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Subscribe to RSSAs the criminal trial of the former senator and presidential candidate got under way, the judge told the court a key prosecution witness had contacted other witnesses. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Prosecutors in the criminal campaign finance case against former Senator John Edwards described him on Monday as a manipulative politician who refused to let his affair or his mistress' pregnancy sideline his presidential ambitions.
But Edwards' defense asked jurors to "follow the money," saying the nearly $1 million in illegal campaign funds he is accused of secretly accepting as he sought the 2008 Democratic nomination instead went to a former campaign aide who used the money to pay for his $1.5 million house.
Trial blog: Five big questions as the John Edwards trial starts
Attorneys gave opening statements at the federal courthouse in Greensboro, N.C., the state where Edwards grew up and was elected as a Senator in 1998. The two-time presidential hopeful was the Democrats' vice presidential nominee in 2004.
He was indicted in North Carolina last year on six counts, including charges of conspiracy, taking illegal campaign contributions and making false statements. Each count carries a sentence of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Attorneys on Monday picked a racially diverse jury of seven women and nine men to hear the case. Dozens of journalists from national and local media organizations crammed into the courtroom to watch the start of the trial. Edwards' parents and eldest daughter, Cate, also attended.
Prosecutors say Edwards, 58, was aware of the payments from the wealthy donors and that the money was meant to influence the federal election. Had it been publicly revealed that Edwards had an affair with a campaign worker who became pregnant, Edwards knew his presidential candidacy and his marriage would be doomed, prosecutor David Harbach said.
Harbach said the affair began in February 2006 when Edwards met Rielle Hunter in a New York City bar.
At the time, Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, was battling the cancer that ultimately killed her in 2010.
"This affair was a gamble with exceedingly high stakes," Harbach told jurors. "He made a choice to break the law."
Harbach said Edwards directed his loyal campaign aide, Andrew Young, to seek money from heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon and campaign finance chairman Fred Baron to help pay for Hunter's living and medical expenses and to keep her out of the public eye.
Hunter briefly worked as a videographer for Edwards' campaign, but Elizabeth Edwards ordered her husband to fire Hunter, Harbach said.
Edwards later asked Young to claim paternity of the child, the prosecutor said.
"Anything to preserve his chances to be president," Harbach said.
Edwards' attorneys say the former candidate did not know about the money, never instructed Young to get it and never received any of it.
"John Edwards is a man who has committed many sins but no crimes," said defense attorney Allison Van Laningham. "John Edwards is not afraid of the truth. He welcomes it."
Van Laningham said the donors' payments were not meant as political contributions but rather as personal gifts to help a friend. Mellon and Baron were trying to prevent Edwards from being publicly humiliated, not to influence the federal election, she said.
Both of the donors paid gift taxes on the money, the attorney said.
Van Laningham said though some of the cash went to Hunter, most of it landed in the pockets of Young and his wife, Cheri. In addition to paying for their new home, the couple used the money to buy jewelry, electronics and vacations, the attorney said.
Andrew Young, who was granted immunity by the government, is expected to testify for the prosecution. He wrote a tell-all book about Edwards' failed presidential run and, in the past two weeks, he contacted three witnesses in the case to discuss their testimony, Van Laningham said.
"Since he can no longer make money being for John Edwards, he wants to make money being against him," Van Laningham said. "Follow the money and find the truth."
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Such a scumbag - words can't even begin to describe him.
He is a scum bag. 'Nough said.
What I couldn't believe was that his daughter was with him! He's a pig and certainly doesn't deserve the love of his children.
let's see 4 republican gov's multiple senators caught in affairs. all using federal and state money now that must be nothing according.. a re[p speaker of the house thrown out by his own because he had so many ethics viaolations and the use of money that was not his. anbd you think edwards is a scum bag.. perhaps you might want to do your research a lot better
Being a scum bag knows no party boundries... Or Race for that matter...
Being a scumbag does not make you a criminal, just a scumbag. This is just a bunch of moral people trying to make their morals the law of the land. Do you know where else in this world they are doing that? The main difference between here (USA) and there is in other part of the world he would have received a medal and his girlfriend would have been stoned to death.
Really, are we going to waste prison space on him? He didn't kill anybody. He has a lot of explaining to do, up there, but I don't see why we need to put him in jail for his, be it immoral, actions.
No crime but many sins. That makes it OK since he's a liberal, they'll come racing to his defence.
No they won't. They think he's a scumbag too.
I haven't seen any liberals defending Edwards but don't let that stop you from displaying your ignorance.
you will not see this liberal defending Edwards.
FYI, Skiddy ... *defense*
Skiddy: It's Obama's fault
jerryb,
No, it's Bush's fault. Everybody knows everything is always Bush's fault no matter what. That's elementary! :)
littlechanges, the English spelling is as I spelled it. And redphish, I have. And you are probably one of them.
He's a scumbag, no doubt, but it's not worth the taxpayers $$$ to take him to court. Actually, I'd like to see all the Wall Street crooks who gambled away and lost our money being taken to court.
