John Edwards trial: Mistress told aide she and Edwards were ‘madly in love’
John Edwards leaves the Federal courthouse with his daughter Cate Edwards Upham after Edwards’ first day of trial on April 23, 2012 in Greensboro, North Carolina. The once Democratic presidential candidate, Edwards plead not guilty to six counts of campaign finance violations. If sentenced he could face a maximum of 30 years in jail and $1.5 million in fines.
As the campaign finance corruption trial against former Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards continued on Thursday, a former aide said Edwards' mistress told him that she and Edwards were "madly in love," according to ABC News.
According to John Davis, who served as Edwards' "body man" during his campaign in 2006 and 2007, Rielle Hunter knocked on Davis' door on Feb 5. 2007 and made her declaration. Two days later, Davis said, Edwards took him aside and said Hunter was "crazy" and denied having an affair.
Davis said he was surprised to run into Hunter since she had already been dismissed after a suspicious Elizabeth Edwards insisted on it. He said, "I would have preferred not to have seen her… I was concerned why she was there… I was suspicious they had maintained a relationship," according to ABC News.
Davis said, "Rielle is a very unique personality… Everyone else on the team had a political background. Rielle didn't have that sort of resume. … She talked a lot about meditation and yogis," according to the Associated Press.
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Davis said that in September 2007, he overheard Edwards and Hunter (on speakerphone) talking. He said, "I heard him ask Rielle if she was showing yet," according to the AP.
The trial hinges on whether Edwards accepted money from wealthy donors in order to keep his affair with Hunter a secret, while running for president. Edwards' defense attorneys have argued that he did not know about the money. If convicted, he faces a maximum 30-year prison sentence and $1.5 million in fines, according to the AP.
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The testimony on Wednesday was especially dramatic and Edwards' daughter Cate left the courtroom in tears while the court heard of Elizabeth Edwards emotional upheaval over the affair.
Christina Reynolds, a former communications adviser and friend of Edwards' wife, testified on Wednesday about a fight the two had in an airport car park. Edwards' wife, a breast cancer patient, allegedly tore open her blouse and her bra, and said to Edwards, "You don't see me anymore," according to CNN.
Edwards reportedly covered his face with his hands during this portion of the testimony and then looked at his daughter and said, "I don't know what's coming … do you want to leave?" Cate Edwards left the courtroom, reportedly wiping her eyes, but returned after recess, according to CNN.
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