Washington (CNN) -- The Senate Ethics Committee announced Thursday that it has referred key findings of its case against former Sen. John Ensign to the Justice Department, laying the groundwork for possible prosecution of the Nevada Republican. Ensign resigned his Senate seat May 3 after revelations that he had an affair with a female aide who was married to another top aide and that his parents subsequently gave money to the aides' family.
The special counsel investigating the case "respectfully submits that there is substantial credible evidence which provides ... cause for the Committee to conclude Senator Ensign violated Senate Rules and federal civil and criminal laws, and engaged in improper conduct," a report concluded.
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