Look up ‘toast’ and see John Edwards
Eliot Spitzer is attempting to worm his way back into a public life of sorts, and by some measures he may even be succeeding. But this guy — I don’t think so. Too many betrayals, at too many levels, and too many that are basically unforgivable. For his political career, a federal conviction would be the last nail in an already well-nailed coffin.
So to speak.
RALEIGH, N.C. — His once-prominent political career is buried and the turmoil of his marriage is playing out in public. Now, John Edwards is facing a federal inquiry.
The two-time Democratic presidential candidate acknowledged Sunday that investigators are assessing how he spent his campaign funds — a subject that could carry his extramarital affair from the tabloids to the courtroom. Edwards’ political action committee paid more than $100,000 for video production to the firm of the woman with whom Edwards had an affair.
The former North Carolina senator said in a carefully worded statement that he is cooperating.
“I am confident that no funds from my campaign were used improperly,” Edwards said in the statement. “However, I know that it is the role of government to ensure that this is true. We have made available to the United States both the people and the information necessary to help them get the issue resolved efficiently and in a timely matter.”
While Edwards focused his comment on campaign funds, he also had a range of other fundraising organizations — including two nonprofits and a poverty center at his alma mater — that have come under scrutiny.
Chief among them was the PAC that paid Rielle Hunter’s company for several months in 2006 for Web videos that documented Edwards’ travels and advocacy in the months leading up to his 2008 presidential campaign. The committee also paid her firm an additional $14,086.50 on April 1, 2007.
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65 comments Add your comment
NRB
May 4th, 2009
10:32 am
Edwards is a typical DemocRAT worm. The only difference is he got busted.
ByteMe
May 4th, 2009
10:33 am
$14,086.50 seems an unlikely number for a sexual payoff.
Even without a conviction, he’s burnt toast. Of course, we haven’t seen much of him anyway, since the affair details came out, so there’s not much wormin’ goin’ on.
Mrs. Godzilla
May 4th, 2009
10:36 am
John Edwards is a major disappointment.
He went from populist to extra-martital copulist.
EPIC FAIL
Kamchak
May 4th, 2009
10:42 am
Well at least he didn’t serve his wife with divorce papers while she was in the hospital.
I Report :-)/ You Whine :-(
May 4th, 2009
10:45 am
He was toast before he ever ran for president. An ambulance chaser that channels babies in their mother’s womb?
georgian by birth floridian because I'm lucky
May 4th, 2009
10:45 am
yeah Kamchak because he wasn’t even honest enough to tell her he was cheating at all.
Why serve divorce papers when she doesn’t know right.
AmVet
May 4th, 2009
10:51 am
Edwards had some damn good ideas.
But his fatal flaw was authorizing George of the Bungle the power to do you know what in you know where.
Anyone who could be bullied into voting for that clusterf&ck by the screaming BushCo thugs and biggest tin-hat morons to ever sit in the White House does not have what it takes to lead this nation going forward. Or to solve the innumerable problems the neo-con fools left behind…
getalife
May 4th, 2009
10:52 am
“PornStarStormywill be dancing every night this week at the Gold Club in Baton Rouge and conducting the listening tour for the Senate race during the day.”
Well, Vitter is still in the Senate.
Copyleft
May 4th, 2009
10:57 am
It’s a shame… Edwards had by far the best message and plan for America, particularly in the area of economic populism.
Of course, if he’d been a Republican is wife-cheating would’ve gone unnoticed. Heck, it’s an entry requirement for the upper levels of party leadership!
And if he actually got convicted? Well, in Republican-land, that would just land him a talk-radio show.
booger
May 4th, 2009
10:57 am
Who cares about Edwards?
