he said in a statement.

Ensign said he module send an authorised despair honor to Vice President Joe Biden on Friday. The despair would be trenchant May 3.

"While I stand behindhand my concern belief that I hit not desecrated any law, rule, or standard of carry of the Senate, and I hit fought to establish this publicly, I module not continue to person my family, my constituents, or the senate to any boost rounds of investigation, depositions, worn out proceedings, or especially open hearings," Ensign said.

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, who chairs the senate Ethics Committee, and band Sen. Johnny Isakson, the committee's vice chairman, said in a statement weekday that Ensign "made the pertinent decision" in stepping down.

"The senate Ethics Committee has worked diligently for 22 months on this concern and module complete its impact in a opportune fashion," the senators said.

Ensign could also be undefendable to questions most his persona in the consequence of the affair. The economise of his past lover, who was also a past helper to Ensign, has been indicted for illicitly lobbying the senator's staff.

The Justice Department and the agent Election Commission investigated and then dropped cases against Ensign with little explanation. The motive committee, however, titled a primary direction in Feb to look into the matter.

In his despair attending Thursday, Ensign said that designation shook him because he had hoped the enquiry would modify with the Justice Department.

Ensign declared in June 2009 that he had an illicit intimacy with Cynthia Hampton, a past member of his crusade staff, and that he had helped her husband, Doug Hampton, a member of his senate staff, obtain lobbying impact with two Nevada companies.

Federal accumulation prohibits a past grownup senate helper from lobbying the senate for digit year after terminating employment.

Ensign declared in March he would not pursue re-election in 2012 to protect his kinsfolk from crusade attacks involving his persona in Doug Hampton's lobbying career. He added that the senate enquiry hadn't influenced his decision.

"If I was afraid most that I would hit resigned, because that would attain the most significance because then it goes away," he said last month.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics, the government watchdog assemble that requested the senate motive investigation, criticized Ensign weekday for not resigning sooner.

"Sadly, it's not because he's seen the nonachievement of his ways, or even to 'spend more instance with his family,'" chief administrator Melanie Sloan said in a statement. "The actuality no digit is likely to adjudge is that Sen. Ensign is existence pushed out to provide the politico band a leg up in the 2012 election."

Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval module now constitute someone to help the remainder of Ensign's term, and choosing U.S. Rep. histrion Heller or another politico would provide the band the advantage of term in a highly combative centre that could end which band controls the senate after 2012.

Sandoval endorsed Heller transactions after his crusade declaration in March.

Republican Party officials said they hoped Sandoval would constitute Heller to Ensign's seat. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Democratic U.S. Rep. author Berkley is also streaming and is thoughtful the strongest Democratic contender.

Former Gov. Bob List, now a member of the politico National Committee, urged the controller to constitute Heller to the centre as Nevada Democrats quickly began their crusade to influence Sandoval's decision.

"Nevada needs a senator who is convergent on creating jobs and protecting our middle class, not success Medicare as we know it and giving more set breaks to the rich, same histrion Heller is trying to do," Nevada Democratic Party spokesman Zach Hudson said.

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Associated Press writers Sandra Chereb in environmentalist City and David Espo in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report.

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