Lawyer of the Day: John Edwards?
Actually, no. We're not naming John Edwards -- the prominent plaintiffs' lawyer and former Democratic presidential candidate, and possible Obama running mate -- our Lawyer of the Day. We don't view the reports of his alleged conduct to be sufficiently substantiated just yet.
Right now the story appears only in the National Enquirer:
Vice Presidential candidate Sen. John Edwards was caught visiting his mistress and secret love child at 2:40 this morning in a Los Angeles hotel by the NATIONAL ENQUIRER.The married ex-senator from North Carolina - whose wife Elizabeth continues to battle cancer -- met with his mistress, blonde divorcée Rielle Hunter, at the Beverly Hilton on Monday night, July 21 - and the NATIONAL ENQUIRER was there! He didn't leave until early the next morning.
You can read the full piece, which contains a number of highly specific details that make it seem more credible, over here.
Additional discussion of the article, after the jump.
How accurate is the Enquirer story? We don't know. But we hear through the grapevine that editors in the newsrooms of more mainstream organizations are debating about whether to investigate further.
The Enquirer throws so much stuff against the wall, and every now and then, something sticks. Like Monica Lewinsky's infamously stained blue dress, whose existence the Enquirer reported on months before any other media outlet. So there may be something to this story.
P.S. Is it proper for ATL, a self-styled "legal tabloid," to point out a story from the Enquirer, a fellow tabloid publication? Of course. We learned about it from the Drudge Report -- which had it at the top of the page last night, and still has it on the front page -- meaning that millions of people have already been exposed to the story. As we previously stated, when we wrote about the Troy King rumors:
We pass [these rumors] along merely because everyone is talking about them -- and you want to know what everyone is talking about, even if it turns out to be inaccurate, which is why you read sites like this one.
Feel free to talk about the John Edwards story to your heart's content, in the comments.
Update (8/8/08): John Edwards has admitted to having an affair with Rielle Hunter. See here.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS CAUGHT WITH MISTRESS AND LOVE CHILD! [National Enquirer via Drudge]
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Where is renault?
I am shocked, SHOCKED that a good looking politician is conducting an affair behind the back of his sick and unattractive wife.
i think he was just finishing getting a $500 haircut and on his way to give a speech about poverty and "two Americas" for a $25000 fee....
i think he was just finishing getting a $500 haircut and on his way to give a speech about poverty and "two Americas" for a $25000 fee....
EDWARDS
I'm...at a loss. He was part of that whole...Duke thing,
you know.
KIMBALL
Duke thing?
A pause.
EDWARDS
Yeah...Duke thing.
KIMBALL
What do you mean...Duke thing?
A pause.
EDWARDS
Well, I think for one that he was probably a closet
homosexual. Who did a lot of cocaine...that Duke thing.
John Edwards is cancer. I hope this is true.
Why do I keep reading ATL? Train wreck . . .
The best part, imo, is that Edwards' friend claims the love child is his own. That's a pretty good friend (or now a pretty rich friend).
his wife is going to be dead soon enough couldn't he just jerk off into the toilet till then?
hilarious. from the Enquirer article:
"Senior NATIONAL ENQUIRER Reporter Alexander Hitchen asked Edwards why he was visiting Rielle and whether he was ready to confirm that he was the father of her baby.
Shocked to see a reporter, and without saying anything, Edwards ran up the stairs leading from the hotel basement to the lobby. But, spotting a photographer, he doubled back into the basement. As he emerged from the stairwell, reporter Butterfield questioned him about his hookup with Rielle.
Edwards did not answer and then ran into a nearby restroom. He stayed inside for about 15 minutes, refusing to answer questions from the NATIONAL ENQUIRER about what he was doing in the hotel. A group of hotel security men eventually escorted him from the men's room, while preventing the NATIONAL ENQUIRER reporters from following him out of the hotel."
Who cares? I am sick, tried, and altogether disgusted with the gaffe-happy media that tries to engender scandal.
Does it affect his job? No. Does it say something about his character? Yes: he's presumably horny. That's it. A few months ago, this country lose one of its greatest DAs and politicians when everyone, like lemmings, went along with the allegations about his cheating.
Poor Elizabeth.
Wonkette posted the Troy King story after his office issued an official denial, not after an item appeared in the National Enquirer.
This is just hopeful, partisan bottom-feeding by Lat.
