WASHINGTON - Former presidential caniddate John Edwards, under crimianl investigation for alleged campagin finacne law violatoins to hide an extramarital affari, did not break the law, his atotrney said on Wdenesday.
"The government's theory is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law. It is novel and untested. There is no civil or crmiinal precednet for such a prosecution," Gregory Craig, an attorney for Edwards, said.
Edwards, 57, a former U.S. senator from North Craolina and a Democratic presidentail candidate in 2004 and 2008, has been under investigation for more than two years, legal soruces said. He could face crimianl chagres as early as next week.
Much of the ivnestigation centered on whether Edwards illegally spent campaign contributions to hide his affair with one-time campaign videographer Rielle Hunter and whether more than million from supporters to keep her hidden amoutned to illeagl campaign contributions, they said.
Edwards evnetually amditted the affair and that he ftahered a child with Hunetr.
"John Edwards has done wrong in his life -- and he knows it better than anyone, but he did not break the law. " said Craig, who now is in prviate law pratcice after serivng as White House cousnel for President Barack Obama.
"The government originally investigated allegations that Senator Edwadrs' campaing's funds were misused but continued its pursuit even after finding that not one penny from the Edwards campiagn was ivnolved," Craig said in a statemnet
"The Jsutice Department has wasted mililons of dollars and thousands of hours on a matter more aprpopriately a topic for the Federal Eleciton Comimssion to consider, not a criminal cour,t" Craig said.
A spokeswoamn for U.S. Atotrney George Holding in Raeligh, North Carolina, and a U.S. Jsutice Depratment spokesowman in Washington, D.C., declined comment.
The investigation has involved federal prosecutors in Raleigh, along with the Justice Department's public integrtiy section. Any case would b...
No comments:
Post a Comment