Yes most definitely on that why is it that we don't HEAR a word on them "CROOKS". They are the biggest reason the US is in the shape it's in! !@#$%^&*&*%^$# bankers? If I ran my money into the ground like they did I would S.O.L. crying M.f.a.o. Go after the real crooks, this guy probably did what every other politician does, he just got caught!
But, but that story would not cause so much breathlessness! I mean all who are without sin, cast the first stone. But even if we all agree he is a cad, it is amazing that with the number of killers and perps who kidnap kids are out on the street, we spend all this time on this cad!.
Edwards is a Democrat, which equals a CRIMINAL. Start erecting the stake!
But I suppose you supported the Republican Iraq War? A war we couldn't and didn't win. Billions of dollars into Halliburton's (contracts that were never sent out for bid!) coffers just because the Republican Cheney had long-time connections the company. And you call Democrats CRIMINAL? You need to be better informed.
@ artsylady... In case you forgot... Bill Clinton was convinced there were WMDs in Iraq and both Democrats and Republican voted to go to war as the constitution calls for. Did Congress vote to go to Libya under Obamas watch?
BEAR: your're right. It's Obama's fault
I remember the majority of Democrats standing there endorsing the Irag War as well as Independents. We convenietly forget the real facts when it meets our needs. As a Democrat I supported the war. Not sure what your definition of winning is & I believe the verdict is still out regarding the war. Anything involving Arab countries takes many many years before you can actually tell the results. There are plenty of politicians, democrat, republican, ect that are criminals & have been convicted of criminal acts. We will have to wait & see what happens with regards to Mr. Edwards
I hate to mention it to you, but we have cads in our party too. In fact even some cads who have stolen, and taken bribes and sold their votes. I* do recall President Nixon, do you? It runs in the human race sort of equally.
Edwards exhibited the morals of an alley cat in this whole sordid mess, but is this really worthy of prosecution?
please, don't offend alley cats
Being a Democrat does not make you a criminal. I know a lot of Repubs that are sitting in jail at this time. What Edwards did was wrong, and his gf, should really be put somewhere out of sight out of mind, she is just as big a scumbag. It is asham she has one of the BB babies, I don't think he is guilty of what he is charged. But he leaves a lot to be desired in being a really good human being. But everything being what it is in our country today, we can be ashamed of our Congress also, dems an repub
"Sins, but no crimes..." well, since there are no such things as "sins", leave the guy alone. Sin is supposedly a wrong-doing against god & since there's no god, mind your own business, people.
Yup, no god = no sins. God is for goat-herders and hunter-gatherers. Edwards is just morally devoid, which has nothing to do with party.
Newt is a good example - same arrogance and moral void.
If there was a crime , what was it? taxes were paid, any infleunce was a waste because he was not elected and the supreme court already ruled money is free speech. So he was an ass, I know alot of guys worst then him and plenty of women too. none of them go to jail, and that is good because we have the right to be stupid and uncaring. those are not crimes.
'Many sins but no crimes'.
Couldn't that also apply to those American S.S. agents in Colombia who now are getting canned for non-puritan behavior?
I'd assume the illegality surrounds the alleged misuse of campaign funds not being used for their intended purpose. This happens all the time. Sometimes it's blatant and self-serving, other times it just runs amok of laws e.g. Baton Rouge mayor Kip Holden is being accused of misuse for paying for a funeral for a teenager and donating funds to a teen's People to People Ambassador Program.
In this instance with what the press has released, it would appear there was no good reason to spend the John Edwards campaign funds in this manner.
I thought "the crime" was in a Political Corruption of misleading and deceiving The Public; and exploiting The Public Trust,(as to expectations of performance, once in office, to be at least be based on being in possession of an understanding of what sound Character and at least a minimum of Moral upstanding IS). I think misleading and deceiving The Public that you purport to want to serve, in any way, big and SMALL; and exploiting The Public Trust, by ANY POLITICIAN is a CRIME (out of control, way too easy to continue pulling off against The Public and way far too long inaccesible to effective Public "Justice" enforcement) and I would hope that some "easily accesible, efficient and effective" precedent for The Public's benefit of USE and PROTECTION from would come out of this while EPITOME! (I just don't think he should be "Bernie-Madoff-scapegoated" for being a "Representative" Epitome of Criminally "Purposeful" Public Deceit).
Good luck to the Court, singling out just one more "criminally deceitful, misleading Politician" while not even being able to touch our 87% DISAPPROVED of Congress and its consisting majority of criminally and purposefully deceitful, misleading POLITICIANS. HOW CAN DECEIVING, MISLEADING AND EXPLOITING THE PUBLIC BE UNREGULATED TO BE UNENFORCEABLE STANDARD POLITICAL OPERATING PROCEDURE; AND NOT BE A CRIME?
Mystery: have you never seen a political advertisement on TV? These (and Edwards') are moral crimes but not statutory crimes.
