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John Edwards Trial: More Week 3 Wtinesses

After Alex Forger, Bunny Mellon's lawyer finishes ross-examination, the next witness may be Nick Baldick. He was a grand jury witness who was told he was not a target.

Baldick,put Andrew Young on the payroll of private companies under his control after Edwards directed Andrew Young be removed from working on the campaign. It was at this time Andrew's duties changed to babysitting Hunter while they tried to hide out from the media. [More...]

Atop the subpoena list, read to the AP by someone with access to a subpoena, is thethe Alliance for a New America, which is what is known as a political 527 group, named for the tax code section that governs it. Also on the list is a like-named private entity called Alliance for a New America LLC, or AFNA LLC, and Edwards' former campaign manager Nick Baldick, who ran the political 527 group in support of Edwards' bid for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. (U.S. tax records for the same groups refer to the groups as Alliance for New America, without an "a.")

Why Baldick May Be Important:

A person involved in the investigation and who is familiar with the financial transactions told The AP that Baldick provided Young a salary boost of about $30,000 to move off the Edwards campaign payroll onto one of Baldick's private organizations around the time Young began taking care of a pregnant Hunter in fall 2007, when the primary campaign was heating up. Young also got more than $150,000 in payments as a commission for money he raised for Alliance for a New America. A month after Young got his last campaign paycheck on Nov. 14, 2007, he publicly claimed paternity of Hunter's child.

... Federal records show that about $3.3 million of the $4.8 million raised by the 527 was distributed to AFNA LLC for unspecified "consulting services." The 527 and the LLC shared not only their name, but the same Alexandria, Virginia, post office box and the same contact, a Baldick associate named Katherine Buchanan. A crucial difference between the two Alliance entities was that the LLC was a limited liability company that did not have to publicly disclose how its money was spent.

Baldick could be a big witness given the number of documents it plans to introduce during his testimony. According to the Government's exhibit list, it will introduce:

  • An e- mail from Nick Baldick "re: on the plane" on June 21, 2006; E-mails between Nick Baldick, Josh Brumberger, and Matthew on June 21, 2006; an E-mail from Nick Baldick "re Boyd" on June 24, 2006; an e-mail from Nick Baldick "re Spam: RE: Health Insurance" on July 19, 2006; E-mails between Nick Baldick, Josh Brumberger, and Alexis Bar on July 19-20, 2006;
  • Nelson emails between Mimi Hockman and Nick Baldic on August 4 an 5, 2006; an e-mail Email from Nick Baldick "re Bunny: on September 1, 2006; an E-mail from Nick Baldick "re I just looked at Rielle's first draf" on September 18, 2006; two E-mails from Nick Baldick" re NYC" on October 9, 2006; an e-mail from Nick Baldick "re Rielle" on October 10, 2006; te-mails between Baldick and Young on November 10 and 11, 2006; a letter from Alex Forger to Nick Baldick and check on August 1, 2007; emails between Baldick and Young on September 13, 2007; a letter from Alexander Forger and check to Baldick dated September 17 and 13, 2007; a letter from Forger and check to Baldick dated November 14 and 15, 2007; E-mails between Nick Baldick and Alex Forger on December 19 - 19, 2007; E-mails from Baldick to someone on December 27 and 29, 2007;
  • Emails a wire transfer from Nick Baldick to Cheri Young in her maiden name on Jan. 14, 2008; voicemails of Baldick left on Young's phone on October 28, 2008 and November 5, 2008.
  • Grand jury subpoenas pertinent to Baldick also went to Slan Productions and Hilltop Public Solutions:

    Young received some payments from Slan Productions, a consulting firm also listed in the subpoena. In one filing with the Federal Election Commission, Slan Productions' address is listed as Baldick's home in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

    The grand jury also has issued subpoenas for material related to the Hilltop Public Solutions consulting firm created by Baldick, a leading Democratic operative who also worked on presidential campaigns for Al Gore and Bill Clinton before Edwards picked him to manage his 2004 White House bid.

    Another expected witness: Wendy Button, a speechwriter:

    Wendy Button, a former Edwards' speechwriter who is expected to testify that Edwards told her in 2009 that he had known about at least some of the money from the start but that he didn't believe it was illegal. Button had been working with Edwards on a statement that he was considering making in the summer of 2009, after it was reported that Young was writing a book.

    The defense has been signaling throughout the trial that it will be coming at Button forcefully, portraying her as vengeful and obsessed with the investigation into Edwards affair.

    Jennifer Plamilieri is also going to be called. She was the former campaign communications director for Edwards in 2004.

    Jennifer Palmieri,commutations director for Edwards in the '04. Palmieri could shed more light on what Elizabeth Edwards knew about the affair and pregnancy and when she knew it. Palmieri was among the Edwards' advisers who helped arrange John Edwards' Nightline interview with Bob Woodruff in August of 2008 - during which Edwards admitted to a short affair with Hunter but denied paternity and disavowed any knowledge of alleged hush money payments by Fred Baron.

    Prosecutors may also quiz Palmieri about an argument she allegedly witnessed in 2007, in which Elizabeth Edwards was fuming at Fred and Lisa Baron over their friendship with Hunter.

    Also up this week: Wade Smith, John Edwards lawyer, who had to drop out of the case when the Government said it would call him as a witness; and Thomas Lloyd, another wealthy supporter of Edwards

    A person involved in the investigation and who is familiar with the financial transactions told The AP that Baldick provided Young a salary boost of about $30,000 to move off the Edwards campaign payroll onto one of Baldick's private organizations around the time Young began taking care of a pregnant Hunter in fall 2007, when the primary campaign was heating up. Young also got more than $150,000 in payments as a commission for money he raised for Alliance for a New America. A month after Young got his last campaign paycheck on Nov. 14, 2007, he publicly claimed paternity of Hunter's child.

    Also expected to be called this week: Tim Toben, a builder from NC who drove the Youngs and Hunter to the airport for their "Get out of Dodge" flight; and two employees at Mellon's estate. (Corrected from media account which initially listed Toben as Mellon's grandson.)

    That's a pretty ambitious list to get through in 4 days.

    Right now I'm leaning towards thinking neither John Edwards nor Rielle Hunter will testify. The defense really wants to call its two expert witnesses, but the Court may not allow it since the Government is opposing their testimony. There are enough novel legal issues in the case, that if they can get them on the stand, the defense may then decide to rest and tell the jury the burden is on the Government, and since it failed to make its case, there's no need to put on more witnesses.

< Sunday News and Open Thread | John Edwards Trial: Government May Not Call Rielle Hunter >
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