Edwards Trial on Campaign Finance Begins
Source: NY Times
By KIM SEVERSON
GREENSBORO, N.C. — The political corruption trial of former Senator John Edwards began on Monday morning, with prosecutors asserting that Mr. Edwards clearly knew that nearly $1 million from two wealthy donors were illegal campaign contributions and not, as he has claimed, aid from friends trying to help him hide an affair from his wife.
“It’s not a federal crime to have an affair,” said David V. Harbach II, who is directing the prosecution team. “That is not the reason to convict him. At the end of this trial, there will be plenty of reasons to do so.”
The defense, however, argued that the payment was largely a scam by a campaign aide, Andrew Young, and his wife, Cheri, to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from the banking heiress Rachel Mellon to build a $1.5 million house in Chapel Hill. Other payments went to cover the medical expenses of Mr. Edwards’s mistress, Rielle Hunter, and to keep his affair with her secret. He went along with this plan, a defense lawyer said, to avoid humiliation for himself and his wife, Elizabeth.
“It never crossed his mind that the money would be in violation of campaign finance law,” the lawyer, Allison Van Laningham, told the jury. “John Edwards did not get one penny of this money.”
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/24/us/jury-selection-in-john-edwards-trial-set-to-begin.html?_r=1&partner=EXCITE&ei=5043
Gerry Broome/Associated Press
John Edwards arrived at federal court in Greensboro, N.C., on Monday.
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