This is garbage. If I wanted to read to this kind of trash, I would read the Nat'l Enquirer or Drudge. Very disappointing and Lat's excuse that other bottom-feeder media outlets are running with a "story" suggests that he is no better.
I wonder if Lat would post about it if a similar "news" source ran with a story asserting that Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is gay--something that there is "talk" of from time to time. I seriously doubt it.
The man's rich, powerful, AND attractive. The best he could do was some tore up old cougar? I expect more from Johnny.
Wait- we're citing the National Enquirer as a newsworthy source? Didn't they report last year that Hillary Clinton was an alien?
Lat, this post is pathetic.
10
are you reallying trying to troll using spitzer? come on get creative.
BS -- An Enquirer reporter witnesses the event, which they claim to have known about ahead of time, and THERE ARE NO PICTURES? No way.
The problem with the Enquirer has been that 1. they pay sources; 2. fail to obtain second sources; 3. rely on dubious sources.
But here they are not relying on sources. They claim that Edwards went into a hotel where a female acquaintance was staying and did not come out until the next morning.
Whether or not Edwards is the father of this woman's kid, it does look like--for whatever reason--he did spend the night at the hotel.
15
that was the world news
National Enquirer broke the Monica story
I didn't think the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce let women as ugly as Mr. Edwards' alleged mistress in the city.
I know the consumption of moonshine is somewhat common in the south, but I don't even think the white lightning could cause me to make sweet sweet love to something like that.
reminds me of the time john mccain left his sick wife for a beer heiress
"A few months ago, this country lose one of its greatest DAs and politicians when everyone, like lemmings, went along with the allegations about his cheating. "
What should have happened? Cheating is a little different from hiring prostitutes.
10: "gaffe-happy media that tries to engender scandal"?
Cheating on your cancer-having wife is not a "gaffe." (Telling an audience we have 57 states is a gaffe.) Cheating on your cancer-having wife is a lot of things. But not a gaffe.
And catching a prominent politician cheating on his cancer-having wife is not "engendering" scandal. It's the cheating by the politician that engenders the scandal.
Are you a lawyer? Words have definitions. And they matter.
If only Troy King got this kind of treatment... ("We don't view the reports of his alleged conduct to be sufficiently substantiated just yet.") Come on Lat, either make ATL a shameless tabloid that drags people through the dirt based on meritless whispers and unsubstantiated reports, or be responsible enough to dismiss such things when they're directed at polarizing politicians. Either is fine, just be consistent.
23: It's engendering scandal where no existed previously.
And, yes, I used gaffe to refer to scandals like Aquagirl, though I admit that it was less relevant in this case. "Gaffe" connotates a socially awkward act.
22: Spitzer should have been prosecuted like anyone else, but, insofar as they were allegations, I couldn't understand why he needed to quit his job. And, yes, Spitzer was a great DA -- any lawyer would tell you that.
This post is pathetic. I don't care who's cheating on who. This is a long, hard summer in the middle of a profound economic crisis; this is the last thing I want to read about.
if the story is true and that picture is the alleged mistress, can someone tell me what the hell is edwards thinking?
i consider myself amoral, but i still couldn't fathom cheating on my dieing wife.
26: She smokes a mean pole.
Lat,
Your bias is showing. Seriously? This is garbage.
It's bad enough when you link to Drudge Report and World Net Daily (which prints some seriously racist stuff sometimes) and never Salon (how do you not have a crush on Glenn Greenwald? Former constitutional rights litigator with Latham, splits time btwn New York and Brazil, where his partner lives, and recently debated Cass Sunstein). But this is just gutter trawling.
Why not link to Nat. Enq. when they ran articles about Bush falling off the wagon? Or about his alcoholism-related dementia?
23 - Edwards isn't a politician anymore. He's just a regular old millionaire who may have cheated on his wife. I think all millionaires do. Generally with hotter ho's, though.
11:15 well i guess that works but for his sake i hope is eyes are closed
What a bunch of indignant fools you all are. There is nothing wrong with passing on the rumor on this blog. It's clear that we should hold out for confirmation before believing it. And I see no reason to suspect partisanship. If you don't expect and accept some muckraking, go elsewhere.
Larry Craig.
26
You've never found yourself next to a troll after 20-some beers? Edwards' problem here is that he is forever linked to that troll because of his strong swimmers.
32: I'm sure you're overjoyed to see this rumor make the leap from the National Enquirer/Drudge to other websites.
But you can't ignore the inconsistency between waiting to post a rumor about a Republican (King) until his office has issued an official denial and posting a rumor about a Democrat relying solely on the National Enquirer.
