In non health care-related news, John Ensign is in a fair bit of trouble. As in grand jury investigation kind of trouble.

Nevada Senator John Ensign is in the crosshairs of a Department of Justice criminal investigation.

The criminal probe stems from a romantic affair Ensign had with the wife of his key staffer and close friend, Doug Hampton, and what Ensign has done to help Hampton financially.

Subpoenas have been issued to at least six las vegas businesses. The Justice Department came to Las Vegas to interview several prominent business and political figures in what appears to be a wide-ranging and deadly-serious criminal probe.

Ensign, a persona non grata among his colleagues, even may bring down some of the architecture of the NRSC, the campaign arm for Senate Republicans. They have been subpoenaed for documents relating to Ensign’s chairmanship of the Committee in 2007-2008. And it goes beyond the affair:

A Las Vegas TV station, KLAS, reported on Wednesday night that at least a half-dozen Nevada businesses with ties to Ensign have received document subpoenas from the grand jury in Washington, D.C.

KLAS also said that federal agents, including a prosecutor from the Justice Department’s Public Integrity unit, are looking into allegations that Ensign offered to help a Nevada credit card company block new legislation in return for a $28,000 donation to the NRSC.

This involves no tickle fights, or anyone with a (D) next to their name, however, so the media will get around to it in their own good time.