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A federal grand jury is convening to investigate former presidential candidate John Edwards in connection with possible campaign finance violations related to paying his mistress, Rielle Hunter, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively. At least four former Edwards campaign workers recently received secret subpoenas to testify in Raleigh, N.C., according to a close source in Washington, D.C. One witness has confirmed receipt of the government document and has already contacted a lawyer, according to the source.

Multiple sources now confirm The ENQUIRER's report that a federal grand jury is investigating possible misuse of presidential campaign funds by John Edwards to pay off his mistress. U.S. Attorney George Holding revealed yesterday he "was not going to confirm or deny any investigation" regarding Edwards that was first reported by the ENQUIRER earlier this week. A Federal grand jury did convene on Wednesday in Raleigh, North Carolina, according to multiple local reports. Grand jury proceedings are kept secret. Attorneys are liable for criminal prosecution if they discuss such investigations in public or to the press. Prominent Raleigh defense attorney...

Published: Apr 03, 2009 02:00 AM Modified: Apr 03, 2009 05:48 AM John Edwards investigation reported From Staff Reports The National Enquirer reported on its Web site that a federal grand jury in Raleigh is investigating whether former Sen. John Edwards violated campaign-finance laws in his bid for president in 2008 by making payments to Rielle Hunter, his admitted mistress. U.S. Attorney George Holding said Thursday that he "was not going to confirm or deny any investigation" regarding Edwards. A federal grand jury was convened in Raleigh on Wednesday. Grand jury proceedings are secret. Such grand juries have the power...

Here is a picture of Frances Quinn Hunter, whose last name should be Edwards, according to sources. It’s from her first birthday, on Feb. 27, just one week ago. With her is her mother, Rielle Hunter, the filmmaker and ex-lover of former Sen. John Edwards. Edwards has admitted the affair, but denied that the baby is his. There is no father’s name on Frances Quinn’s birth certificate.

John Edwards’ ex-lover, Rielle Hunter, is not writing a book or giving interviews. Edwards' wife, Elizabeth, however, is doing just the opposite. Here is a picture of Frances Quinn Hunter, whose last name should be Edwards, according to sources. It’s from her first birthday, on Feb. 27, just one week ago. With her is her mother, Rielle Hunter, the filmmaker and ex-lover of former Sen. John Edwards. Edwards has admitted the affair, but denied that the baby is his. There is no father’s name on Frances Quinn’s birth certificate. Hunter is said to be upset about a story in...

The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively that John Edwards' cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth threw out her cheating husband after he admitted his extramarital affair on national TV!   Now those close to brave Elizabeth are pushing her to reveal the secret split in her new book Resilience: Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities, say sources. "The new book is Elizabeth's opportunity to admit that she did what any other wife and mother in America would have done - she did not accept her husband's philandering, and she tossed him out," said a close source. "Friends have told Elizabeth...

John Edwards Affair/Scandal: Rielle Hunter Back in New Jersey It's the East Coast for Frances Quinn The National Enquirer's reporting that Rielle Hunter has left her fancy digs in Santa Barbara for something a little more plebian: New Jersey The Enquirer had previously broke the story about how Hunter, John Edwards' mistress, and love child/daughter, Frances Quinn, were receiving hush money payments of $15,000 a month from Fred Baron--who was Edwards' campaign finance chairman. When Baron suddenly passed away from a lethal cancer on October 30, the $15K payments to the Hunters stopped. After her $15,000 monthly payments stopped with...

How much did Elizabeth Edwards, John Edwards’ wife, know about his affair with Rielle Hunter and when did she know it? Edwards has said that he told his wife about the affair “at the end of 2006” and that everything ended after that. Indeed, within days of the end of 2006, Web videos produced by Hunter about Edwards disappeared from his campaign Web site and from YouTube. Sources tell me that it was indeed Elizabeth Edwards who had the videos pulled down when she saw them. The theory among Edwards campaign insiders is that she finally put two and two...

WASHINGTON – John Edwards' political career is probably not coming back. But Fred Baron insists he is not going away. The Dallas trial lawyer, both celebrated and vilified as the King of Toxic Torts, made a handsome living confronting big companies on behalf of sick and some not-so-sick plaintiffs. He's a lightning rod again, after admitting he paid to move the presidential candidate's mistress away from prying tabloid reporters. He says political enemies will try to use the episode against his efforts to elect Democratic candidates in Texas....

ExclusiveJohn Edwards calling former staffers asking for forgiveness By THOMAS M. DeFRANK DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF Updated Tuesday, August 26th 2008, 12:07 AM   DENVER - John Edwards is burning up the phone lines, begging former aides and backers to forgive him for lying about his affair - but hearing their rage instead.As Democrats kick off their convention Monday, the onetime presidential contender is a man without a party - or a political future - trying to rebuild bridges through dozens of remorseful phone calls.It's proving a hard sell with onetime true believers. CLICK TO SEE A PHOTO...

