During the JOHN EDWARDS trial, ANDREW YOUNG testified how Dallas money man FRED BARON exploded in rage after ENQUIRER reporters caught Edwards in a secret rendezvous with his mistress and love child at the Beverly Hills Hilton in July 2008.
SEN. JOHN EDWARDS CAUGHT WITH MISTRESS AND LOVE CHILD!
Young recounted how Dallas money man Baron, Edwards' national campaign finance chairman, was being treated for cancer at the Mayo Clinic when he learned of the ENQUIRER sting, unleashed a torrent of obscenities at Edwards."He started cussing Mr. Edwards out," Young testified. "(Baron said) 'What the f–k was he thinking? He's ruined everything we've worked for.'"
As Edwards stared dead eyed at the chief prosecution witness, Young elaborated that Baron had asked Young and his wife Cheri to maintain the lie that he was the father of Edwards’ child in order to insure a shot the VP slot.
But after The ENQUIRER then dropped photos of Edwards visiting his mistress and love child on August 6, 2008 on line and in the print edition, Edwards promptly went on ABC 20/20 to admit he had had an affair with Hunter but denied paternity to the nation.
Young testified he didn't think the TV interview was a good idea at the time but recalled telling Edwards, "Tell the whole truth or don't do anything at all."
After the 20/20 interview aired, Young told the jury today he was livid when Edwards continued to lie when Edwards said he didn’t know if Young was the father or not. "I didn't understand why Mr. Edwards didn't clear my name," Young said.
During a brutal cross examination in the afternoon by Edwards’ lawyers, Young was repeatedly accused of lying.
Zeroing on inconsistencies and mistakes that Young made in television interviews, before a grand jury and in his tell-all book "The Politician”, Edwards defense attorney tried to paint Young as a hostile witness with his own axe to grind.
"Is it true in each and every one of those case you've lied?" attorney Abbe Lowell badgered Young. Young denied the allegation.
Lowell then accused Young of his intimate knowledge of the scandal and cover-up "to get leverage against him and make a lot of money.
"Isn't it fair you viewed Mr. Edwards as your ticket to the top and your only chance at prestige," Lowell asked.
Young admitted that he “believed working for a future president could lead to great things."
"You really hate him, don't you," Lowell pressed.
"I have mixed feelings," Young replied under oath.
Former trial lawyer Edwards appeared happy with his team’s cross examination of the justice department’s key witness.
"Oh, the sun is out in more ways than one," he smiled, as always, for the waiting media outside the Greensboro courthouse.
Unfortunately, for Edwards, the worst is yet to come as federal prosecutors have more than one ace up their sleeve after conducting a secret grand jury for over a year to see if there was plenty of hard evidence to convict.
DEVELOPING>>>>>>>>
