jerthunter
Active Member
Just curious if anyone is following this? I wonder what would have happened if he had ended up president. Whatever goes down in this case, it sure doesn't make the world of campaign finance look very good.
John Edwards trial
- Thread starter jerthunter
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snakeblitz33
Well-Known Member
Isn't he the psychic dude that talks to dead people on that TV show a couple years ago? LOL
jerthunter
Active Member
Same name, different dude, both are just as evil in my opinion for taking advantage of people by lying.
mantisman51
Active Member
It is political theater by his political opponents. I think he is a slime ball and a bottom feeder, but when even Fox News analysts state that it is stretch for a prosecutor to allege a crime in this shows that someone is out for a political hit. Since he sued so many good doctors out of the ObGyn practice based on junk science at its worst, I don't feel sorry for him and don't care if he goes to jail. But, there are no laws saying he can't pay a mistress to keep her yap shut-even with campaign funds. This is a case of prosecutorial/judicial activism. If a prosecutor thinks something should be illegal they should go to the legislature, not come up with a legal slight of hand to prosecute.
mantisman51
Active Member
Sure it is, but it is not illegal anywhere in the criminal code of a state or the Federal government. I am angry when liberals, especially environmentalists, pull a law out of their apple holes and turn it into quasi-law by precedent rather than through the Constitutional way through the legislative process - roadless areas in wilderness is a perfect example. Just because it seems like it should be illegal, doesn't make it illegal. And the prosecutor and judge in this case have stretched the law to its breaking point to try to prove there was even a crime, much less that Edwards committed it if there was.
reefraff
Active Member
If they can show he used funds donated FOR his political campaign it is illegal. I believe those who paid the money are not cooperating so it's going to be about impossible to prove B U T. Edwards is about the only thing with a lower popularity rating than the government so who knows, the jury might convict him for being such a douche.
mantisman51
Active Member
Here's the rub Reef, only if it is extortion or bribery. He can pay a "staffer" for anything if it is not to cover up criminal activity. What he did is immoral, not illegal so hush money in this case is not illegal. That is a problem with campaign finance laws that needs addressed legislatively, not by a political prosecution.
jerthunter
Active Member
Personally I hope he goes to jail. I can't stand the guy and I like when bad things happen to bad people.
Legally, from what I can tell, the issue is entirely motive... If he paid off his mistress and his aide to keep his affair from him wife, then it wouldn't be illegal. But if he collected and used the money to pay off his mistress and aide because he thought it would help him win the election then the money would fall under the rules for campaign contributions, and the amount of money donated by two individuals exceeded the individual limits. And then from there, if he is found guilty of that, they can say he lied to federal investigators and impeded an investigation.
Of course it will be hard to establish motive, although I am sure they will show that he wasn't just hiding it from his wife because she already knew, and his staffers are turning on him and saying he did it to try to win an election,
Legally, from what I can tell, the issue is entirely motive... If he paid off his mistress and his aide to keep his affair from him wife, then it wouldn't be illegal. But if he collected and used the money to pay off his mistress and aide because he thought it would help him win the election then the money would fall under the rules for campaign contributions, and the amount of money donated by two individuals exceeded the individual limits. And then from there, if he is found guilty of that, they can say he lied to federal investigators and impeded an investigation.
Of course it will be hard to establish motive, although I am sure they will show that he wasn't just hiding it from his wife because she already knew, and his staffers are turning on him and saying he did it to try to win an election,
jerthunter
Active Member
Of course the irony is this came under the current rules, he would have just needed to have someone setup a super political action committee and they could have handled it all for him and be totally legal.
reefraff
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mantisman51 http:///t/391439/john-edwards-trial#post_3471463
Here's the rub Reef, only if it is extortion or bribery. He can pay a "staffer" for anything if it is not to cover up criminal activity. What he did is immoral, not illegal so hush money in this case is not illegal. That is a problem with campaign finance laws that needs addressed legislatively, not by a political prosecution.
Edwards, among other things is charged with accepting illegal contributions. If the person who gave the money did it with the intent of furthering Edwards political campaign he broke the law by allowing the money to be paid.
Originally Posted by mantisman51 http:///t/391439/john-edwards-trial#post_3471463
Here's the rub Reef, only if it is extortion or bribery. He can pay a "staffer" for anything if it is not to cover up criminal activity. What he did is immoral, not illegal so hush money in this case is not illegal. That is a problem with campaign finance laws that needs addressed legislatively, not by a political prosecution.
Edwards, among other things is charged with accepting illegal contributions. If the person who gave the money did it with the intent of furthering Edwards political campaign he broke the law by allowing the money to be paid.
reefraff
Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jerthunter http:///t/391439/john-edwards-trial#post_3471471
Of course the irony is this came under the current rules, he would have just needed to have someone setup a super political action committee and they could have handled it all for him and be totally legal.
Yeah but just like has always been the case coordinating with a PAC is illegal as well.
Originally Posted by Jerthunter http:///t/391439/john-edwards-trial#post_3471471
Of course the irony is this came under the current rules, he would have just needed to have someone setup a super political action committee and they could have handled it all for him and be totally legal.
Yeah but just like has always been the case coordinating with a PAC is illegal as well.