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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Two-time presidential candidate John Edwards has pleaded not guilty to charges that he solicited and spent more than $925,000 to hide his mistress and their baby from the public at the height of his 2008 White House campaign.
Edwards made a brief appearance in federal court in North Carolina on Friday afternoon. He did not speak aside from answering yes or no questions and entering the plea.
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He does not have to post bond, but he had to surrender his passport and is not allowed to leave the continental U.S. He also can't have contact with one of the wealthy benefactors who gave him money that prosecutors say was used to hide the affair.
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This is funny and typical and those who started into this cesspool of stupidity knew it would be like this. It is their only method of operation in similar times.
I've read two articles and neither one has even come close to explaining what law was broken or how. But I shouldn't expect as much. This is America after all, and more importantly, this is Columbia Missouri.
I believe the problem is that "campaign contributions" from two wealthy contributors (Mrs. Mellon and attorney Fred Baron) were diverted to "other uses." That's a felony (whether we agree with it or not). Edwards and his attorneys are trying to argue that the funds were NOT campaign contributions, thus no felony.
I have a special interest in this matter. I don't give a damn about Edwards: Fred Baron and I know each other. Obviously I am not as wealthy as Fred, and we don't run in the same circles; also, Fred's political views are the opposite of mine.
Fred and I know each other from meeting at legal depositions and at certain trials. Fred can be very sharp as an attorney, but if I were going to have a cocktail party, Fred is one of the first people I'd invite, as he can be charming and is a good conversationalist - when he's not being a lawyer.
Fred is I believe still practicing law in Dallas, and sometimes wears designer boots with his designer suits. I'm tempted to bring up an old Oklahoma saying: The difference between a Texan and an Okie is that the Okie wears the s..t on the outside of his boots. :)
Will Fred, like Edwards, end up facing criminal charges? Fred was very active during the 2004 presidential campaign, including giving a fair amount of his own money (which I'm sure he could afford). Word in legal circles at the time was that had the Kerry-Edwards ticket won then Fred was on a very short list to be Attorney General. Now I think Fred can kiss his political ambitions goodbye.
In other words, they are going to hinge the case on the words of whoever it was who donated the money. In other words, they didn't have a case. In other words, they are grandstanding and practicing what is known as malicious prosecution.