Topic: John Edwards Indicted

[trapeze]

LINK

I didn't think this belonged in Politics. Stealing money isn't political even when done by a politician.

DEVELOPING: A federal grand jury has indicted two-time presidential candidate John Edwards in a campaign finance investigation.

The case of USA v. Johnny Reid Edwards contains six counts, including conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements. The indictment was returned in the Middle District of North Carolina Friday.

The criminal charges filed Friday came after a two-year federal investigation into money used to cover up an extramarital affair during the 2008 presidential election.

Edwards, a former U.S. senator from North Carolina, said in a statement through his attorney in 2009 that he was confident no funds from his campaign were used improperly.

So, based on that, can we assume he won't be making a plea deal?

Hardly.

They have the goods on him or they wouldn't be indicting him. I think he will try and cut a deal to keep his silky head out of prison.

[Damn_Lucky]

Couldn't happen to a better A$$hole!
 

[trapeze]

And, of course, the National Enquirer is right there with sauce for the goose:

Desperate to stay out of jail, bad boy politician JOHN EDWARDS begged his mistress and mother of his love child Rielle Hunter to cover up for him, but she flatly refused, sources say.

In a bombshell exclusive hitting newsstands, The ENQUIRER reports a stunning new development in the ongoing Edwards saga, has resulted in Rielle dumping him in his darkest hour.

In a web exclusive preview, we can report that a close source said, “Rielle snapped at him, ‘I can’t help you! My only concern is raising our daughter.’

LINK

[LadyVirginia]

The ENQUIRER reports a stunning new development in the ongoing Edwards saga, has resulted in Rielle dumping him in his darkest hour.

Love it when karma bites some well deserving azz

[Libertas]

[RickZ]

I used to think the 'D' stood for the Dhimmi Party or the Dumbass Party.  But I'm now convinced that the 'D' stands for the Dick Party, both literal and philosophical; actual gender has nothing to do with being a member of the Dick Party.  So that includes dicks like Madame Pelousy, that gerbil, Maxine Waters and the shrilly inane Debbie Wasserman-Test.  That some Dick Party members of Congress are so deeply enamored of their packages that they cannot keep them contained is just a double convergence of stupid.

[trapeze]

I remember how during the lead up to the 2010 election some brainiac at the DNC came out with the new symbol for the Democrat party: The D with the circle around it.

And how it was easily compared to a toilet bowl.

[Pandora]

Wait until you hear Edwards' defense; it's a doozy.  Something along the lines of if the truth about his double-life got out, it would have killed his campaign, so in that vein, the money was spent on a campaign item.

Where he actually failed was in not disclosing receipt of the money and on what it was spent; radio pundits today speculated that had he done that, claiming it as a gift, he'd be in the clear.  I dunno.

What I haven't been able to figure out is why Edwards?  The Dems don't usually do this to their own, especially when sex is involved -- and let's face it, Edwards is now a nothing-burger -- so whose political/promotional nest is being feathered here?

[BigAlSouth]

.
What I haven't been able to figure out is why Edwards?  The Dems don't usually do this to their own, especially when sex is involved -- and let's face it, Edwards is now a nothing-burger -- so whose political/promotional nest is being feathered here?

I don't want to quote anything since I verified my info from the Ass Press.

Holding, the U.S. Attorney who investigated Mike Easley (D Gov.; guilty plea to felony charge) is prosecuting Silk Pony (Johnny R. Edwards) was a Republican Appointee.

Mo later, gotta run to ball practice with the 15 yr. old.

[trapeze]

What I haven't been able to figure out is why Edwards?  The Dems don't usually do this to their own, especially when sex is involved -- and let's face it, Edwards is now a nothing-burger -- so whose political/promotional nest is being feathered here?

Even if the prosecutor is a Democrat these guys are politicians at heart. Getting a high profile scalp is what paints you as a law and order guy which is necessary for advancement. What did Giuliani do before he was mayor? Prosecutor.

This case is a no brainer for a prosecutor for either party because politically Edwards is a nothing at this time. Cannon fodder. And he's an obvious stinker to boot. Cheated on his wife while she was dying of cancer. He may as well have been caught slapping babies and kicking puppies. No one likes him. No one (not paid to) will defend him. He's radioactive.

[John Florida]

We really do need a who gives a sh*t thread area.

[Pandora]

What I haven't been able to figure out is why Edwards?  The Dems don't usually do this to their own, especially when sex is involved -- and let's face it, Edwards is now a nothing-burger -- so whose political/promotional nest is being feathered here?

Even if the prosecutor is a Democrat these guys are politicians at heart. Getting a high profile scalp is what paints you as a law and order guy which is necessary for advancement. What did Giuliani do before he was mayor? Prosecutor.

This case is a no brainer for a prosecutor for either party because politically Edwards is a nothing at this time. Cannon fodder. And he's an obvious stinker to boot. Cheated on his wife while she was dying of cancer. He may as well have been caught slapping babies and kicking puppies. No one likes him. No one (not paid to) will defend him. He's radioactive.

