John Edwards may be in legal hot water for speaking to potential grand jury witness

By Ralph Alter

If Tiger Woods thinks the cold eye of the celebrity-centric media will fade with an Elin-enforced time-out, perhaps he should get a second opinion from former Vice Presidential candidate for the Democrats, John Edwards.

When last we left our hero, he was engaged in a tug-of-war with a pair of National Enquirer reporters on either side of the restroom door in the basement of a Beverly Hills hotel where smiling John had allegedly gone to visit his baby-momma, Rielle Hunter and their love-child.

Hunter was an employee of the Edwards campaign, and somehow managed to continue to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle despite her apparent lack of gainful employment. Apparently Ms. Hunter’s means of support came under the scrutiny of a grand jury interested in the appropriate use of campaign donations and that grand jury remains on the case.

Former paternity- poser, Andrew Young, is now alleging that the wealthy heiress, Rachel “Bunny” Mellon “paid some of Hunter’s bills. It’s unclear whether Mellon herself has talked to prosecutors.”

Mellon is a heavy hitter for the Democrats and dumped a load of cash into the Edwards cause:

“In 2008 Mellon's holding company gave $3.48 million to Alliance for a New America, a 527 group tied to Edwards' presidential campaign. Prosecutors investigating Edwards have talked to Mellon's attorneys.”

Just last Friday, a Raleigh TV station showed footage of John Edwards deplaning from Mellon’s private jet. Flight records indicate that the plane was returning from Mellon’s private residential airstrip. Even an ambulance-chasing lout like Edwards should be able to comprehend that his contact with potential grand jury witness Mellon could be perceived as an attempt to influence a witness or obstruct justice.

Meanwhile, parties working diligently to remain anonymous have purchased the home at 1611 Providence Road in Charlotte for $535,000, apparently with an eye toward providing a domicile for Ms. Rielle Hunter and her daughter. Nobody’s talking, not even the trio of realtors who handled the case for The Providence Road Trust.

“Three real estate agents involved in the sale would not discuss it, citing confidentiality. But another one who was not involved said agents had been buzzing with speculation about Hunter.

The National Enquirer, which broke the story of Edwards' affair last year, features a picture of the house in editions that went on sale Monday. It said Hunter was scheduled to move in Dec.1 but didn't after she and Edwards got into a dispute over child support.”

This girl certainly drives a hard bargain. Although recently seen hovering in the vicinity, Ms. Hunter is temporarily out of sight:

“It was unclear where Hunter is. She has been living in Southport, according to a New Hanover County real estate agent. The Enquirer said she had checked into a Charlotte hotel prior to the anticipated Dec.1 move-in date.”

Now a kindly neighbor has been forced to freeze the cookies she baked in anticipation of welcoming her new neighbor.

No word on what the grand jury or Elizabeth Edwards might have waiting for the maladroitly adulterous John Edwards. I suspect it ain’t cookies.

Ralph Alter blogs at Right on Target www.rightot.blogspot.com