Andrew Young

Milk, Diet Coke and obsequiousness

markjohnson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:24:31 -0400

For those who haven't gotten enough of the John Edwards/Rielle Hunter/Andrew Young saga -- and that's likely a microscopic demographic -- Politico has a nicely written, four-jump post on Young.

The best deets:

* The supposed sex tape of Edwards and mistress Hunter is Young's "hole card" as he struggles for income, Politico writes, attributing information to two sources who have seen the tape.

* It was Young who tried to secure the high-demand-short-supply Playstation 3 from Wal Mart before Christmas 2006 on behalf of Edwards, a Wal Mart critic. The incident that drew howls of hypocrisy.

* A recap of some of the nastier comments Elizabeth Edwards has made about Young, including that he was "pathetic" and that she and John were Young's "victims" -- "guilty only of 'being vulnerable to obsequiousness.'"

The story recounts how Young took care of all things Edwards: dry cleaning, milk in the fridge and the then-required Diet Coke supply.

Rules changed on state employee

bniolet — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:11:12 -0400

* Doug Van Essen might win back his job in state government.

But he wouldn't be surprised if he is fired again the moment he returns to work.

That's because the state legislature, in the final hours of its session this year, voted in favor of a bill that was in name about the regulation of hair braiding.

In fact, the bill included a little-noticed section that dealt with Van Essen's job at the N.C. State Board of Cosmetic Art Examiners. It gave the board the authority to fire him again if an administrative law judge determines that the board was out of bounds when it fired him the first time.

The bill also offered a glimpse into the political nature of working for state government, even in an obscure agency whose mission is to make sure that 13,000 salons and spas in North Carolina adhere to sanitation standards and that barbers, stylists, manicurists and cosmetologists have the training they need to keep their clients safe as well as pretty. (N&O)

* In a book proposal, former John Edwards aide Andrew Young says that he assisted Edwards' affair with Rielle Hunter by setting up private meetings. He wrote that Edwards once calmed an anxious Hunter by promising her that after his wife died, he would marry her in a rooftop ceremony in New York with an appearance by the Dave Matthews Band. (NYT)

Dome Memo: Home movies, late budgets

bniolet — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 08:51:07 -0400

OF COURSE THERE'S VIDEO: The least surprising thing that Andrew Young, former close aide to John Edwards, had to say in his book proposal: there's a sex tape. A year ago, that news might have been shocking. But a sex tape now fits comfortably along the downward trajectory Edwards' public image has been following since he begrudgingly acknowledged an extra-marital affair. Of course, we don't think Young visited the federal courthouse this week to talk about film.

BERGER UNLEASHED: Senate minority Leader Phil Berger ran wide open this week. He blasted North Carolina Democrats at home in the usual outlets, and then let 'em have it in the Wall Street Journal. We're not sure, but we think Berger wants people to know he's unhappy with the majority party.

THAT WAS CLOSE: The House and Senate agreed at the last minute to a bill to keep the state running while they wrangle over the budget. The House got its way and the temporary bill sets a two-week deadline for the chambers to agree. Gov. Beverly Perdue says to hurry up.

IN OTHER NEWS: House Republicans don't like the way Democrats name important bills. No charges will be filed in a case where a Blue Cross and Blue Shield lobbyist was accused of attempted bribery. Former auditor Les Merritt has launched a foundation to expose public corruption. The Republican Party is gearing up to go after freshman Democrat U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell in 2010. And the recession has prompted a drop in the prices of premium liquor, so at least there's some good news.

Edwards aide visits courthouse

bniolet — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:21:02 -0400

A former aide to John Edwards who claimed he fathered a child born to the mistress of the two-time Democratic presidential candidate spent Wednesday in a federal courthouse.

About 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, with his lawyer at his side, Andrew Young walked into the building in Raleigh where a grand jury was meeting. Young simply smiled as he went by and declined to comment about the investigation into his former boss. His attorney, David Geneson, did not return repeated calls from the AP.