Back when I was active with my Racquet Club, I cheated on my spouse and produced a bastard child, it was no big deal.
Club Stud
35 - no. I'm about as pro-democrat as you can get. I'm just not foolish enough to get up in arms about what and how Lat chooses to post. And yes I can ignore the supposed inconsistency - your two cherry picked instances do not make a pattern.
32
32/37: Riiight. Don't let responding to my comments interfere with the pro-Dem activities you are surely busy with elsewhere.
I guess you failed to notice how Lat himself tried to CYA pre-emptively by claiming this post is equivalent to the King post....
-35
Dear 24:
A girl, as they say, has to have some standards.
edwards is a rich sleezy ambulance chaser - I for one hope the Nat Enq is accurate (it would be a first)! He is a plague on NC, was a do nothing senator.... and I hope his wife leaves him pennyless!
40: Learn how to spell.
If Rielle Hunter spent as much time and money on her hair as John Edwards, she would look a lot better.
This is a piece about a famous lawyer on a legal gossip blog. Uh...why should Lat have not posted this? Sounds like there are some very sore Edwards losers.
you want him to be supporting a far left-wing hack magazine like Salon, 29? Please, Lat already goes to Slate for material, which is pretty left, (though I would say its extremely unreliable due to the fact its editors use wikipedia as source material). Going to Salon for material? Just go to Pravda instead.
And Greenwald? Total ranter. He became a blogger because he couldn't win a case by yelling at people. Smart guy, no ability to convince anyone but people already on his side.
makes perfect sense. the idiot who goes on and on about "two americas" has two families.
There was talk about Edwards being Obama's choice for veep. I wonder if this will have any effect on his chances.
Perhaps Lat is trying to ruin ATl before he leaves it?
- Not surprised if it is true.
- Kind of absurd to link to the National Inquirer. This site is not what it once was. I'll be around more once NY goes to 190 - which won't be for many years.
- If it is true, I don't care, and I would somewhat sympathise for him and his wife.
Since Edwards was in the running, I wonder if someone planted the story with the Enquirer? Perhaps another potential running mate.
But who?
LAT is not leaving ALT. He will be managing it from on high, along with two other blogs (Fashionista, Dealbreaker) and also occasionally doing some writing.
I fail to see what might be wrong with Edwards's alleged conduct.
I mean, his wife's dying of cancer. It's not like she's putting out.
A man's got needs.
I'm sure there will be a post on some supermarket tabloid trash story about McCain or a prominent Republican. Oh wait, there won't. Lat, go to hell.
"Since Edwards was in the running, I wonder if someone planted the story with the Enquirer? Perhaps another potential running mate."
The Enquirer has been has been doggedly pursuing their claim that John Edwards had an affair and subsequent love child with Rielle Hunter since 2007.
The story flared up in October of last year, when the Huffington Post also joined in on the speculation, but has died down since then.
Therefore, no rival for the VP slot leaked the story to the Enquirer.
A rival for the presidency maybe. But the cat was out of the bag long before Obama tied up the nomination.
Lat would lick a pig's arse, if it was a Republican.
Well done Lat (NOT)...amid rumors that Obama might pick John!
53: "Therefore, no rival for the VP slot leaked the story to the Enquirer."
--The story flared up last year when Edwards was in the race for the nomination. It was newsworthy then. It isn't news worthy now unless someone wants to smear Edwards for the VP slot and do it very publicly.
It certainly is possible that a rival VPer would like Edwards out of the running for the nod. This would be the ticket. It's innocuous as far as political insiders go (wow, a politician sleeping around on his wife, ho---hum) but to a VP candidate, who is supposed to add nothing but giggles, kisses, and extra votes, it can be devastating.
I'm not saying it is a hatchet job, but it smells like one.
Damn she is f'n ugly.
This has a Clinton smear written all over it. Watch your back, Johnny boy.
51, that is awesome in a totally horrible way.
This was a Kennedy attack. He wants the VP slot bad, because he'd never get the presidency. And who knows more about infidelity and dying women than the Kennedys?
