(we won't bring up his love child controversy)

John Edwards

John Edwards Faces Federal Investigation

By Alec MacGillis

As John Edwards, the former senator, prepared for his second presidential run, he paid for advisers and burnished his image through a bevy of political action committees and nonprofit groups.

Now, those groups are among the potential targets for a federal investigation into Edwards' finances as he continues to face the fallout from his affair with a videographer who documented his travels between the two presidential bids. Since Edwards admitted the affair last year, questions have swirled about the $114,000 that one of his organizations paid to the woman, as well as about money that a wealthy Edwards supporter paid to help move her and her baby from North Carolina to California.

Edwards acknowledged over the weekend that a federal investigation was underway. "I am confident that no funds from my campaign were used improperly," he said. "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. We appreciate the diligence and professionalism of those involved and look forward to a conclusion." A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Raleigh declined to comment on the inquiry.

The investigation only adds to the troubles faced by Edwards, who has all but withdrawn from public since admitting the affair in August, save for showing up to watch University of North Carolina basketball games. His hopes of joining President Obama's Cabinet fell away. His family's considerable wealth is invested mainly with Fortress Investment Group, a hedge fund that has fared particularly poorly this year. His wife Elizabeth, who is battling breast cancer, is publishing a memoir in which she describes the pain caused by the affair and declares the videographer, Rielle Hunter, as "pathetic."

Edwards' political action committee, One America, paid Hunter a total of $114,000 for videos she shot of Edwards in 2006 that sought to show his offbeat side as he traveled the country promoting his anti-poverty plans. The last of those payments, for about $14,000, was made in April 2007 right around the time that Edwards' campaign paid One America, which was nearly out of funds at that point, about $14,000 for what was listed as a furniture expense.

After Edwards admitted the affair, his biggest financial supporter, Texas trial lawyer Fred Baron, told the Dallas Morning News that he had paid Hunter so she could get "out of North Carolina" and "into a stable place" in California, where she and her baby moved into a Santa Barbara home worth $3 million. Baron died two months later.

In addition to One America, Edwards-related organizations that sprung up after the 2004 election included the Center for Promise and Opportunity, through which he paid for his travel and aides' salaries; a related foundation that paid for a college tuition charity in Greene County, N.C., which Edwards touted on the campaign trail but shut down the same month the affair was revealed; an anti-poverty center at the University of North Carolina that is still holding occasional events; and a so-called 527 group that paid for pro-Edwards ads during the 2008 primaries and was fueled by six and seven-figure gifts from the Service Employees International Union and Bunny Mellon, the 98-year-old heiress.

Experts on campaign finance law say investigators are likely looking at whether there were false reports in how funds from Edwards' campaign or one of these groups were spent, whether any money was passed from the recipient to Hunter, and whether any campaign or nonprofit money was spent on providing a personal benefit.

"If there is a contribution going through an intermediary and they did not report the ultimate recipient that is gong to be a big no-no," said Sheila Krumholz, director of the Center for Responsive Politics. "If there is an attempt to cover up the true purpose of an expenditure, that could potentially be a big problem."

Posted at 6:48 PM ET on May 4, 2009

Truth be told, I never ever read any politically-themed books, besides the occasional Chomsky effort. I have to read enough shit that when I do read for pleasure it usually involves some good fiction.

mz. said:

Thanks but no thanks. I'm still working on getting thru An Inconvenient Book.

How is the book? this guy "Beck" has really made a big turn around in his life. back when Florida was contesting the Bush Gore results we would tune into Glenn Beck radio show out of Tampa. he made a lot of since then. This is a man who lost almost everything he has stated that he is an alcoholic and would drink a fifth of jack a day like it was water. He had it all then lost it all. What a success story!

Liddy interviewed Jonah Goldberg's back on june 4th scroll down and listen live

Interview here http://www.liddyshow.com/index.php

@mr.-t said:

May I suggest you go pick up a copy of Jonah Goldberg's new book "Liberal Fascism"

Thanks but no thanks. I'm still working on getting thru An Inconvenient Book.

Distribution of Billionaires by Residence

Diameter of disc reflects size of fortune. The

red disc indicates Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen

mz. said:

Sammy Ofer

Net worth: $6.7 billion

Residence: Tel Aviv, Israel

**** corrected ****

May I suggest you go pick up a copy of Jonah Goldberg's new book "Liberal Fascism"

@mr.-t said:

http://www.walletpop.com/forbes/general/ri...eard-of?photo=2

You are aware Denmark and Israel are separate countries, right? Though Kristiansen does sound like a pretty Jewish surname to me...