Ray
May 4th, 2009
10:59 am
It appears that there is a God. Admittedly, Elizabeth is a bit frumpy but with a breast tumor that incurable, she represents sainthood compared to her sleazeball husband. Gingrich knows a little about this scenario, too. Edwards siphoned off millions from chasing doctors. Elizabeth said that she did vomit after hearing the news about her husband. Describes it pretty well. Only DNA testing will prove whether or not the baby is his. The mother has refused.
The feds have evidence that he paid this lady over 100K/yr for video shoots of his campaign…. he may have been bedding her down, but that is not against the law. He is allowed to do this and it will be difficult to prove impropriety from this alone. The additional 14K+ paid to her for “furniture” is in doubt. The feds must have more than these two things to hang a conviction on him. Although I would like to see him hanging by the thumbs, this may never happen with this evidence alone. I am surprised that the Annointed One would let this happen, but don’t expect the major networks, besides Fox New, to give it much play. It will probably make page 5 in the NYT.
Shawny
May 4th, 2009
11:00 am
Edwards is toast, and rightfully so. After being caught in lies, he told even more to cover the original lies. Hasta la vista, baby.
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:01 am
Well, there is one encouraging sign here. It seems that EVEN DEMOCRATS have FAMILY VALUES, something about which they constantly deride conservatives. Faulty atandards, they complain.
But along come Spitzer and Edwards, talking nice about their wives while playing loose and lively with other women. Even Democrats felt that was below their “loose and lively” standards.
There is still a bit of conservative values left among Democrats. Well, a bit about family values. I am not yet sure about the rest. They are also learning that they should pay their taxes. Who knows? Democrats may learn to be independent and take care of themselves.
Ah, baby steps forward. There is a bit of hope as shown here. You can do it, Dems!!
Kamchak
May 4th, 2009
11:04 am
georgian by birth…
The point is he didn’t divorce her when she needed him–unlike another southern politician who not only served his wife with papers while she was undergoing treatment but married his mistress– whom he later divorced because he had a younger mistress. This southern politician is now making a come-back–with aspirations of residing in the White House. Is his political career considered toast?
Ray
May 4th, 2009
11:08 am
Neglected to mention another crook who was paying his mistress, the mother of his child, 125K/yr, for working for the Rainbow Push Coalition when she lived in California and did absolutely nothing for her monthly salary. No federal investigation, no oversight for a tax free organization…. nothing. There is a God, Je$$ie, and your time will come.
Taxpayer
May 4th, 2009
11:13 am
Well, of course there is no oversight for a tax free organization. The GOP is the party of We don’t need no steenking regulations or oversight. Not to worry. Obama will fix that problem too. There are just so many to work on and everyone wants them all fixed at once.
Copyleft
May 4th, 2009
11:13 am
You’re mistaken as usual, Dusty. Putting family first has never been a “conservative” value–it’s been a HUMAN value, and liberals have always shared it with all other humans on the planet.
The Republicans simply tried to declare it their exclusively property–which blew up in their faces when names like Gingrich, Haggard, Foley, Vitter, O’Reilly, Craig, etc., made the news.
The right likes to TALK about values while not actually having any. The left just lives them.
Northern Songs Ltd
May 4th, 2009
11:19 am
Can I get my campaign contribution back? What a weasel.
Joe Matarotz
May 4th, 2009
11:21 am
Edwards is just another lowlife dirtbag.
Mrs. Godzilla
May 4th, 2009
11:21 am
GOP family values?
Make it a single mom, or a same sex couple and the “family values” go right out the window!
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:22 am
Hey, Mz Godzie,
“He went from populist to extra-marital copulist!” Good one!
For a second, I thought you were talking about BILL CLINTON. But no, it was Edwards.
Hillary knew how to handle it. Our Sec. of State is a DIPLOMAT. She said it was all a “great conspiracy”. Maybe Mrs. Edwards and Mrs. Spitzer can use that line. Hillary could say it with a straight face.
BDAtlanta
May 4th, 2009
11:23 am
Spot on, CopyLeft, spot on.