It is a rag, but didn't the Enquirer break the story of Jesse Jackson's love child? Don't want to stop you Lefties from your ad hominem attacks on the magazine...but given this is John Edwards, I'd stop digging. (http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1626498-2,00.html -- "...Edwards had told Kerry he was going to share a story with him that he'd never told anyone else—that after his son Wade had been killed, he climbed onto the slab at the funeral home, laid there and hugged his body, and promised that he'd do all he could to make life better for people, to live up to Wade's ideals of service. Kerry was stunned, not moved, because, as he told me later, Edwards had recounted the same exact story to him, almost in the exact same words, a year or two before—and with the same preface, that he'd never shared the memory with anyone else...")
Who knows more about trumping up the media to serve his purpose than Al Gore? And inconvenient truths?
This is Al Gore's shot to get into Obama's cabinet, fo' sho'.
It's too bad John's not a necrophiliac. He'll be in great shape soon enough.
Lat.
You "Log Cabin Republicans" sure are a catty bunch of bitches.
Republican hit job? If they think Edwards is the VP in waiting, and Obama is untouchable while in the Mid East, then this would be a good distraction.
25 -- Perhaps many lawyers regard Spitzer as a good DA. But who cares? Most lawyers also regard him as a bad ATTORNEY GENERAL, and a very bad, ineffective GOVERNOR. You lose.
As for all the people worked up that this was posted before Edwards' office issued an official denial -- come on. We all know that he officially denies it. This is a story -- everyone knows who Edwards is. Most people here never heard of Troy King until ATL posted about him.
Sorry, kids, but Drudge drives the new cycle. And if Drudge has it up, then people are talking.
Republican hit job? A Clintonite owns the Enquirer. I hate when liberals get angry, it's so pathetic.
Very reliable.
I don't understand how, if the Enquirer confronted him there, they took NO PICTURES.
If I was Edwards I would exclusively bang hot young college co-eds. No exceptions.
Edwards is barely on the radar screen. He's never been a serious presidential contender. (Sorry, but he hasn't. Look at the numbers). If this is a "hit job," it's from someone with a personal grudge, and most likely a dem.
Citing the National Enquirer as a source, are we? Impressive...
Dear 70:
There is no accounting for personal taste.
Look at Prince Charles and Camilla, for example.
71- There were probably 4 other people on this planet that were more serious candidates for President than John Edwards.
Yeah, completely off the radar.
73
Chuck likes dudes, camilla is the closest he can get with out losing his shot at the throne.
who is the Edwards person? guys in my LL.M class you to have affairs all the time it was no big deal.
Eliot Spitzer was a fucking steamroller.
Let the guy get some without harassing him. At least he's screwing a woman, unlike most Republicans, who are gay and have affairs in men's bathrooms.
How come no picture? I mean, the detail does make it sound true, but didn't any of the "reporters" have a cell phone on hand?
Try to keep up, 79: According to the story, there were "several" (at least two) National Enquirer reporters, a photographer, and a number of amused spectators present. But the fleet-footed Edwards evaded being photographed, even while the National Enquirer posse had him holed up in a men's room where they questioned him for 15 minutes.
There is nothing amiss about the lack of photographs or quotes from anyone other than two National Enquirer reporters. This is a well-sourced story that deserves publication in the mainstream media.
Cell phones have cameras?!
74 -- Learn to understand verb tenses. He *is* not on the radar. Because he's no longer a candidate for anything.
And # 5 in a presidential race is not really competitive. Nor is #3 in a primary. I suppose he was #2 to Kerry in 2004, but it was a pretty distant second. He's gotten a lot of press, but the numbers just haven't been there.
80: "Cell phones have cameras?!"
I don't know how to respond to this. I guess I'll just say, "yes, they do have cameras."
"the fleet-footed Edwards evaded being photographed"
Photographers have routinely taken pictures of, e.g., Michael Johnson in full sprint, and of Prince, Paris, and Blanket, even while the latter wore burkas and were being hustled by security. I find it hard to believe he was just so fuckin' fast they couldn't reach the button in time.
21/11:05-
typical liberal mudslinging.
McCain's wife was disfigured, not sick, when he left her for the younger, politically-connected beer heiress.
82 - Something just went over your head.
84 - Nice try. I am magna cum laude at American University's Washington College of Law.
Thanks, 82
85, i'm trying to decide if you're serious or not. can't tell. what was your course grade in Internet Sarcasm and the Law?
Lat: Even Drudge has taken this story down.
Sounds like Roger Luo's English has improved.
86 - whatever. I have a 3.8 in courses that actually exist. I also have a job at an AmLaw 200 firm that exists, unlike you.
84: Wait, what did I miss?