Two weeks after a devastating revelation sent her husband into political exile, Elizabeth Edwards isn't getting the steady sympathy usually afforded to a woman scorned. Instead, she's faced criticism from dedicated Democrats who think she was too willing to keep the affair a secret to help John Edwards' political ambitions, as well as her own.

DENVER - John Edwards is burning up the phone lines, begging former aides and backers to forgive him for lying about his affair - but hearing their rage instead. As Democrats kick off their convention Monday, the onetime presidential contender is a man without a party - or a political future - trying to rebuild bridges through dozens of remorseful phone calls. It's proving a hard sell with onetime true believers.

Was John Edwards visiting his lover (and possible baby mama) Rielle Hunter earlier than thought? Remember: the National Enquirer’s big scoop was that they found Edwards in the Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 22 at 2:30 in the morning. Their reporters cornered him in a basement bathroom after he’d been visiting Hunter and her baby, Frances Quinn. Edwards later explained the meeting to ABC’s Bob Woodruff as a chance to discuss with Hunter how details of their association were coming out in the press. But now a very credible source tells me they ran into Edwards at the Beverly Hilton...

DENVER - John Edwards is burning up the phone lines, begging former aides and backers to forgive him for lying about his affair - but hearing their rage instead. As Democrats kick off their convention Monday, the onetime presidential contender is a man without a party - or a political future - trying to rebuild bridges through dozens of remorseful phone calls. It's proving a hard sell with onetime true believers. Many are bitter and disillusioned after swallowing his lies about his affair with a campaign staffer and vouching for his credibility with friends and journalists. Some ignore his plaintive...

In an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box," billionaire Warren Buffett suggested that donors to the John Edwards for President Campaign might consider filing a class action lawsuit. "I think if I had given him money I'd probably be asking him for it back now" quipped the investor icon in a half serious, half joking manner. "I think if I were Edwards I might give up a haircut or two and return some of the money....if they (donors of the smaller amnounts) had known the facts they woudn't have sent him the money." Buffett's main problem with Edwards was the fact...

One-time Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards promised his mistress they would reunited once his cancer-stricken wife died, the National Enquirer reported. The Enquirer - which first broke word of the Edwards scandal - also reported that mistress Rielle Hunter refuses to make Edwards take a paternity test because she fears it will jeopardize their future. Edwards, who admitted the affair earlier this month after repeated denials, remains in contact with Hunter even now, according to the Enquirer. The North Carolina politician called her after his Aug. 8 confession on national television, reportedly telling her: "We'll be together when Elizabeth is...

John Edwards assured his mistress that they'd be together after his cancer-stricken wife died, according to a new bombshell report. Just before the former presidential contender confessed his adultery to ABC News on Aug. 8, he secretly flew Rielle Hunter and her 6-month-old child, Frances Quinn, from California to the US Virgin Islands, according to the National Enquirer, which first exposed their affair. And after the interview, in which he denied loving Hunter or fathering the baby, he called her to say, "We'll be together when Elizabeth is gone," the tabloid reported.

The day prior to Edwards bombshell admission to an affair on ABC’s Nightline, Rielle Hunter and her 6 month old daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, were flown out of the US onboard a chartered Learjet. The private flight cost $50,000 and was paid for by Edwards’ pals. The Hunters were the solo passengers aboard the eight-hour flight. Destination: St. Croix in the Virgin Islands! THE ENQUIRER tracked Rielle to St. Croix where our reporters discovered Rielle and the baby stayed in a luxurious oceanfront home owned by controversial trial lawyer Lee Rohn, another close friend of Edwards. [snip]

As NewsBusters editor Matthew Sheffield recently wrote, the John Edwards scandal demonstrates why the public is moving to the web for news. A big reason for the public relying more and more on the web for news is that the blogosphere is willing to do the investigative footwork that the mainstream media often neglects. A perfect illustration of this are the revelations made today by the DBKP blog about the suspicious aircraft leasing arrangements made by John Edwards' moneyman, Fred Baron:

Questions for John Edwards and Fred Baron When Next Either Surfaces to Confront the PressA "Thank You" to our Network of Readers, Comment-writers and Tipsters! ...including all at Free Republic John Edwards and Fred Baron have had a close relationship over the last ten years. Both Edwards and Baron are successful trial attorneys and both shared the dream of seeing John Edwards elected President. Both may, at some point, want to share some information on campaign travel billings. A DBKP reader, known only as "Phil Ander", did some independent research into the Edwards' campaign's use of Baron's private jet and...