John Edwards' campaign finance case ends for good
June 14, 2012 |
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Former presidential candidate John Edwards was acquitted May 31 of accepting illegal campaign contributions. The jury deadlocked on five other felony counts. / CHUCK BURTON/ASSOCIATED PRESS
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Federal prosecutors dropped all charges against
John Edwards on Wednesday, triggering criticism that the yearlong
prosecution of the former presidential candidate was a waste of time and
taxpayer money.
After a six-week trial in North Carolina, jurors acquitted Edwards on May 31 on one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions and deadlocked on five other felony counts. The judge declared a mistrial.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a court order that it will not seek to retry Edwards on the five unresolved counts.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer, who oversees the agency's criminal division, said prosecutors knew the case -- like all campaign finance cases -- would be challenging. But he said it is "our duty to bring hard cases" when warranted.
Prosecutors accused Edwards, who turned 59 this week, of masterminding a scheme to use about $1 million in secret payments from two wealthy political donors to hide his pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008. He would have faced up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted of all charges.
At trial, the case against Edwards rested largely on the testimony of his former right-hand man, Andrew Young, who initially claimed paternity of his boss' baby and deposited most of the money at issue in the case into his family's personal accounts.
But upon cross-examination, Edwards' lawyers used inconsistencies from Young's past statements to undermine his credibility and used bank records to show the aide and his wife siphoned off much of the money to help build their $1.6-million dream home.
Several jurors said a clear majority within the group, after deliberating nine days, wanted to acquit Edwards on all charges.
"It was a weak case. ... If they don't have any more factual information than what they presented, I don't think any other jury would reach a different decision," juror Curtis Driggers told the Associated Press last week.
Prosecutors charged ahead despite a decision by the Federal Election Commission not to pursue a civil case against Edwards. Several campaign finance experts said that even if Edwards had known about the money flowing to his mistress, he wasn't violating the law.
A former trial lawyer, Edwards elected not to testify at his trial. His mistress, Rielle Hunter, also didn't take the stand.
Edwards' lawyers -- Abbe Lowell, Allison Van Laningham and Alan W. Duncan -- said in a joint statement that they are pleased with the government's decision not to seek a second trial that they believe would have had the same outcome.
Edwards, who lives in Chapel Hill, didn't comment on the dismissal.
Edwards' eldest daughter, Cate Edwards, reacted to Wednesday's decision through her Twitter account. She sat behind her father in the courtroom nearly every day of his lengthy trial.
"Big sigh of relief," Cate Edwards, 30, tweeted. "Ready to move forward with life."
end quote from:
http://www.freep.com/article/20120614/NEWS07/206140591/John-Edwards-campaign-finance-case-ends-for-good
They were never going to be able to prove this case beyond a shadow of a doubt. But, unless they tried, Campaign finance laws would always be considered somewhat of a joke. So, an example of John Edwards was made knowing fully that he could never be found guilty of anything under these circumstances. This will make all future candidates for Presidential and any other Federal or State office think twice about doing what John Edwards' did. To harm someone when they have lost their wife to death and the ongoing damage to their children and to air all their dirty laundry in public might have been worse for Edward's than to be executed for a crime. To take someone's honor rather than their freedom might be more horrific for potential candidates than any other thing. So an example was made of Edwards' to make all candidates respect the campaign finance laws.
After a six-week trial in North Carolina, jurors acquitted Edwards on May 31 on one count of accepting illegal campaign contributions and deadlocked on five other felony counts. The judge declared a mistrial.
The U.S. Justice Department said in a court order that it will not seek to retry Edwards on the five unresolved counts.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer, who oversees the agency's criminal division, said prosecutors knew the case -- like all campaign finance cases -- would be challenging. But he said it is "our duty to bring hard cases" when warranted.
Prosecutors accused Edwards, who turned 59 this week, of masterminding a scheme to use about $1 million in secret payments from two wealthy political donors to hide his pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008. He would have faced up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted of all charges.
At trial, the case against Edwards rested largely on the testimony of his former right-hand man, Andrew Young, who initially claimed paternity of his boss' baby and deposited most of the money at issue in the case into his family's personal accounts.
But upon cross-examination, Edwards' lawyers used inconsistencies from Young's past statements to undermine his credibility and used bank records to show the aide and his wife siphoned off much of the money to help build their $1.6-million dream home.
Several jurors said a clear majority within the group, after deliberating nine days, wanted to acquit Edwards on all charges.
"It was a weak case. ... If they don't have any more factual information than what they presented, I don't think any other jury would reach a different decision," juror Curtis Driggers told the Associated Press last week.
Prosecutors charged ahead despite a decision by the Federal Election Commission not to pursue a civil case against Edwards. Several campaign finance experts said that even if Edwards had known about the money flowing to his mistress, he wasn't violating the law.
A former trial lawyer, Edwards elected not to testify at his trial. His mistress, Rielle Hunter, also didn't take the stand.
Edwards' lawyers -- Abbe Lowell, Allison Van Laningham and Alan W. Duncan -- said in a joint statement that they are pleased with the government's decision not to seek a second trial that they believe would have had the same outcome.
Edwards, who lives in Chapel Hill, didn't comment on the dismissal.
Edwards' eldest daughter, Cate Edwards, reacted to Wednesday's decision through her Twitter account. She sat behind her father in the courtroom nearly every day of his lengthy trial.
"Big sigh of relief," Cate Edwards, 30, tweeted. "Ready to move forward with life."
end quote from:
http://www.freep.com/article/20120614/NEWS07/206140591/John-Edwards-campaign-finance-case-ends-for-good
They were never going to be able to prove this case beyond a shadow of a doubt. But, unless they tried, Campaign finance laws would always be considered somewhat of a joke. So, an example of John Edwards was made knowing fully that he could never be found guilty of anything under these circumstances. This will make all future candidates for Presidential and any other Federal or State office think twice about doing what John Edwards' did. To harm someone when they have lost their wife to death and the ongoing damage to their children and to air all their dirty laundry in public might have been worse for Edward's than to be executed for a crime. To take someone's honor rather than their freedom might be more horrific for potential candidates than any other thing. So an example was made of Edwards' to make all candidates respect the campaign finance laws.
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