Former U.S. senator and former presidential candidate John Edwards arrived in court on Monday in North Carolina, according to media reports.
Edwards is accused of violating campaign finance laws in connection with payments from donors in order to hide a mistress during his 2008 presidential election bid. The former politician has denied violating the law or knowing about the payments, which amounts to around $900,000 from two donors.
His lawyer, Allison O. Van Laningham, made the opening statement about her client’s innocence, the Greensboro News-Record reported. She said he committed several errors during his presidential tenure, but stressed that he did not commit any crimes.
The final members of the jury were being selected on Monday, WSOC-TV reported.
Prosecutor David Harbach told the jury that Edwards “denied and deceived” people close to him, the News-Record quoted him as saying. “You name it, he said it ... Anything to preserve his chance to be president,” he said.
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