Anyone or any group that claims the moral high-ground is usually a strong “reach” of imagination and many times just a cover for the lowest of the low.
How many times do they fall? How many plays or movies or books do they have to make or write about the subject before people recognize a snake-oil salesmen when they cross paths with them?
AmVet
May 4th, 2009
11:23 am
Republican FAMILY VALUES???
Now that’s the best joke of the day! Actually the decade!
Copyleft names a few, but there are literally DOZENS more high-profile liars and frauds in the “conservative” rogues gallery of very, very, very naughty boys.
Which begs the question, what rock have some of the faithful been living under?
Never in the history of this nation have we seen more corrupt, unethical, immoral and debauched “conservatives” who told us all repeatedly what great FAMILY VALUES they had!!!
All the while they trying to dip their oars into teenage boys or strangers at airport restrooms.
And even those “conservatives” who weren’t engaging in such repulsive behavior, barely blinked an eye. Much less took any real action to rid their Big Perverted Tent of such depravity.
The sexually frustrated prudes gnash their teeth over “liberalism” and the fallout from the 1960’s. But deep down inside where nobody sees, they are some of the biggest cross-dressers and conflicted sexual deviates around.
And the word is out, which is why most see through their “taking the high moral ground” bullsheet.
And just one of many reasons they are now the Party without Credibility…
Northern Songs Ltd
May 4th, 2009
11:24 am
I apologize to all weasels.
cubalibre
May 4th, 2009
11:28 am
Kamchak @ 11:04 AM, you make a good point– but it still doesn’t excuse Edwards for conducting himself in such a shamefully sleazy manner. His wife and family didn’t deserve that, and neither did Gingrich’s (or anyone else who’s had to deal with a spouse’s infidelity). I hate to see anyone sink to that level, because it means that there’s a spouse on the other end who’s going to end up having to deal with the fallout, through no fault of his/her own.
BDAtlanta
May 4th, 2009
11:32 am
If we could get prostitution legalized there’d be a lot less of this crap going on. Fewer rapes too, I bet.
getalife
May 4th, 2009
11:37 am
At least, he was caught with a woman.
When you go after the ones who control our government, corporate, be prepared for them to come after you.
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:38 am
Copyleft,
I bet you supported Bill Clinton through a haze of exploited women. Don’t give me that “old holier than thou” attitude for liberals.
Republicans don’t say they are perfect but they do have standards. That is not notable among Democrats. In fact that seems to be a big bone of contention between Democrats and Republicans.
Republicans have “moral and legal standards” we AIM for. The standards for Democrats seem to get lower every day as they excuse amoral and unlawful exercises to get more votes.
Please don’t say that I think Republicans are perfect. They are not. But they do seem to AIM higher than Democrats.
ty webb
May 4th, 2009
11:39 am
Can’t we all just agree that Edwards is a slimeball. Unfortunately for those who want to argue otherwise, this has nothing to do with political party. For every Newt, Craig, and Vitter, there’s a JFK, Frank, and Clinton.
ty webb
May 4th, 2009
11:42 am
BDatlanta,
I agree with your 11:32.
Ray
May 4th, 2009
11:45 am
Edwards is no different than all of the other sleazy politicians in the House and Senate. On one side we have Edwards, Je$$ie, Clinton and Cold Cash Jefferson….. on the other side we have Gingrich, Foley, Craig and company. What’s the difference. None of this group had any “values”, at least not any that mattered. Politicians are inherently crooked, not accountable, untruthful and always looking out for themselves. We ought to clean house and limit their terms. They are not servants of the people….. far from it.
Kamchak
May 4th, 2009
11:45 am
cubalibre
Any politician engaging in extra-marital activities deserve whatever career ending fallout that heads their way. The focus on this thread is that Edwards is considered “toast”. Newt, however, is maneuvering his way back into the national arena with little scrutiny. I haven’t heard any reports on Edwards future plans, yet he is being dismissed like so much day old garbage.
