# John Edwards will likely be indicted today. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 3, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189 "2011-06-03T13:43:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/1 "2011-06-03T13:43:27Z")
At issue, of course, is the fact that he solicited hundreds of thousands of dollars from wealthy donors to provide hush money to Rielle Hunter. The indictment will claim that this constituted an illegal and unreported campaign contribution. Since John Edwards was a much-discussed figure on these boards for several years, I am starting this thread. It is placed here because by now Mr. Edwards has become mundane and pointless. ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/2 "2011-06-03T13:47:33Z")
M&P indeed. What a lying cheating scumbag. I hope he gets what he deserves. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/3 "2011-06-03T13:55:07Z")
Based on what I’ve read, it sounds like there’s a good chance he will plead guilty to a lesser charge and be disbarred. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/4 "2011-06-03T16:40:22Z")
It seems to me that there might be room to argue that the solicitations in question were not “campaign contributions” within the meaning of the law, but this isn’t my area. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/5 "2011-06-03T16:43:29Z")
Yes, that’s what Edwards’ lawyers say. Their argument is that the payments were gifts from friends to help him keep his affair a secret, not campaign spending. Since it was in Edwards’ best interests to keep the affair a secret from voters _and_ his wife, that may be a tricky thing to prove. And since most people think Edwards is a complete bag of shit\*, there’s no way they will want to leave this to a jury. \*He is. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/6 "2011-06-03T16:49:42Z")
I don’t care who he sticks his dick in; it’s a personal matter. I don’t care that he cheated on his wife: he’s just another flawed human. But refusing to face the consequences by breaking the law is a different matter, and I’m glad he’s being taken to task for it. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/7 "2011-06-03T17:50:48Z")
it is my understanding that mr. edwards is trying to keep being a lawyer, and that is why there wasn’t a deal done. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/8 "2011-06-03T18:53:20Z")
My understanding from all that has been written about this is that the money he used to hide his affair was given to him by wealthy donors and earmarked for his own personal use, it was most specifically NOT a campaign contribution. After the $400 haircut controversy at least one of his supporters decided to give large sums of money as a personal gift to John Edwards, simply because she wanted him to have access to plenty of money that was free and clear of public scrutiny. Even though this money was specifically NOT a campaign contribution her motivation was to help him win the presidency. That said, the donor I read about had no idea ( or she claimed ) what he was actually using the money for, and IIRC she was a little old Southern lady and I tend to believe her. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/9 "2011-06-03T19:01:03Z")
Sounds similar to “I didn’t pay that women for sex! It was just a gift, and she just gave me sex because she likes me.” Judges, attorneys and politicians don’t fall for such lame arguments, why do they expect the rest of too? ---
**Author:** ![Al\_Bundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@Al\_Bundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al_Bundy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/10 "2011-06-03T20:24:58Z")
He’s been charged with 6-7 counts today. I like his defense that the funds were separate and not campaign funds. However, I bet he paid some of the money out of campaign funds. Even if the money was donated for the concealment, it may have been commingled with campaign funds. That little detail will do him in. There is still plenty of time for a plea. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/11 "2011-06-03T21:26:01Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > My understanding from all that has been written about this is that the money he used to hide his affair was given to him by wealthy donors and earmarked for his own personal use, it was most specifically NOT a campaign contribution. Dammit, how come rich people never give me money earmarked for my own personal use? I need it more than he does, and I’m not half so slimy! ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/12 "2011-06-04T00:09:53Z")
If he does lose his license to practise law, how long before he can apply to get it back? What if he moved to another state? ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2011, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/john-edwards-will-likely-be-indicted-today/584189/13 "2011-06-04T01:26:01Z")
I don’t think this is necessary. It’s ridiculous to think that candidates can’t be recipients of cash for personal use.