Most politicians when caught after a contribution impropriety are fined. Edwards is being tried because he is a scumbag. And it's not against the law to be a scumbag.
jerryb2339, #10.2- Thanks for replying. Yes, I have seen plenty of Political Advertisements and "misleading and deceptive" advertising IS NOT a "Moral" thing. IT IS an ILLEGALITY. It's FRAUDULENT; FRAUD, with the intent to mislead, in order to sway, to get something from someone else (their support, their financial support, their "vote of confidence", their VOTE). And so is "Intent to Cover-up" the Deception of and to The Public. I used "moral" for lack of a more precise word-frame, at this time. (It's the end of a long-long day for me) Just wanted to get 2 cents worth in.
But, THANKS!, again, for replying. It got me to think about how I might go on to clarify more, for another time. This Political Corruption and purposefully deceiving The Public HAS GOT TO STOP and The Public really needs more efficient and effective "Enforcement" tools and ways to STOP it. (ie, besides wait for Congress to write an "unenforceable" of convenience bill against Insider Trading for Congress!) Was Insider Trading for Congress not already ILLEGAL to begin with, anyway?
"many sins but no crimes" might be a catchy phrase, but is anybody really buying it? How about "many sins AND many crimes?" Would a million in hush money had been paid - if he weren't a presidential candidate? Isn't there a reason we have campaign finance regulations in the first place? Edwards should be the poster boy for why we don't put a fox in charge of the henhouse, he needs to go from the cathouse to the doghouse; then the jailhouse.
I just don't understand the hubris of someone who is married to a woman with cancer, has a child with another woman and believes they can run for president without attracting a lot of attention.
how about speaker of the house who wa;lked on a very ill woman.. had a long stanging affair and then marriage only to repeat that very same thing.. plus was RUN out of the house of rep.. because of his illegal dealings
His behavior was certainly despicable but, criminal? Yawn. It's going to boil down to his word against the guy who controlled the million dollar purse string. Andrew Young - another choir boy- had no issues with helping to cover up the affair and parentage of Hunter's child. Even going so far as to report he was the" Baby Daddy". Yeah, his testimony holds tons of credibility (not).
Life's lesson - there is no honor among thieves...
There's a lot of corruption entailed in our current political system ... almost as if one has to be corrupt, in some way, to compete. Its a pity ... on the other hand, none of today's politicians do anything that politicians in the past, did not!! I've been reading quite a bit of history (documentary type), and they "all" do sleezy, behind-the-scenes power plays and things to get elected ... from waaaaaaaaay back. So, its nothing unusual ... what IS unusual, is that we atttack, our 'own country'. Once a country does that -- attacks itself -- (& it started w/Watergate in this one), its the beginning of the end.
Look up the term "liar", 'fraud' or 'scum bag' and there will be a picture of this lying whoring deceiver Edwards. He actually thought he was 'presidential' material patterned after his democat predecessors Kennedy, Clinton and Johnson..
Maybe him rotting in hell is too good for him?
Edwards disgraced his wife, his family, and all of his friends and colleagues. I am of the opinion that he knew that his campaign funds were being used to hide his illicit affair and probably directed his staff to use those funds as such. If I am correct, I hope the jury finds him guilty and the judge imposes the maximum jail sentence!
He even gets his family to publicly support his lying, cheating, morally corrupt actions. Speaks volumes about the character of his family.
No underarm stinky moisture, Eddy, its easy to go to hell, because it's all downhill.
No underarm stinky moisture, Eddy, it is easier going to hell, as it is all downhill.
The former Senator may well have to put his $400 haircuts on the back burner for the time being. He is almost a parody of the song made famous by Queen: We Are the Champions. ''I've done my sentence but commited no crime.......;
Edwards is a pig, and so is Hunter. She doesn't even get to hide behind that bs excuse of Monica's that she is "very young." Nonetheless, his children love him (and children forgive their parents for much worse than this!) and I assume he loves them. They need a parent. Even if he is found guilty of crimes as well as bad behavior I'd just as soon he get fined a ton of money and not be sent to jail because I really don't want to have to support him for years in some federal country club.
He and Newt should start a club.
Too bad they don't allow stoning.. He would be an excellent candidate.
I think it's interesting that Young kept some of the money, which he probably never reported on his taxes, and was granted immunity in exchange for his testimony.
If it was a diversion of campaign funds, Young should have been charged, along with tax evasion charges, and offered a plea deal in exchange for a reduced sentence. Would make the government's case stronger, as Young would still be getting a jail sentence, rather than a free ride.
I am also curious when were the gift tax returns allegedly filed, how long after the "gift", or how long after the "gift" became public knowledge.
Then I heard on the news tonite that Young had been contacting other witnesses about their upcoming testimony, a big no-no. This Young guy, as the government's star witness, is a real piece of work himself.
Should an be interesting trial to keep an eye on.
how do you know a politician is lying? their lips are moving!!!!!! All politicians are crooks and liars.