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| John Edwards trial to hear opening statements in campaign finance case | John Edwards trial to hear opening statements in campaign finance case |
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| Opening statements were set to begin Monday in the trial of former US presidential candidate John Edwards, who is accused of violating federal campaign finance laws and using the money to hide an affair from both the public and his wife, who was fighting cancer. | Opening statements were set to begin Monday in the trial of former US presidential candidate John Edwards, who is accused of violating federal campaign finance laws and using the money to hide an affair from both the public and his wife, who was fighting cancer. |
| Edwards went from being a serious contender for the presidency to being widely disliked for hiding his pregnant mistress during his 2008 White House campaign. | Edwards went from being a serious contender for the presidency to being widely disliked for hiding his pregnant mistress during his 2008 White House campaign. |
| The 58-year-old former senator pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts related to nearly $1m in secret payments from two wealthy supporters. | The 58-year-old former senator pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts related to nearly $1m in secret payments from two wealthy supporters. |
| Edwards' lawyers contend the payments were gifts from friends intent on keeping the candidate's wife from finding out about the mistress, Rielle Hunter, and her baby. Elizabeth Edwards died in December 2010. | Edwards' lawyers contend the payments were gifts from friends intent on keeping the candidate's wife from finding out about the mistress, Rielle Hunter, and her baby. Elizabeth Edwards died in December 2010. |
| A key issue will be whether Edwards knew about the payments made on his behalf by his national campaign finance chairman, the late Fred Baron, and campaign donor Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a now-101-year-old heiress and socialite. Each had already given Edwards' campaign the maximum $2,300 individual contribution allowed by federal law. | A key issue will be whether Edwards knew about the payments made on his behalf by his national campaign finance chairman, the late Fred Baron, and campaign donor Rachel "Bunny" Mellon, a now-101-year-old heiress and socialite. Each had already given Edwards' campaign the maximum $2,300 individual contribution allowed by federal law. |
| Edwards denies having known about the money, which paid for private jets, luxury hotels and Hunter's medical care. | Edwards denies having known about the money, which paid for private jets, luxury hotels and Hunter's medical care. |
| Much of the money was funneled to Andrew Young, a former campaign aide once so close to Edwards that Andrews initially claimed paternity of his boss's illegitimate child. Young and his wife invited the pregnant Hunter to live in their home and later embarked with her on a cross-country odyssey as they sought to elude tabloid reporters trying to expose the candidate's extramarital affair. | Much of the money was funneled to Andrew Young, a former campaign aide once so close to Edwards that Andrews initially claimed paternity of his boss's illegitimate child. Young and his wife invited the pregnant Hunter to live in their home and later embarked with her on a cross-country odyssey as they sought to elude tabloid reporters trying to expose the candidate's extramarital affair. |
| Young later fell out with Edwards and wrote an unflattering tell-all book, The Politician. Young and Hunter recently ended a two-year legal battle over ownership of a sex tape the mistress recorded with Edwards during the campaign, agreeing to a settlement that dictates that copies of the video will be destroyed. | Young later fell out with Edwards and wrote an unflattering tell-all book, The Politician. Young and Hunter recently ended a two-year legal battle over ownership of a sex tape the mistress recorded with Edwards during the campaign, agreeing to a settlement that dictates that copies of the video will be destroyed. |
| Young is expected to be a witness for the prosecution, while the defence is likely to call Hunter to testify. | Young is expected to be a witness for the prosecution, while the defence is likely to call Hunter to testify. |
| After years of adamant public denials, Edwards acknowledged paternity of Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, in 2010. The girl, now 4, lives with her mother. | After years of adamant public denials, Edwards acknowledged paternity of Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, in 2010. The girl, now 4, lives with her mother. |
| It has not yet been decided whether Edwards, a former trial lawyer once renowned for his ability to charm jurors, will testify in his own defence. | It has not yet been decided whether Edwards, a former trial lawyer once renowned for his ability to charm jurors, will testify in his own defence. |
| Abbe Lowell, a well-known Washington lawyer who is representing Edwards, has said that even had Edwards known about the secret payments, his actions wouldn't amount to a crime under federal law. He has derided what he calls the government's "crazy" interpretation of federal law whereby money that was never handled by the candidate nor deposited in a campaign account is being defined as campaign contributions. | Abbe Lowell, a well-known Washington lawyer who is representing Edwards, has said that even had Edwards known about the secret payments, his actions wouldn't amount to a crime under federal law. He has derided what he calls the government's "crazy" interpretation of federal law whereby money that was never handled by the candidate nor deposited in a campaign account is being defined as campaign contributions. |
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