Wade Smith, one of John Edwards' attorneys, said Friday that he and his client will be making no statement today and have no plans to make a statement regarding Rielle Hunter's child.

Media reports quoting anonymous sources circulated Friday saying that Edwards was planning to acknowledge that he is the father of Hunter's baby, Francis Quinn. Edwards has previously said he and Hunter had an affair.

"No statement is planned," Smith said. "We have no sort of schedule or timetable."

Hunter appeared before a federal grand jury last week. Edwards, a former presidential hopeful, is under investigation by a grand jury regarding whether he inappropriately spent campaign money to hush rumors of his affair.

Former state Democratic chairman Wade Smith raised big bucks for Barack Obama this week.

Smith, a leading Raleigh defense attorney, hosted a fund raiser at his home, featuring Obama senior advisor Valerie Jarrett. She was introduced by Democratic Gov. Mike Easley, Rob Christensen reports.

Among those attending were former Gov. Jim Hunt.

Smith said it was one of the largest and most enthusiastic fund raisers he has ever held with well over 100 people jammed into house. But he was not certain how much was raised.

The event was organized by John Crumpler, a Raleigh businessman, long active in Democratic politics.

Admission was $1,000 per person. But to be a host a person had either give or agree to raise $10,000 for the Obama Victory Fund.

After the jump, a list of the hosts.

   Comments (1)

The Barack Obama campaign Wednesday released a list of 50 former North Carolina supporters of John Edwards who are backing the Illinois senator in the May 6th primary.

Rob Christensen reports that the list included Congressmen David Price, and G.K Butterfield, former state House Majoirty leader Phil Baddour of Goldsboro, attorney Wade Byrd of Fayetteville, former state Democratic party chairs Libba Evans and Wade Smith, former Charlotte Mayor Harvey Gantt, former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Henry Frye, and Jim Phillips, the chairman of the University of North Carolina Board of Governors.

"We are going to be in the trenches helping him to do well," said Ed Turlington, a Raleigh attorney who was general chairman of Edwards’ 2004 presidential campaign.

Turlington and state Rep. Pricey Harrison said that Obama shared many of the ideas of Edwards on such issues as fighting poverty, and changing the culture of Washington.

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who dropped out of the presidential race in January, has suggested that he and his wife Elizabeth were unlikely to endorse.

Four of the lawyers who cleared former Duke University lacrosse players of bogus rape charges will speak about the case at a seminar sponsored by the state Academy of Trial Lawyers.

The session is set for Nov. 30 and is aimed at lawyers, according to a news release from the organization.

The lawyers on the panel each bolstered their already-formidable reputations in their defense of the lacrosse players. The speakers will be Joseph B. Cheshire V, Brad Bannon, Wade Smith and Jim Cooney.

More after the jump

   Comments (1)

A spokeswoman for Don Beason said he will continue working.

Joyce Fitzpatrick, a Raleigh communications consultant who sent out an earlier statement from Beason, said that he was in contact with nearly all of his clients today after the news broke that he had loaned Jim Black $500,000.

"He received a lot of support from them," she said.

Beason's 16 clients listed on the N.C. Secretary of State Web site include BB&T, Carolina Ballet, Cingular Wireless and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Two clients, Progress Energy and the city of Hickory, have expressed doubts about continuing his services.

Fitzpatrick referred further questions to Beason's attorneys, Ed Hinson of Charlotte and Wade Smith of Raleigh.

Smith was at Black's sentencing hearing today, but he had no comment.

Hampton Dellinger has more than a half million in cash on hand.

The Raleigh attorney and former legal counsel to Gov. Mike Easley reported that he has over $520,000 on hand for his bid for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, Rob Christensen reports.

He raised the money with the help of some high profile individuals including historian John Hope Franklin, author Frances Mayes, jazz musician Branford Marsalis, and defense attorney Wade Smith.

One of his chief rivals, state Sen. Walter Dalton, a Rutherfordton attorney, had earlier reported that he had $570,000 cash on hand at the end of the first six months of 2007. Dalton's backers include former Charlotte Mayor John Belk, former Democratic kingmaker Bert Bennett, and Frank Daniels, former publisher of The News and Observer.

Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Besse, another Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, reported having $101,600 on hand.

John Edwards is bringing in the big guns for one last push before the second quarter ends.

The former North Carolina senator is calling together some of his biggest supporters, including former Gov. Jim Hunt, Raleigh attorney David Kirby and former UNC-Chapel Hill basketball coach Dean Smith, for one final push to raise money, Rob Christensen reports.

Edwards has scheduled a high dollar fund raiser for Saturday, June 30, at the home of Steve and Louise Coggins, neighbors of his summer homat on Figure 8 Island. The event will cost $2,300 for hosts, $1,000 for sponsors and $500 for patrons.

His campaign raised $14 million in the first quarter, but reportedly may have trouble matching that figure for the second quarter as it seeks to stay competitive with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

A list of the major attendees after the jump.

   Comments (0)

Former House Speaker Jim Black has agreed to limit his travel outside western North Carolina and not to drink alcohol as he waits for a likely prison term.

The new restrictions were described in an agreement with his probation officer. U.S. District Court Judge Terrence Boyle agreed, and the one-page document was filed in court Thursday, report David Ingram and Mark Johnson of The Charlotte Observer.

Black, a Mecklenburg County Democrat, may travel to court appearances and, with permission, to medical appointments in other parts of North Carolina. The initial conditions of his release in February — after pleading guilty to a federal corruption charge — allowed Black to travel internationally with permission.

Also under the new conditions, Black cannot drink alcohol and must submit to testing for alcohol and other prohibited substances. He was previously required to avoid only excessive use of alcohol. The agreement gives no reason for the changes.

Black and his attorney Ken Bell could not be reached for comment.

More after the jump.

   Comments (0)

Hampton Dellinger, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, had a jazzy fundraiser over the weekend featuring saxophonist Branford Marsalis.

The event drew 145 people at Hopper's Piano Showroom in Raleigh. Among those who spoke at the event was Raleigh attorney Wade Smith, a former state Democratic Party chairman, Rob Christensen reports.

Others attending included Durham Mayor Bill Bell, Pittsboro Mayor Randy Voller, and state Reps. Larry Hall, Ty Harrell and Deborah Ross. The event ended a a kick off fundraising swing for Dellinger, a Raleigh attorney and former legal counsel to Gov. Mike Easley.

One of Dellinger's competitors, Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Besse, had a meet-the candidate event in Chapel Hill on Sunday. The event was hosted by Dave Moreau, chairman of the N.C. Environmental Management Commission, and his wife Polly; Carrboro Mayor Mark Chilton; and John Runkle, an environmental attorney.