Editing John Edwards (section)

===Legal troubles===
In May 2009, newspapers reported that Edwards's campaign was being investigated for conversion of campaign money to personal use related to the affair. Edwards said that the campaign was complying with the inquiry. The relevant US attorney refused to comment.<ref>{{cite news |last=Baker |first=Mike |date=May 3, 2009 |title=For Edwards, investigation is latest stage of saga |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_re_us/us_edwards_affair |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506225808/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090503/ap_on_re_us/us_edwards_affair |archive-date=May 6, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2011 |newspaper=Yahoo! News |quote=His once-prominent political career is buried and the turmoil of his marriage is playing out in public. |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Locke |first=Mandy |date=May 3, 2009 |title=Mellon gave Edwards a boost |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/1511324.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090505181150/http://www.newsobserver.com/114/story/1511324.html |archive-date=May 5, 2009 |access-date=June 5, 2011 |newspaper=The News & Observer |publisher=The News & Observer Publishing Co. |location=Raleigh, NC |quote=John Edwards marched toward the White House in 2006 seeking an arsenal of millions collected a little at a time.}}</ref> In the same month, [[George Stephanopoulos]] of ABC News reported that members of Edwards's staff had told him that they had planned a "doomsday strategy" to derail Edwards's campaign if he got close to the nomination.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weiner |first=Rachel |date=May 10, 2009 |title=Edwards Staff Had Affair "Doomsday" Strategy (VIDEO) |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/10/edwards-staff-had-affair-_n_201317.html |access-date=May 24, 2010 |work=Huffington Post}}</ref> [[Joe Trippi]], a senior advisor to the campaign, said the report was "complete bullshit".<ref name="cnn trippi">{{cite news |last=Mooney |first=Alexander |date=May 11, 2009 |title=Trippi refutes claim Edwards staffers knew of affair |url=http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/11/trippi-refutes-claim-edwards-staffers-knew-of-affair/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090514040452/http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/05/11/trippi-refutes-claim-edwards-staffers-knew-of-affair/ |archive-date=May 14, 2009 |access-date=May 13, 2009 |work=CNN |series=Political Ticker}}</ref> In August 2009, Rielle Hunter appeared before the [[grand jury]] investigating this matter.<ref>{{cite news |author=Mandy Locke |date=August 6, 2009 |title=Edwards' ex-girlfriend at courthouse |url=http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1636731.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090809092010/http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/1636731.html |archive-date=August 9, 2009 |access-date=August 6, 2009 |publisher=[[Charlotte News & Observer]]}}</ref> On March 15, 2010, Hunter broke her silence during an interview with ''[[GQ]]'' magazine and provided new details about the affair.<ref>{{cite web |last=DePaulo |first=Lisa |date=March 15, 2010 |title=Hello, America, My Name Is Rielle Hunter |url=https://www.gq.com/story/rielle-hunter-john-edwards-exclusive-interview |access-date=2019-11-03 |website=GQ}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Phillips |first=Kate |date=March 15, 2010 |title=Mistress of Edwards Ends Silence on Affair |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/16/us/politics/16edwards.html |access-date=May 6, 2010 |work=The New York Times}}</ref> In March 2011, voicemail messages allegedly left by John Edwards were obtained, which Young says prove that Edwards arranged the cover-up of his affair with Hunter.<ref>{{cite news |last=Daniels |first=Steve |date=March 2, 2011 |title=Voicemails detail Edwards affair |url=https://abc11.com/archive/7990480/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110305022919/http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news%2Fabc11_investigates&id=7990480 |archive-date=March 5, 2011 |access-date=March 3, 2011 |publisher=[[WTVD]]}}</ref>