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:47 am
BDATL 11:32
You personify the “standards” of Democrats.
If you don’t have laws against anything there would be no crime. No moral denigration. No jailed druggies. No illegal non-citizens. No crimes against women. No need for jails and their expense. Just one big free and happy world of wonder.
Thanks for your input to enlighten us.
cubalibre
May 4th, 2009
11:49 am
BD Atlanta, I disagree with your 11:32 comment for two reasons: first, because even though if prostitution were legal, patronizing one when you’re married is still infidelity; and second, rape very seldom has anything to do with sexual lust– rather, it’s the anger and need for control that most often drive those crimes. It’s like saying that if priests were allowed to marry, it would prevent altar boys from being molested– being required to practice celibacy doesn’t cause pedophilia.
itpdude
May 4th, 2009
11:52 am
I favored Edwards for the Dem Nom in 07 and was surprised at his fall. Seeing now that he would have been simply caught up in the affair allegations had he won the Dem nom makes me question the man’s intelligence. McCain would have whistled into the White House for lack of competition.
And now this; Edwards under Fed Investigation. Well, until the facts are in I guess we can’t judge. But this guy was willing to risk giving the USA an uncompetitive Pres Race by doing some pretty smarmy things. . . . if he’s found guilty, I would not be surprised. What a disappointment.
cubalibre
May 4th, 2009
11:53 am
Kamchak, fair enough– that’s why I acknowledged that you had a point earlier. I still don’t think anyone should get a pass for that behavior, regardless of who on “the other side” has done it. In a way, Edwards’ behavior is even more disappointing to me, because while I expect hypocrisy and slime from Gingrich, et al, I thought Edwards was truly a decent guy.
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:56 am
Poor Kamchak..
Gingrich is using freedom of speech to raise his respectability. He does have a few ideas from history that make sense. Liberal news sources like to quote him.
He does not have good ideas about marriage and nobody said he does.
I have not heard anyone say that Gingrich is a Republican leader. He had his “day in the sun” but it is gone.
Only Democrats suggest Gingrich as a “leader” when they want to make their own “black sheep” look a little better. But that ploy does not work.
Fly-On-The-Wall
May 4th, 2009
12:04 pm
Edwards is truly a disappointment. He had good ideas and was willing to fight for the common man. Now any of those ideas will be tossed aside regardless of merit because of the source.
TnGelding
May 4th, 2009
12:07 pm
Innocent until proven guilty.
He talked the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk. Let’s hope he and his wife can reconcile and live a fairly happy life together. I’m sure they can contribute in a posiitive way in other venues.
Kamchak
May 4th, 2009
12:07 pm
Poor Dusty
This thread is about Edwards’ political career which is now considered “toast” because of an extra-marital affair–and yes, it should be. Newt, however is making the weekly rounds on Fox, ABC, and C-SPAN. If you think he is doing this just to talk about history, naive doesn’t even come close to describing you.
TnGelding
May 4th, 2009
12:09 pm
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
11:56 am
Is Newt trying to regain that day in the sun? I agree with you, but we’ll see.
Ray
May 4th, 2009
12:10 pm
What is so surprising here? From 30-60% of adults, male and female, in a married relationship will submit to infidelity in their lifetime. With a divorce rate at nearly 50%, it is apparent that fully half of married couples are not in a good relationship. And these statistics are on the conservative side. We expect our elected politicos to be on the straight and narrow all of the time but if 60% of married adults are unfaithful, then some on this blog who are pointing fingers and speaking the loudest are probably in bed with their neighbor or wish they were. Wonder how much of this is going on in Washington, DC that we don’t even know about?
George American
May 4th, 2009
12:16 pm
What’s the matter with you horny democrats – e.g. Clinton, Spitzer, Edwards?
The only time you get a GOP sex scandal is when it’s something gay. What gives?