A few months before the crucial 2008 presidential caucuses in Iowa, Young publicly declared that he was the father of Rielle Hunter's baby. Edwards placed second to Sen. Barack Obama, who went on to win the presidency. Edwards later admitted having an affair with Hunter that he says ended in 2006. (AP)

Who's your daddy?

markjohnson — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 07:05:27 -0400

A former Aide to former U.S. Sen. John Edwards has made a tell-all book deal in which he says Edwards promised to financially take care of him if he falsely claimed to be the father of Edwards' mistress' baby.

Andrew Young, a former campaign finance director for Edwards, issued a statement last year claiming to be the father of the baby born to Rielle Hunter, the campaign videographer with whom Edwards had an affair. Edwards denied paternity in a television interview when he confessed to the affair.

The book, though, quotes Edwards as begging Young to confess to being the child's father and promising to take care of him for life, the New York Times reports.

As if that weren't enough, the book also alleges that Edwards, his party's 2004 nominee for vice president and twice a presidential candidate, participated in making a sex tape.

Two lawyers had ties to Baron

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:41:20 -0400

Two lawyers who helped deflate rumors of John Edwards' affair had ties to him.

New York attorney Robert Gordon represented Rielle Hunter, while Washington lawyer Pamela Marple worked for Andrew Young, the purported father of Hunter's child.

Statements issued by the two attorneys independently in late 2007 seemed to put to rest the story of an affair then printed in the National Enquirer.

Both lawyers have worked with Fred Baron, a wealthy Dallas lawyer and former finance chairman for the Edwards campaign. Gordon worked with Baron on class-action personal injury cases and Marple helped defend a lawsuit brought against both men by an asbestos manufacturer.

Baron has given conflicting reports of what he knew about how the two lawyers came to represent Hunter and Young. (NYT)

Baron: I provided assistance

bniolet — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:45:34 -0400

Fred Baron, the chief campaign money raiser for former Sen. John Edwards, said he provided help to those involved in Edwards’ extra-marital affair.

"I decided independently to help two friends and former colleagues rebuild their lives when harassment by supermarket tabloids made it impossible for them to conduct a normal life," Baron, a Dallas trial lawyer said in a statement, Rob Christensen reports.

"John Edwards was not aware that assistance was provided to anyone involved in this matter," Baron said. "I did it of my own voilition and without the knowledge, instruction, or suggestion of John Edwards or anyone else. The assistance was offered and accepted without condition."

Although Baron did not name any names, he was apparently referring to Rielle Hunter, with whom Edwards had an affair, and Andrew Young, a former Edwards aide, who has said he fathered Hunter’s child.

Hunter and Young had been living separately first at an upscale development in Chapel Hill and later in Santa Barbara.

Birth certificate does not name father

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:15:19 -0400

The birth certificate of a child who a tabloid newspaper claims is linked to former Sen. John Edwards doesn't identify a father.

The certificate, obtained by The Charlotte Observer today, shows Frances Quinn Hunter was born Feb. 27, more than two months after an Edwards aide claimed to be the father, Lisa Zagaroli and Lorenzo Perez report.

Andrew Young, a former Edwards campaign finance director, claimed paternity in a statement from his lawyer posted at the political blog mydd.com.

The girl was born at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, Calif., to Rielle Jaya James Druck, also known as Rielle Hunter. Hunter, 44, was a videographer on Edwards' presidential campaign last year.

Asked Thursday why no father was listed on the birth certificate, Hunter's attorney, Robert Gordon of New York, said, "A lot of women do that." Reminded that he and Hunter had publicly revealed the father's identity two months earlier to the National Enquirer, Gordon said, "That's a personal matter between them."

Gordon declined to comment further.

With unmarried couples, California state law requires both parents to sign a "Declaration of Paternity" form prior to the father's name being put on the birth certificate. If the father is not present, his name may be added to the birth certificate at a later date after proper forms are obtained from the Department of Vital Records.