Posted on 07/19/2004 6:54:16 AM PDT by dead
Few would suspect that the portly, rough-and-ready Wesley Blake Edwards, 39, is the younger brother of John Edwards, the svelte US vice-presidential nominee on the Democratic ticket.
Fewer still will have heard of Wesley, an electrician who has become a minor embarrassment to his famous and wealthy sibling. After failing to appear on a drink-driving charge more than 10 years ago, according to state records, he is still wanted by police in Colorado.
After drink-driving convictions in 1985, 1987 and 1990, Mr Edwards's driving licence was permanently revoked and he spent a week in prison. Last August he pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and was fined $US100 ($137) by a court in North Carolina, the state where his brother is a senator, and where he lives, in Fuquay-Varina.
The Edwards brothers grew up in Robbins, South Carolina. Records show that Senator Edwards - who earned millions of dollars during his career as a lawyer - bought his brother a $US100,000 home. One of the senator's cases included winning a $US950,000 settlement for the family of a woman killed by a drunken driver.
His brother's rise to political stardom means that Mr Edwards has become the centre of unwanted attention. Many of his neighbours have only just realised his connection to the "Breck Girl", as Republican opponents have dubbed Senator Edwards, in reference to the well-groomed star of a 1950s shampoo commercial. "I'm trying to keep it quiet," Mr Edwards said last week. "But I don't think that's going to happen."
All media requests to speak to Wesley Edwards were being directed to the Kerry-Edwards campaign headquarters, where a spokesman denied that his behaviour was an embarrassment.
"Senator Edwards loves his brother very much," a spokesman said. "He knows his brother should not have done what he did but he is dealing with it."
This should be front and center that John does not speak of his own brother. Why is he hiding it? (sarcasm)
Edwards' official bio does not admit to any siblings. Now we know why.
And Kerry sent his brother to Israel to lie to the expats there. Much as LIEberman lied to the seniors in Florida.
Jimmy had Billy, Bubba had Roger and now Edwards has his own brother woes.
Of course, Bush has Neil, but the Dems have tried to exploit, with no success.
It's just a British/Irish idiom for the act.
Could be a British-thing??? ...they're good chaps, but they still haven't mastered our lingo yet.
It's just a British expression (article is from a British newspaper) for DUI.
GW's bio at www.whitehouse.gov doesn't mention any siblings either.
In Wyoming, at least in Teton County, you can drive around with a beer or a martini; you just can't be drunk. What a free country it is where liberals aren't in charge! (Note that WY now has a Dem governor, but historically it is free, and Republican.)
In Britain you can be arrested for having car keys in your pocket while in a pub. Actual drunk diving can get you up to 1 year in jail on a first offence. At least that is what the Brits I worked with told me…
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