N.J,
May 4th, 2009
12:16 pm
Well, typical of all southern states, rated of divorce, abortion, infidelity, etc are much higher here than in the big cities up north. A lot more porn and such in southern states as well:
Kentucky, Mississippi and Arkansas, for example, voted overwhelmingly for constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage. But they had three of the highest divorce rates in 2003, based on figures from the Census Bureau and the National Center for Health Statistics.
The lowest divorce rates are largely in the blue states: the Northeast and the upper Midwest. And the state with the lowest divorce rate was Massachusetts, home to John Kerry, the Kennedys and same-sex marriage.
In 2003, the rate in Massachusetts was 5.7 divorces per 1,000 married people, compared with 10.8 in Kentucky, 11.1 in Mississippi and 12.7 in Arkansas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/14/weekinreview/14pamb.html
Of course, right wing web sites came up with their own statistics, however the methods they used were rather questionable, and not up to the same standards used by the census. They claimed that it should be measures against total population rather than the subset of the percent of married people who get divorced, but the problem is, single people never get divorced while they are single.
The same things apply to things like abortion, teen pregnancy, etc. The Red state models for various aspects of social life tend to enhance, rather than limit the above two items.
jon
May 4th, 2009
12:16 pm
Amvet: “Anyone who could be bullied into voting for that clusterf&ck by the screaming BushCo thugs and biggest tin-hat morons to ever sit in the White House does not have what it takes to lead this nation going forward.”
Check the list Amvet. Includes the current SofS and VP.
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Biden (D-DE), Yea
Breaux (D-LA), Yea
Cantwell (D-WA), Yea
Carnahan (D-MO), Yea
Carper (D-DE), Yea
Cleland (D-GA), Yea
Clinton (D-NY), Yea
Corzine (D-NJ), Nay
Daschle (D-SD), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Yea
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Edwards (D-NC), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Yea
Hollings (D-SC), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Kerry (D-MA), Yea
Kohl (D-WI), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lieberman (D-CT), Yea
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Miller (D-GA), Yea
Nelson (D-FL), Yea
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Yea
Schumer (D-NY), Yea
Torricelli (D-NJ), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Nay
Ray
May 4th, 2009
12:19 pm
jon,
Touche’.
maxwell
May 4th, 2009
12:20 pm
Dusty…Since you seem to have your head in the sand or are just plain ignorant of the facts…Newt Gingrich is a potential candidate for president of the U.S. This is not something that the democrats have put forward….Gingrich has even stated such on every talking head show that he appears on which also debunks your “He had his “day in the sun” but it is gone.” Hardly!
A readers guide to republican infidelity, and hypocrisy.
http://www.tinhouse.com/books/catalog_ydkm_ex.htm
sd
May 4th, 2009
12:29 pm
I think most people are complicated. Sinners and saints so to write.
A guy could dedicate his whole life to the welfare of others. He could give and give, but if he is caught in one mistake, its all he’s ever remembered for. Its a tough world we live in where our mistakes amplify and our virtues mute.
TnGelding
May 4th, 2009
12:29 pm
How many more have to die in the greatest country in history?
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/US_Florida_Slayings.html?cxntlid=homepage_tab_newstab&imw=Y
Dusty
May 4th, 2009
12:30 pm
Dear Ray,
I am sorry but I do not think the majority of married people are cheating on their spouse. We are not as movies and TV depict us.
I think the “living togethers” do not fall into the married category. They represent the failures of our society who cannot make a commitment. That brings the question: Is it better to make a commitment and fail or never commit and therefore never fail?
Whatever!! I believe we do expect more in our leaders. We would really like high moral and ethical standards and we are disappointed when we don’t get them.
I don’t believe the elected leaders of our country are sinking low in the morals of marriage. Some maybe but not many. Our Democratic President expresses and demonstrates his belief in “family values”. (Michelle would “kill” him otherwise! Just joking here!) Obama does seem like a family values man.
I hope this good influence on marriage will extend throughout the nation.