Advertisement

Edwards' campaign repays taxpayers $2.1 million

 
A commission ruled last year that former presidential candidate John Edwards was improperly paid taxpayer money after he suspended his 2008 run.
A commission ruled last year that former presidential candidate John Edwards was improperly paid taxpayer money after he suspended his 2008 run.
Published April 11, 2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — John Edwards' campaign has repaid more than $2.1 million in public matching funds received after the Democrat dropped out of the 2008 presidential primary amid a sex scandal.

Federal Election Commission spokeswoman Judith Ingram confirmed Tuesday that the agency had received the money. The bipartisan election commission ruled unanimously last year that Edwards was improperly paid the taxpayer money after he suspended his campaign on Jan. 30, 2008.

He apealed that ruling, which the FEC upheld March 12. The campaign was given 30 days to send a check to the U.S. Treasury, a deadline set to expire this week. His campaign finance attorney, Patricia Fiori, did not respond to a request for comment.

Edwards received more than $12.8 million in public matching funds during the 2008 election cycle.

In 2004, Edwards was the running mate of Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, who lost to President George W. Bush. The former North Carolina senator ran again in 2008, but saw his political career collapse with allegations of an extramarital affair with a campaign videographer.

He now faces a criminal trial set to begin Thursday in Greensboro on federal charges over campaign finance violations related to nearly $1 million paid by two wealthy donors to help hide his pregnant mistress as he sought the White House. Edwards has pleaded not guilty.