Former 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards has been in the court room and under the microscope since the day that authorities discovered his dishonesty when running for president of the United States. According to CNN, the politician is being tried in North Carolina because he used illegal donations for his campaign. The press claims that Edwards had an affair with his videographer and fathered her child. In order to cover up his actions, he accepted a generous donation from a 101-year-old heiress with the initials R.M. This rich woman intended to cover any expenses associated with Edwards' mistress. At the time of the affair, Edwards was married and his wife had just been diagnosed with cancer. His desire to shield his wife from the news and to cover his scandal from the public led him to use large amounts of money to pay for the mistress' medical costs.
R.M. wrote checks for thousands of dollars. According to the courts, she even paid for the mistress' California-based spiritual adviser and for her plane tickets to various cities when she wanted some time alone. Records show that the woman took trips to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Aspen, Colorado, and San Diego, California for some time off. The affair and funds is only one part of this incredibly detailed case. John Edwards is charged with 6 felony accounts for his actions, and may face up to 30 years in prison. He has also been suspected of making false statements and involving himself in conspiracy.
One of Edward's main crimes is the fact that he concealed massive amounts of donated money. The courts discovered that Edwards concealed over $725,000 in contributions from R.M. and another $200,000 or so from a wealthy Texas attorney. In total, he gained almost $1 million from these sizable gifts. By law, contributors to a campaign must notify the Federal Election Commission. This Commission makes sure that all campaign funds are being used for viable and effective campaign methods, but Edwards was taking his money and using it for all sorts of personal pleasures.
Along with providing for his mistress, Edwards constructed a sprawling home with a swimming pool and an indoor theater. Edward's aide, A.Y., wrote a book about the political scandal, which is now being sold in bookstores everywhere. When asked why he decided to publish the tell-all account, A.Y. admitted that he needed the money and believed that Edwards failed to hold up his end of the bargain in the campaign. Now, as the Memorial Day weekend comes to a close, the North Carolina court has adjourned and the Edwards trial is back in deliberation. The jury has been discussing this trial for seven days, but has yet to arrive at a sentence for Edward's. Last Thursday, the jury asked to review another 20 exhibits in the case.
Along with up to 30 years of jail time, Edwards may be forced to pay a $1.5 million fine if he is found guilty of falsifying documents, conspiracy, and accepting illegal campaign contributions. Edward's defense team has been arguing that he is not guilty of any of his charges. While they admit that Edwards was not an upstanding husband to his wife who perished of cancer in 2010, they say that the money issues can be attributed to A.Y., Edwards's campaign aide. They claimed that A.Y. used the money to conceal Edwards affair, and that the donations can't even be considered campaign contributions. Currently, the jury is evaluating the case and will hopefully come to a conclusion. The consequences for conspiracy, falsifying illegal documents, and using donations illegally are serious. If you have been charged with a similar crime, you will need a criminal defense lawyer to represent you in court.
