John Edwards
By stealthy
@stealthy (8181)
United States
May 14, 2012 10:43am CST
Let's say he is found not guilty because as his defense is saying the money was a gift to him and not to his campaign. So then shouldn't the IRS be after him for not paying gift tax on the money? The limit is $12,000 per year for gifts to be tax free. The amount to him is over a $ million. It is highly unlikely he paid taxes on it or his defense would be using it as proof it was to him and not to his campaign. Just because Sec. of the Treasury Geithner got away with not paying taxes doesn't mean Edwards should if he is found guilty. And today I briefly saw a headline that he is trying to use the "it depends on what the definition of "the" is" defense that Clinton used when he got away with lying under oath and breaking the oath of office.
2 people like this
3 responses
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
15 May 12
You are right. One way or the other he broke the law. I hope he gets held accountable for it too and sees real jail time.
@Rollo1 (16676)
• Boston, Massachusetts
14 May 12
I have conflicting opinions on Edwards. They keep bringing up in court how his wife suffered and I don't think that's really fair, since you can't be charged criminally for cheating on your wife, even if she's sick. How weird his mistress was isn't really the point, either. IF he's broken a law, then that's what they should stick to arguing about in court. The guy is obviously a slime, but his personal lack of morals or taste is not criminal. So, whether it's campaign finance law or tax law that he's broken, then they should decide on guilt and if guilty, sentence him appropriately.
If they've charged him with one crime, that's what he's being tried for. So if he claims a defense that is a different crime, he can still be found not guilty of the first crime and then the prosecutor would have to charge him with the second crime. Whether they would bother to do that, I can't say.
For this kind of crime he can get 20 years, but I heard he would probably serve it all concurrently and end up in prison for only 5. I think that sounds about right. He was stupid and did stupid, illegal things, but he's not a violent criminal. Five years is a good amount of time to send him up for.