The _real_ 82
(85 is an imposter 82; I work at an AmLaw 140 firm)
90 - 80 says "But the fleet-footed Edwards evaded being photographed, even while the National Enquirer posse had him holed up in a men's room where they questioned him for 15 minutes." It is practically impossible to question someone for 15 minutes while they are too fleet-footed to have a photo taken of them. This coupled with 80's allegedly not knowing cell phones have cameras suggest that 80 was sarcastic all along.
84
81- Regardless of whether he "is" on the radar screen NOW, its laughable to say he was never a serious presidential contender.
Further, he is at least in the discussion for VP. So both parties could conceivably have a reason to take a shot at him.
As a liberal, I hate to have to acknowledge the stereotype of humorless liberals. But yes, I was being sarcastic....
-80
87: Drudge did not take it down. Just moved it to the right-hand column, below the fold.
Hate the post, LOVE the comment numbering system.
What's the big deal? He's not the first rich lawyer to have affairs. Good for him. Ask a BigLaw senior partner. What good is it to make all this money, if you don't have at least a little fun on the side. Most BigLaw partners, however, usually have hotter and younger mistresses. This actually shows that John isn't as shallow as most BigLaw partners. John's good looking and has several million dollars. He could be with a 25-year-old hottie.
92 -- glad your laughing. But seriously, when did anyone actually think he had a shot at being nominated? I'm not saying there hasn't been a lot of hype. But look at the numbers and the (few) states he won. His delagate count was less than 5. He was less of a contender than Huckabee and Ron Paul.
Realistically, the opposing party has no interest in orchestrating a "hit job" on a potential VP candidate who has shown little ability to attract a significant number of votes. If anything, Republicans likely would be very pleased with an Obama-Edwards ticket. Edwards has a track record of not getting many votes. (And he didn't help Kerry in '04).
84: I see, thanks. 90
4: Excellent movie ref. and dialogue transcript, and quite timely with Bale fresh in the news. Kudos.
I think he had a shot at the veep slot, but not now. Too much of a "distraction".
In addition, if the story is true, he is finished in politics.
An affair is one thing, a child with a lady other than his wife + ongoing affair while wife has cancer = the end.
Can't a guy see his baby-mama without everyone getting their panties in a bunch?
Although, this would help explain why he took his wife to Wendy's for their anniversary. What a guy.
Story update:
http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/07/edwards_denies_affair_kind_of.php
Edwards was asked about the story in Texas today.
"At a press conference, no one seemed anxious to ask about it. So we did.
"At first Edwards seemed to pretend not to know what we were talking about, so we specified that we meant the Enquirer story.
""That's tabloid trash," he said. "They're full of lies. I'm here to talk about helping people.""
89-
your mom must be proud. i know i'm damn happy for you...go on with your bad self.
-86.
97, what?
Edwards had 20-something delegates.
97, what?
Edwards [correction: HAS] 20-something delegates.
I don't see how this is important. Who among us doesn't have at least one mistress these days? It's like having lots of pairs of socks.
nice, 45
Is there really an AmLaw140 or is that a really silly way of saying your firm is ranked roughly 140th?
44,
Why is everything not far right wing (i.e. not in agreement with you) invariably called "far left wing"? Yes, Salon has a progressive editorial stance, but that does not translate as "far left wing". And it has numerous serious authors writing for it, including former Clinton administration officials, writing on topics this blog often covers. I'm sure Greenwald's resume is better than yours.
And Slate? Barely leftist (left-center? centrist?). They do after all print articles like this: http://www.slate.com/id/2195762/. Maybe its editors use Wikipedia as a source (hell if I know), but that still puts it ahead of the Journal's and Times' editorial page, which often write articles source-free (I'm looking at you Bill Kristol). And again, Lat links to WorldNetDaily, which is even crazier.
51, you are a walking definition of a royal ass.
I love how Lat posts excuses as addendums to his posts when the commenters awaken him to how ridiculous the story is. The National Enquirer....I would rather drive a fork into my thigh than be exposed to that trash.
Lat: I understand ATL is a legal tabloid. We do come here for gossip. But what keeps us coming back is that you manage to ferret out the stories that at least have a little truth to them. This story is just trash....But, hey, it generated 112 comments.
52:
Too bad the Enquirer article isn’t about an alleged affair with a female lobbyist 8 years ago or we might have read about it in the NY Times this evening. See, e.g. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
This involves a Democrat, however, so it actually surprises me that LAT has not actually exercised “responsible journalism” and ignored the story like most MSM have.