Would-Be President 'Used Funds To Hide Affair'

The former US presidential candidate John Edwards has pleaded not guilty to charges of illegally using campaign contributions to cover up an affair with his mistress.

He is accused of four counts of illegal campaign contributions, one count of conspiracy and one of making false statements.

Edwards made a brief appearance in a US District Court. Afterwards he told reporters he was innocent.

"There's no question that I've done wrong and I take full responsibility for having done wrong and I will regret for the rest of my life the pain and the harm that I've caused to
others," he said.

"But I did not break the law and I never, ever thought that I was breaking the law."

It is alleged that the former Senator from North Carolina and 2004 Vice-Presidential nominee used nearly a million dollars worth of cash from two wealthy friends to hide Rielle Hunter from the press during the 2008 campaign.

Under US law, individual campaign contributions in the primary process are capped at $2,300.

Ms Hunter, with whom John Edwards had a child, had been hired as a videographer on the campaign trail.

His defence lawyer Greg Craig said his client "will tell the court he is innocent of all charges and will plead not guilty. He did not break the law and will mount a vigorous defence."

The legal team will argue that the money was not a campaign contribution but a gift from two friends to help Mr Edwards deal with a very personal matter: trying to conceal the affair from Mr Edwards' ailing wife, Elizabeth, who died from cancer last year.

The charges mark another fall in grace from the one-time golden boy of the Democratic Party.

John Edwards was a millionaire trial lawyer , who said he'd entered politics to help the poorest in American society. He sought the Presidential nomination in 2004 and 2008, and was seriously considered by the Obama campaign as a contender to join him on the ticket in the election.

After news of his affair was uncovered by the National Enquirer, Edwards repeatedly denied the allegations until he was finally forced to admit he fathered a child with Ms Hunter.

If found guilty, John Edwards faces up to five years in prison prison and a fine of $250,000. (£152,000).

Sky News' US political analyst Jon-Christopher Bua, writes: "Although there are many second and third acts in US politics - Richard Nixon and Newt Gingrich the classic cases - today's indictment of John Edwards mostly likely means an end to what was once considered a brilliant and very promising career on the national stage.

"What is puzzling is why such a wealthy 'family man' may have used campaign funds to hide his personal indiscretions - perhaps to hide them from his ailing wife Elizabeth."