Posted on 07/11/2004 1:47:20 AM PDT by GAGOPSWEEPTOVICTORY
Sen. John Edwards strode through North Carolina's courtrooms in the 1980s and made his reputation as a lawyer. His little brother, Blake, saw plenty of courtrooms then, too - as a defendant. While his illustrious brother won legal victories and earned millions, Wesley Blake Edwards racked up speeding tickets, license suspensions and impaired-driving convictions.
In 1987, he served seven days in jail for driving under the influence. Three years later, he permanently lost his driver's license when he was arrested for driving under the influence for a third time.
Despite being banned from driving, Blake Edwards was pulled over in April 2003. He resolved the charge by paying a $100 fine.
He asked the state to reinstate his driver's license earlier this year, but was denied. Blake, 39, is the youngest of Wallace and Bobbie Edwards' three children, and is more than 11 years younger than John. He grew up in the tiny mill town of Robbins, N.C., which John Kerry credits with instilling the N.C. senator's small-town values.
Blake Edwards declined to speak with a reporter about his famous brother - or his driving record. "You'll have to talk to the campaign office," he said before closing the door.
The campaign issued a statement to the Daily News yesterday: "Sen. Edwards loves his brother. He is a good man who worked hard and has never wanted to be in the spotlight."
Blake Edwards lives with his wife, Debbie, 46, and their daughter in a modest two-story home that his brother bought for him with $100,000 cash in 1999, property records show.
Blake Edwards works as a union electrician, and his well-worn toolbox sat on the front porch after he returned from work last week. A white Dodge - the same car he was caught driving last year - sat in the driveway with an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sticker and a "John Edwards for President" bumper sticker.
Despite the sticker, John Edwards' little brother does not appear to be registered to vote in North Carolina. Debbie Edwards is - as a Republican.
The perils of politics. It seems there is always a Billy Carter in the closet.
this is a landmine.
buying his down-on-his-luck brother a house is bonus points
FOR edwards. of course, the thought of paying for a house
with $100,000 cash is probably a bit alien to most americans.
I personally love the fact that Edward's brother isn't even registered to vote and his wife is a Republican.
But I agree, $100,000 in cash for a house, his big brother had to pay for it. If this is true, I wonder if Edwards paid the gift tax for giving his bro this money?
I seem to recall that edwards didn't carry his home county
when he ran for senate . . . . .
buying his down-on-his-luck brother a house is bonus points
FOR edwards. of course, the thought of paying for a house
with $100,000 cash is probably a bit alien to most americans.
Blake Edwards may be a neer-do-well, but I loved his "Pink Panther" movies.
I don't like John Edwards or his politics but he cannot be blamed for what his brother does. The long line of embarrassing political brothers go back US Grant's bro and include Donald Nixon, Teddy Kennedy, Billy Carter, Roger Clinton.
the media will literally eat this up.
< pet_peeve>
No, the media will figuratively eat this up. If the media were to literally eat this up, they would have to physically ingest "this," and however you define "this" the possibility seems remote. (Unless Michael Moore is considered a member of the media, in which case your original phrasing may well be correct.)
< /pet_peeve>
thank you for your valuable contribution to the discussion.
are we going to see "Blake Beer" hit the market ?
the same car he was caught driving last year - sat in the driveway with an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers sticker and a "John Edwards for President" bumper sticker.
My husband is a member of the IBEW. We received a letter from them asking for a donation for Kerry. I have a postage paid response card. I want to write something catching on the post card and return it to them. Got any suggestions?
How about "Beck v. Communications Workers of America"?
Yes You might think about using the Cheney-Leahy quote.
Received a letter asking for donations for Kerry. I wrote "J F'n K - No F'n Way - Go Bush" on it and mailed it back.
If its postpaid, write whatever you want on it, then glue it to a cement block and send it back.
A gift tax return would be required. However, there is likely no gift tax liability. John Edwards and his wife could elect gift splitting. The gift likely did not generate a gift tax liability because of the annual exclusion and the lifetime applicable exclusion amount.
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