Aloysius said:

And to disabuse you of one notion you've shared via PM: no, Israel doesn't "hold all the money" in the world. That's something you must have gotten from Bunker.

Dear *****

Investment banker (Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen) Net worth: $6.5 billion Residence: Tel Aviv, Israel, one of many. this is what I was talking about and looking into. Since you seemed to have all of this great knowledge about Israel I thought I would ask.

http://www.walletpop.com/forbes/general/ri...eard-of?photo=2

I asked Bunker and he mumbled something as to fook somebody and thats all I got.

-Bob

Aloysius said:

And to disabuse you of one notion you've shared via PM: no, Israel doesn't "hold all the money" in the world. That's something you must have gotten from Bunker.

In my eyes, like Alo, creating a Palestinian state will preserve Israel's future, not destroy it.

And T's assertion is indeed iced-tea-on-the-keyboard type of stuff. Every bigot worth his salt knows it's the Hollywood Jews who own all of the money, not the Israeli ones.

@danamal said:

I just spit ice tea on my desk,that's classic!!!!

No offense but I would bet that was Long Island Iced Tea.

@mr.-t said:

Bob, you really don't know what you're talking about. Support for a two state solution isn't some radical position; it's one shared by many American Jews & Israelis who want Israel to remain a Jewish and democratic state.

And to disabuse you of one notion you've shared via PM: no, Israel doesn't "hold all the money" in the world. That's something you must have gotten from Bunker.

Go figure? I like what Inspecta had to say some guys are just like a monkey flinging poo everywhere.

we have a significant portion of our population literally scared shitless that 'Bamy is a secret muslim.

frankly, they're all quite comfortable with discrimination......christian superiority strikes again! lol....

oh you silly godies....

@pumpkin-eater said:

No idea.

It isn't like you have something worthwhile to add.....

WSS

********************************************

These discussions aren't supposed to be boxing matches. Is that why

you get so angry? Because you see anyone who won't agree with your

trivial opinionted pursuits, as an "opponent" ?

That's sad. You should know better.

***********************************************************************

We all post partisan "trash", in the opinion of somebody. But the personal attacks are not

necessary.

You cherry picked a phrase out of a quote, to try to make a point. That isn't the same as

posting entire articles that criticize what you adore.

Again, why do you get so outraged that people don't see eye to eye with you?

Are you that damn short?

Oopsie. I made a personal attack. I'm sorry.

@calfoxwc said:

But the ENTIRE quote is:

"It is bad enough that President Obama uses almost every opportunity he can to set the parameters of a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Now US officials are openly using Israeli anxiety over Iran's fledging nuclear program as a bargaining chip to force Israel's hand on giving up control of the West Bank Palestinian territory."

Obama is pro-Muslim.

Cherry-picking? Look at the partisan trash you decided to post. That isn't cherry-picking???

you're a mod. Could you try to stay on topic for a change?

You know, like you want other's to do with your threads?

the dishonest cherry-picking of part of a quote is very liberalish.

But the ENTIRE quote is:

"It is bad enough that President Obama uses almost every opportunity he can to set the parameters of a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Now US officials are openly using Israeli anxiety over Iran's fledging nuclear program as a bargaining chip to force Israel's hand on giving up control of the West Bank Palestinian territory."

Obama is pro-Muslim. And he gave Israel the cold shoulder, and is dictating ONLY to Israel that they

have to give up the West Bank (as in, stopping settlements in the meantime).

But there isn't any dictating to Iran to shut the freakin up about wiping Israel off the map,

no dictating to Hamas or Hezbollah to stop all terrorist activity.

I see Obama as dangerously anti-Semite, even if only to accrue Arab voters. Well, if Elvis can register and try to vote,

I guess the next election, if Obama allows one, could include voters from other countries.

Kinda like international UN dictums could replace our Constitution.

Oh yeah, Obama pledged to defend the Constitution, not over-ride it. He did say our Constitution was

just negative rights.

He is a radical, pro-Muslim internationalist and socialist. He won't release his real birth certificate, and he reeks

...

Aloysius said:

Your hypothetical is pretty short on details, but I'm pretty confident I know the answer. There's a bipartisan consensus on the issue.

Israel is half a world away. Why should I worry? Unless I feel we are spread to thin allready military speaking.

Plus have we not as a country always sided with Israel?

Al, why are you of all people playing games here? I know you love this topic and hold it close to your heart, but this is ridiculous. Give us some information that will be useful other than affiliating people.

And people wonder why there is such a riff between ideology. All I ask is you give us some reasoning behind your support.

Your hypothetical is pretty short on details, but I'm pretty confident I know the answer. There's a bipartisan consensus on the issue.