Team Edwards undoubtedly has a copy of every media interview Andrew Young and his wife Cheri ever provided, and every article in which they are quoted, as well as Young's book, which by now they must have underlined in a hundred or more places. Before the lunch recess today, the Judge asked Abbe Lowell when he expected to finish cross-examining Young. Lowell replied, "Next week." (Apparently a joke.)
Young testified today that his wife, Cheri Young, handled the family's finances. She's also going to be a witness and has given numerous interviews. While the Youngs may tell the same story, one of them may unwittingly contradict the other, in which case the jury may have further reason to doubt their credibility.
Rielle Hunter backs up Edwards in saying it was Young's idea to claim paternity of her and Edwards' child. Young and Cheri insist it was Edwards' idea. I can't begin to imagine how the jury will determine who is more credible, Rielle or Andrew and Cheri. What a choice.
For a trial that is supposed to be about whether Mellon's and Baron's donations were campaign contributions that had to be reported, and whether John Edwards knew this, so far it's been far more about whether Edwards' is a cad.
Regardless of what the jury thinks of John Edwards and Andrew Young by the end of this trial, the core issue for them is whether the funds provided by Fred Baron and Bunny Mellon were campaign contributions, as defined by an ambiguous federal law. If the funds were not contributions, Team Edwards argues, then there is no crime and there cannot be a criminal conspiracy, whether Edwards knew how the funds were ultimately used or not.
The Judge has not definitively ruled on whether she will allow Edwards to present expert testimony on the law applicable to campaign contributions. If she allows it, it's hard to see how a jury finds guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
While Andrew Young has the potential to torpedo the Government's case if he's decimated on cross-examination, I don't think the reverse is true. Should Young survive cross-examination, having been bruised and battered but not down for the count, John Edwards still has strong defenses based on federal election law.
And Young's credibility test for the jury doesn't end with his testimony. Lowell knows what the other witnesses will say. He will try to get answers from Young that conflict with what he knows these other witnesses will testify to. So Young's credibility may take additional hits long after he's left the stand.
Interesting sidenote: The Times' choice of photo for the article linked above depicts FBI Agent Charles Stuber talking to Andrew Young yesterday. Agent Stuber is on the Government's witness list. Maybe they were just talking about the weather?
