WASHINGTON — The Federal Election Commission ruled Thursday that embattled former presidential candidate John Edwards must repay $2.3 million to the U.S. Treasury, mostly as a result of excessive matching funds accepted by his 2008 campaign.
The news is particularly unhelpful for the former Democratic senator from North Carolina, who is already dealing with a federal indictment related to his use of campaign funds to allegedly cover up an affair with a former staffer.
The FEC also says the 2008 presidential campaign low- balled the amount of cash it actually had in some campaign finance reports, failed to itemize loan repayments and owed about $140,000 in checks that were extremely out of date by the time they were presented.
The FEC noted, however, that the $2.3 million is not a fine, but a refund for the excessive matching funds received by the campaign. And the FEC also noted it is not suggesting that Edwards was involved in any criminal wrongdoing.
Edwards’ lawyers say he shouldn’t owe anything, according to The Associated Press.
Also Thursday, Rielle Hunter, the videographer who had an extramarital affair and child with Edwards, asked for a hearing in Orange County Superior Court in North Carolina next week, McClatchy Newspapers reported.
Hunter is in a legal tussle with Andrew Young, a former Edwards aide, over who owns a purported videotape of her having sex with Edwards, and other property she claims is hers. In court documents filed Thursday, attorneys for Hunter argued that Young and his wife, Cheri, should be held in contempt of court.
