“It’s RIELLE or ME !” JOHN EDWARDS loyal daughter CATE threatened after her late mother ELIZABETH was trashed by mistress in tell-all.
JOHN EDWARDS’ adult daughter CATE stood by his side during his sensational trial – but she’s threatening to turn her back on him after his mistress Rielle Hunter trashed her late mom Elizabeth in a scathing tell-all book, say sources.
In “What Really Happened: John Edwards, our Daughter, and Me,” outspoken Rielle calls cancer victim Elizabeth “crazy”…“venomous”… and a “witch on wheels.”
She also describes Elizabeth as “barking” demands at John and physically attacking him while cultivating her public persona as a “saint.”
And those are fighting words to Cate, who gave her father a fiery ultimatum – dump Rielle or lose her love and support!
“IT’S EITHER HER OR ME!” Sources say CATE, 30, told the former presidential candidate, who recently beat charges of illegally using campaign contributions to cover up his scandalous affair with Rielle.
Cate’s stinging ultimatum “has turned into a major family feud,” revealed a close source.
“If John wants to continue to carry on with Rielle, he can – but it will come at the expense of losing Cate’s love and support.
“She’s absolutely disgusted, sickened and revolted by the comments Rielle made in her new book about her brave, beloved mom.”
The ex-Senator’s lawyer daughter was further sickened by bombshell news photos – featured in last week’s ENQUIRER – showing her father playing “happy family” with Rielle and their 4-year-old love child Quinn at a North Carolina beach, say insiders.
JOHN EDWARDS: HAPPY DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN?
Edwards also has Emma Claire, 14, and Jack, 12, his other children with Elizabeth.
“Cate feels she received the ultimate slap in the face after she was by her father’s side for six long weeks during his criminal trial,” said the source. “John was being called the biggest cheater in America, but she still turned out to support him.
“It was awful. She even left the court one day in tears when testimony detailed how grief-stricken her mom was when she confronted John about his affair with Rielle.”
But now a seething Cate has done an about-face, says the close source.
“She’s told pals she’ll be there for her little brother and sister but isn’t going to speak to her father unless he breaks it off with Rielle.”
“She absolutely hates Rielle and will hate her father too, if he can’t turn his back on her.”
Cate holds no grudge against little Quinn but is outraged over how Rielle disrespected her mom in the book, say insiders, who note that Elizabeth can’t defend herself. Tragically, she lost her brave battle to advanced breast cancer on Dec. 7, 2010, at age 61.
Concluded the source: “Now it’s up to John to decide what he wants more – the love and respect of his eldest child or time with his crazy mistress.”
The answer became obvious yesterday as Rielle Hunter announced on “Good Morning America” that she and Edwards were through as a couple—demurring their reasons were “private”.
