John Edwards Goes Federal

Breck-boy, former Senator and Democrat Presidential candidate John Edwards was knocked out of his political ambitions by some secret hanky-panky with a “campaign documentary” producer. Johnny went to some lengths to conceal his cheating, and possible love-child, but the dogged National Enquirer kept on his tail, eventually busting him and his mistress Rielle Hunter. Unfortunately for Edwards, (not a poor man by any test), the hairspray must have short-circuited his judgment. It seems his campaign may have footed hush-payments to Ms. Hunter during the tryst. If it did, it violated federal campaign finance laws.

The Enquirer has painted a big old target on John, and last week reported he was under grand jury investigation for possible misuse of his presidential campaign funds. (Keeping a mistress is not an acceptable use of campaign money.) This time, the AP actually looked into the story instead of ignoring it, like last time. And what do you know: It turns out the Enquirer was right. Again.

Reporteth the AP:

Failed presidential candidate John Edwards, whose political action committee paid more than $100,000 to his mistress’ company, acknowledged Sunday that federal investigators were looking into how he handled his campaign funds…

“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…”

His political action committee paid Hunter’s firm $100,000 for video production in a four-month span in 2006, and then paid an additional $14,086.50 on April 1, 2007. At the time, the PAC only had $7,932.95 in cash on hand, according to records filed with the Federal Election Commission.

That same day, according to the records, Edwards’ presidential campaign paid the PAC $14,034.61 for what is listed as a “furniture purchase.”

Furniture, huh? What category of “furniture” would a mistress fall under? Exercise equipment?! The possible consequences for Edwards include a 5-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. Brainiac.

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