Enquirer Dumps More On Edwards

Update: In case this needs to be pointed out - you don't "make amends" to your family after an affair and out of wedlock pregnancy by moving your mistress in down the street. That single fact does a lot to undermine the alleged cover story.

And I guess the pics of Rielle Hunter will be in the print edition. Edwards is either already toast, or he's going to have to answer some questions. The Enquirer isn't backing off. Would he use campaign money, though?

The ENQUIRER has confirmed that Young placed Rielle in a rental home in the Governors Club, the same gated community where he lives in a multimillion-dollar home with his wife Cheri and their young children. That home is owned by an Edwards' backer and is less than five miles from Edwards' national campaign headquarters in Chapel Hill, N.C.

A former "Director of Operations" for Edwards' campaign, Young's last official position with the campaign was "North Carolina Finance Director." He left that job about a month ago - about the same time Rielle settled in Chapel Hill.

A source close to Young vehemently denies that he funneled campaign money to Rielle - who drives a BMW SUV registered in Young's name.

The ENQUIRER spotted Rielle — visibly pregnant in a black sweater and loose-fitting slacks — leaving her OB/GYN's office in Cary, N.C., on Dec. 12.

And when asked for a comment about her relationship with Edwards by an ENQUIRER reporter, Rielle responded: "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Asked why she was living in Young's gated community, she answered: "I have no idea what you are talking about."

When asked who fathered her baby, she answered: "I have no idea who you're talking about or what you're talking about."

She even denied that she was Rielle Hunter!

But things changed dramatically when The ENQUIRER contacted Edwards for a comment just days later.

Edwards' lawyer called The ENQUIRER and denied the well-coiffed Democratic candidate is the father of Rielle's baby, adding that Rielle would deny it as well.

A day later, in a shocking twist, the attorney for Mr. Young issued a statement that Young fathered Rielle's baby!

"Andrew Young is the father of Ms. Hunter's unborn child," declared his Washington, D.C.-based attorney.

"Sen. Edwards knew nothing about the relationship between these former co-workers, which began when they worked together in 2006.

"As a private citizen who no longer works for the campaign, Mr. Young asks that the media respect his privacy while he works to make amends with his family."

Neither Young nor Rielle offered any evidence of their prior romantic relationship, and both turned down an ENQUIRER request to take polygraph tests on the claim that Young fathered her child.

Now some insiders wonder whether Young's paternity claim is simply a cover-up to protect his longtime pal Edwards.

"If you have an alternate explanation for a scandal, you don't take 24 hours to offer that explanation, let alone days or weeks," a political insider told The ENQUIRER.

Simply put, Edwards could have nipped the earlier cheating scandal in the bud by instructing his aides to explain that Rielle had been romantically involved with a married man on the campaign. But he didn't.

Instead, Rielle has been telling a confidante that Edwards is the father of her child.

"Rielle told me while Andrew Young is a friend, she's not romantically involved with him," says the source close to Rielle. "Rielle says he's been responsible for finding her a place to live and even getting her a car to drive.

"If he really were the father of her baby and had engaged in an extramarital affair with her, I doubt seriously that he'd bring his wife and kids over to her house for dinner — which Rielle told me he did a few weeks ago.

"Rielle has said from the beginning that the baby is John's, but she appears willing to do whatever they want her to do to protect his candidacy.

"I think what's taking place is simply a cover-up by Edwards' campaign."

And no one has denied the source's information that Rielle has been in phone contact with Edwards since finding out she is pregnant.

When ENQUIRER reporters contacted Young in person at his home on Dec. 12, he became furious — and denied he was Andrew Young.

He also denied knowing "any Rielle Hunter," yelling at the top of his voice: "You don't even know who I am!" But when his wife called him "Andrew," he shot her a dirty look.

An enraged Young called police, demanding our reporters be arrested for trespassing. Officers from the Chatham County (N.C.) Sheriff's Department responded, questioned everyone and made no arrests.

While controversy swirls around her, Rielle — a wannabe actress who by her own admission was a drug-using New York party girl in the '80s — stayed in touch with Edwards.

"Rielle told me that she remains in phone contact with John, but can't see him for obvious reasons," said the source close to her.

Comments

[JRE]

You all are completey wrong. You have never met or spoken with John Edwards. If you did, you would know that he would not do that to EE...
Up till yesterday (Feb.2, 2008) they were still together (she didn't look like she was angry)!

[Stacy]

Wow Kerry, I couldn't have said it any better myself.

[kerry zaputz]

I absolutely believe this story. One glance at Edwards (and his fake hair) and I could see he is nothing more than a phony, smarmy sleazebag. Mistress? That's the least of his sins. What do you think of a sleazeball ambulance chaser who breeds two kids to serve as political props, and then deserts them to start a quixotic presidential campaign as their mother suffers from a terminal disease? Hopefully, he'll treat this love child better. I hope Rielle can find a good OB-GYN, given that many of them have left the profession, thanks to predatory ambulance chasers like Edwards.

[seekeronos]

Fork... Edwards... he's done like dinner.

[IslamoLlama]

I still think this is all the work of the nefarious BatBoy! He lives in a cave in downtown Chicago and is always up to no good.

[Aubrey]

I read that Enquirer link you posted. Oh what a tangled web we weave. What a mess! Can we get Edwards to take a polygraph to see if he's being truthful? To be honest with you, I am leaning toward believing it was John Edwards bastard baby but maybe the Young guy is telling the truth.

Regardless of whether or not it's Edwards baby or not, if I was Youngs wife, I would be headed to a divorce attorney STAT! *If* he's lying for Edwards, he REALLY fell on the sword for him but not only that, he completely humiliated his wife in a national arena.

I wouldn't want to be at the dinner table or bedrooms of either of these men (or women) tonight. That's for sure.

[Steve Watson]

Well, at least we finally know why Edwards built that 26,000 square foot house.

[muffler]

The timing of this is suspect and the facts are thin to none. Bunk!

[Paul]

If this story does turn out to be true, how long will it be before Elizabeth labels the mistress a "rabid Republican?"

I also smell a fundraising tactic: MAKE A DONATION SO THAT JOHN'S LOVE-CHILD CAN GROW UP IN THE WHITE HOUSE.