Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Former Edwards aide takes witness stand for 4th day

Details

  • Description

    Defense paints Andrew Young as liar, money-grubber

  • Duration 7:36
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest Politics

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Former presidential candidate John Edwards back in court today.

His defense team going after the prosecution star witness on the stand yesterday.

The defense grilling former top Edwards aide Andrew Young on the stand painting him as an opportunist and an outright liar.

So is Andrew -- testimony doing either side any good.

Jonathan -- live outside -- the courthouse in Greensboro north -- Carolina with an update Jonathan.

A hi Megan -- during this cross examination edwards' attorneys are grilling Andrew Young on apparent discrepancies in his.

Testimony.

Comparing what he said during the trial to things that he said.

Earlier trying to call his credibility into question they're asking him mostly about minor inconsistencies in his testimony in past statements.

And then following up with broad and provocative questions.

In one instance lead defense lawyer Abbe Lowell asked young.

Whether he had fallen in love with -- edwards' young responded a lot of people in the country did -- last did you fall out of love with him.

Young said I did yes sir -- press harder asking you really hate him don't you.

Young answered I have mixed feelings the defense is also trying to portray young as an opportunist who allegedly built a new house for himself.

Using much of the donor money that was intended to keep Edwards pregnant mistress out of the public spotlight.

Now after a long series of questions regarding relatively minor details the giants began to question where the defense was going.

Abbe Lowell went into a long explanation of his strategy.

Regarding this questioning until one of the prosecutors in Iraq -- quote.

Perhaps the Whitney shouldn't be here for this discussion.

-- and that's normally reserved courtroom erupted in laughter back to you.

While Jonathan thank you.

Joining me now with more on this case and how it stands up at this time against John Edwards are legal panel these Wheeler Fox News legal analyst and John -- war.

A defense attorney and former prosecutor so.

This is fascinating to me now the defense -- its.

Shot -- -- star witness this is the star witness Andrew Young power they do -- so Farley I think they're doing fine the defense is trying to poke holes credibility absolutely.

And Andrew Young wrote a -- keys to it made money off of this.

So they can go up and added all I know I -- on for fifteen years I worked with him during if you -- President Clinton he's a great lawyer he's doing the best he can.

But he still have somebody on the stand there that is telling I think that route and I think material CNET.

Even if you don't like India and if you think very consistent they're going to be -- -- you sort of bookkeeping you know -- -- consists not acquire.

The the evidence is -- that the Czechs came from bunny Mellon.

They went to Andrew Young.

And -- L hunter wound up with the dealt so even if you don't believe Andrew Young why -- was funny about melons funneling that money to real hunter.

She really -- it for John Edwards and that that defense read dean's work it's unrelated to his campaign that's gonna be the message.

That his defense team is gonna -- home throughout the rest of the five weeks of his fans supposed to take quite why why do you so they gotta get out of Andrew Young.

On me was giving you this money this is -- the 100 year old owner -- -- John Edwards so much we do anything to help him.

Personally professionally have us believe but why would she come in right now at that point it wasn't about the haircut anymore she came in for the haircut if that -- -- he and ridiculed right there -- 400 dollar tax cuts that -- payment for that -- -- -- -- About the -- -- felt bad for him when she -- and help -- isn't so you all the -- you want but let's go to hundred to thousands of -- -- And now -- it's coming out of -- that's just not to cover up the embarrassment effort for Elizabeth because Elizabeth knew about the affair to copper up the the scandal so that he could continue the campaign that's the fundamentalists what is the defense going for with this you were in love with him business and even yes and the few that and a few times and they got testimony out of him from Andrew Young saying.

-- John Edwards said he loved me.

Tip and that he nil I knew he would never abandoning.

Amy Steve what have they talking right -- I cannot wait don't hear us talking about a love affair between a politician and it poppy you know I believe.

I think I think what they're trying to do is convince the jury didn't want to know.

Why is Andrew Young doing this why is he on the stand why is he throwing his former -- under the bus and I don't claim paternity for John -- desire -- that's a huge like.

I don't by the way he's testifying under immunity which the juror.

Jurors probably won't ever and find out what what does that mean -- job.

That means that Andrew young's hands are dirty and the only way to get the story and -- to agree not to prosecute him.

That's not exactly true immunity means that it's not really true what it means is that he you -- end deal gives us something now that's not what it means it needs -- -- to tell you look at it as an honest with you tell your story in -- across different that doesn't mean that you could be prosecuted for anything.

Because the only think -- and prosecuted fourth line because John Edwards asked him to lie but they are trying to.

The defense is trying to convince this jury that Andrew Young had his heart broken a by a politician he admired in whatever way they think he admired him.

And is it day he gave testimony about how.

On cross examination how Edwards broke a final piece of bad news to him a long promised job and a foundation.

Financed by -- -- -- -- been promised a job by Edwards that -- would employ him.

Was no longer in the cards like that theory is.

That's when you got upset mr.

young -- get a creating stories actively galleys and again -- be campaign funds that would be forced -- to.

-- -- if you don't have to lie that's what they're saying they're saying he has sour grapes because he didn't get the job do you want to -- even make -- if you didn't get the job you want it it was still campaign funds that's -- that's critical issue here -- -- -- had -- it wasn't just exactly it's the issue.

Or was -- just covering up an affair.

If it's all of that even if Andrew Young got all the kickbacks in the -- it doesn't matter if it's campaign funds can they.

If they prove that John Edwards got caught by Elizabeth -- and he which he did you keep putting that out to say that the bid could become a lot of money.

Had to be to protect the public from this information not Elizabeth -- you know.

But lots of people -- cotton affairs and then -- continued the affairs and then they need to cover up.

For the continuation of the if Paris which he did there's been testimony -- that he continued the affair after Elizabeth found out that you and and trying to keep it backed -- got better it got better at keeping it secret and Andrew Young participated in the -- the reason so that Elizabeth would not get anymore -- hole because -- -- no they don't they're arguing in court about whether bid to cover up that bunny Mellon bank funding.

Was to protect protect Elizabeth -- knowing or all of us from knowing because John Edwards wanted to keep his political fortunes alive.

And she already and also why when he just -- own money for just about Elizabeth decision on money just going -- -- -- Will come out -- Yeah here rich doesn't mean you're not cheap if what she'd always she'd remember that we -- -- if it.

But what the benefactor who's throwing money at -- what -- Somebody else's money 12 -- got around Atlanta -- let me ask you if somebody who's pro prosecution in this case why was he so happy leaving the courtroom yesterday.

Well to get this is sending -- more ways than one.

Well of course you know both sides are gonna go out there smiles -- know what's gonna go with the down downward mouth and his lawyer tell him not to do that look he cheated and you went -- woman -- don't you -- has now dead.

Yeah thanks to the good that cancer he had -- really -- our.

-- like don't always -- that was probably a reaction because Andrew Young was not good witness -- for the past but you still can't do that you don't don't want to do it.

Load More