Either he's "a nothing at this time" or he's a "high profile scalp".  Can't be both.

I'm buying BAS' 'splanation.

[BigAlSouth]

Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC) came out and said "okay, you got your indictment. It's time to get a Democrat appointed to the U.S. Attorneys Office. Fire Holding." (or sometin like dat.)

Richard Burr (R-NC) said "hey stoopid, just wait a damn minute. Let him finish what he started." Or sometin like dat.

Holding is the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of NC. Johnny Reid got the indictment dropped on him in the middle district. Must be some reason for that. Chapel Hill, the location of the palatial estate of J.R. Edwards, is in the Middle District.

[trapeze]

What I haven't been able to figure out is why Edwards?  The Dems don't usually do this to their own, especially when sex is involved -- and let's face it, Edwards is now a nothing-burger -- so whose political/promotional nest is being feathered here?

Even if the prosecutor is a Democrat these guys are politicians at heart. Getting a high profile scalp is what paints you as a law and order guy which is necessary for advancement. What did Giuliani do before he was mayor? Prosecutor.

This case is a no brainer for a prosecutor for either party because politically Edwards is a nothing at this time. Cannon fodder. And he's an obvious stinker to boot. Cheated on his wife while she was dying of cancer. He may as well have been caught slapping babies and kicking puppies. No one likes him. No one (not paid to) will defend him. He's radioactive.

Either he's "a nothing at this time" or he's a "high profile scalp".  Can't be both.

I'm buying BAS' 'splanation.

But of course he can be both. The fact that he is/was a famous scumbag, former senator, former veep candidate makes him a high profile scalp.

That he has zero future political potential (because he is a proven scumbag) makes him a "nothing" who is unworthy of publicly defending.

Not even all that paradoxical. Live by the photo op, die by the photo op.

[Pandora]

Okay.  Whatever.  Makes no matter to me, really.  Seems like he's small fry these days, so the bother is a "hmmmm?".

[trapeze]

Okay.  Whatever.  Makes no matter to me, really.  Seems like he's small fry these days, so the bother is a "hmmmm?".

He is a small fry. But he's a famous small fry so he will enhance the resume of the prosecutor. And he will, barring a plea (which the prosecutor won't take unless it involves prison time), go to prison. Everybody wins. Except Silky.

[BigAlSouth]

EDWARD'S LAWYERS MUCK UP PLEA DEAL

Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards nearly accepted a plea deal, but negotiations fell apart in the hours before he was indicted in a two-year-long investigation into whether he used campaign contributions to cover up an extramarital affair, WRAL News learned Sunday.
. . .
Sources told WRAL News that the U.S. Department of Justice offered Edwards a deal late last week that would have allowed him to plead guilty to three misdemeanor charges and face up to six months in jail. A judge would have decided whether he would serve jail time. http://www.wral.com/news/local/wral_investigates/story/9686407/

This tells me that Edwards attorneys are incompetent, or just want to milk the Pony's finances for a while. Honestly, three misdemeanor charges? This also tells me that the government is not so confident about its case, or that George Holding, (US Attorney for the Middle Dist.), a Republican nominee got a little pressure from Top AG Holder to "end this thing now."

The WRAL article states why Edward's camp was reluctant to agree to the deal. The prosecutors did not want to allow the attorneys to argue WHERE the sentence would be served. Folks, whether served in a Halfway House or Minimum Security Camp, Edwards could do this standing on his pretty little head. With a misdemeanor conviction, ole Johnny Reid could still sue practicing physicians and channel dead babies before juries . . .

Ka-Ching!

[RickZ]

To go from this, a plea to a single felony count,

The Justice Department had previously offered Edwards a plea deal for one felony count, sources told WRAL News. A judge would have decided on any possible prison time.

A felony conviction would require him to give up his license to practice.

to a plea on 3 misdemeanor charges, to me, shows the wekness of the government's case.  Or, as BAS mentions, the Republican prosecutor could be receiving a little heat from up the chain of command to end this thing.  I tend to not think that as

George Holding, U.S. attorney for the middle district of North Carolina, investigated the case, but it had to be vetted by the Justice Department before charges could be filed.

Then again, Holder's Department of Injustice could be sending a shot across everyone's bow to not tangle with Obama.  That ol' 'The Chicago Way' intimidation coming out in President Urkel loud and clear once more.  People thought Nixon was paranoid because he had an enemies list.  Urkel has an enemies list longer than Santa's encyclopedia of naughty or nice little boys and girls, but he's not paranoid, just pragmatic.

[Libertas]

So there's a chance breck Gril won't get sent to the pen?

 

[BigAlSouth]

So there's a chance breck Gril won't get sent to the pen?

 

If he goes anywhere in a plea deal, it will be "The Little Big House."

Here is the conundrum: If you enter a plea, the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines provide for a "cooperation" discount in the time you get. If you go to trial and lose, you get pounded. That, and the Fed conviction rate is about 98%.