On May 24, 2011, [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]] and the ''[[The New York Times|New York Times]]'' reported that the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S Department of Justice]]'s [[Public Integrity Section]] had conducted a two-year investigation into whether Edwards had used more than $1 million in political donations to hide his affair and planned to pursue criminal charges for alleged violations of [[campaign finance]] laws.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/us/26edwards.html |title=John Edwards to Face Criminal Charges - NYTimes.com |website=[[The New York Times]] |access-date= 2011-02-13 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120131001831/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/us/26edwards.html |archive-date= January 31, 2012 |df=mdy }} On June 3, 2011, Edwards was indicted and charged with four counts of illegal campaign contributions and one count of false statements.</ref><ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/03/john-edwards-indicted_n_867406.html |work= Huffington Post |first= Elyse |last= Siegel |title= John Edwards Indicted |date= June 3, 2011}}</ref><ref>Hill, James. (May 24, 2011) [https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/john-edwards-prosecuted-alleged-campaign-law-violations-tied/story?id=13680079 John Edwards: US Green-Lights Prosecution for Alleged Campaign Law Violations Tied to Affair Cover-Up ] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160715002641/https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/john-edwards-prosecuted-alleged-campaign-law-violations-tied/story?id=13680079 |date= July 15, 2016 }}. Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved on June 3, 2011.</ref>

On June 3, 2011, Edwards was indicted by a [[federal grand jury]] in North Carolina on six felony charges, including four counts of collecting illegal campaign contributions, one count of conspiracy, and one count of making false statements.<ref>[http://famousdockets.com/Famous_Dockets_Ind_Edwards_John_Court_Doc_Indictment_2011.htm Indictment of Edwards. FamousDockets.com. Retrieved 7/8/2011] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091052/http://famousdockets.com/Famous_Dockets_Ind_Edwards_John_Court_Doc_Indictment_2011.htm |date= March 4, 2016 }}</ref>

After postponing the start of the trial while Edwards was treated for a heart condition in February 2012, Judge [[Catherine Eagles]] of the [[U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina]] scheduled jury selection to begin on April 12, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |last=Biesecker |first=Michael |title=Edwards trial to start in April|url=http://www.news-record.com/content/2012/03/01/article/edwards_trial_to_start_in_april |access-date=June 18, 2012 |newspaper=Greensboro News & Record |date=March 1, 2012 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Edwards's trial began on April 23, 2012, as he faced up to 30 years in prison and a $1.5 million fine.<ref name="Associated Press">{{cite news |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna43260386 |title=Edwards arrives in NC court to face felony charges |date=June 3, 2011 |access-date=June 3, 2011 |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>

In a related development, on March 13, 2012, the [[Federal Election Commission]] ruled that Edwards's campaign must repay $2.1 million in matching federal funds. Edwards's lawyers claimed the money was used, and that the campaign did not receive all the funds to which it was entitled, but the Commission rejected the arguments.<ref name=FECRules>{{cite news |last1=Geiger |first1=Kim |title=FEC: John Edwards must pay back $2.3 million in campaign funds |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-jul-21-la-pn-edwards-fec-20110721-story.html |access-date=11 April 2015 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=21 July 2011}}</ref>

Twelve jurors and four alternates were seated, and opening arguments began April 23, 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20120424/NEWS/304240035/Judge-Edwards-trial-witness-called-others |title=Judge: Edwards trial witness called others |last=Biesecker |first=Michael |work=[[Asheville Citizen-Times]] |agency=Associated Press |date=April 23, 2012 |access-date=April 25, 2012}}</ref> Closing arguments took place May 17, and the case went to the jury the next day.<ref name=Deliberate>{{cite news |last1=Zucchino |first1=David |title=Closing arguments in John Edwards trial |url=https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-xpm-2012-may-18-la-na-john-edwards-20120518-story.html |access-date=11 April 2015 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=18 May 2012 |location=Greensboro, NC}}</ref>

On May 31, 2012, Edwards was found not guilty on Count 3, illegal use of campaign funding (contributions from [[Rachel Lambert Mellon|Rachel "Bunny" Mellon]]), while mistrials were declared on all other counts against him.<ref name=Mistrial>{{cite news |last1=Severson |first1=Kim |last2=Schwartz |first2=John |title= Edwards Not Guilty on One Count; Mistrial on Five Others |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/01/us/edwards-jury-returns-not-guilty-verdict-on-one-count.html |access-date= 11 April 2015 |work= The New York Times |date= 31 May 2012 |location= Greensboro, NC}}</ref> On June 13, 2012, the Justice Department announced that it dropped the charges and would not attempt to retry Edwards.<ref name="WashingtonPost061312" />