General Discussion

Chan790

(20,176 posts)

52. Misdirection.

Fri Apr 27, 2012, 02:00 PM

Apr 2012

Misuse of campaign funds outside of FEC guidelines and expenditures reporting is a criminal offense. So is filing a fraudulent FEC report. He allegedly used campaign funds illegally and now stands trial for it. He allegedly filed a fraudulent expenditures report with the Federal Elections Commission and now stands trial for it.

Trying to distract from that by referring to it as "being a cheating lying creep" is a disingenuous attempt at misdirection. Political slight-of-hand, if you will. It's an interesting attempt to frame a criminal lapse as an ethical lapse in order to portray John Edwards as not criminally-culpable and reduce the severity of his infractions in the public opinion by applying language which, while negative, does not carry connotations of illegality.

Misappropriation of campaign funds is illegal.
Nobody has ever gone to jail for being a creep.

Frame his infraction as the second rather than the first and you sway public opinion.

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Elizabeth Edwards was a DUer. [View all] WilliamPitt Apr 2012 OP

Being a cheating lying creep isn't a criminal offense. dkf Apr 2012 #1

Neither is being an asshole WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #2

Truly. Just look at newt gingrich and john mccain, both of whom threw over sick or injured wives calimary Apr 2012 #57

Or a Patriot's fan trumad Apr 2012 #67

Depends on who you ask. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #69

Bag trumad Apr 2012 #76

Ban this man. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #77

You working tonight? trumad Apr 2012 #78

Thank God, no. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #80

I'm concerned about your social life.. trumad Apr 2012 #81

This isn't fun? WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #82

ok trumad Apr 2012 #83

Die. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #89

My God that is Rex Apr 2012 #91

Stealing campaign funds is, though. TheManInTheMac Apr 2012 #3

And if The State proves beyond a reasonable doubt that he did that, he should go to prison Bake Apr 2012 #10

Elizabeth Edwards is not John Edwards. sabrina 1 Apr 2012 #4

It is if you take my money and use it to build a cozy house for yourself. Baitball Blogger Apr 2012 #13

Same here. Makes me mad as heck. n/t Paper Roses Apr 2012 #29

I agree. Baitball SCantiGOP Apr 2012 #32

+1 redqueen Apr 2012 #41

If it's any consolation, your money didn't. jeff47 Apr 2012 #47

Misdirection. Chan790 Apr 2012 #52

How about Vanje Apr 2012 #54

Misuse of campaign funds isn't a criminal offense? Ruby the Liberal Apr 2012 #61

Was she really? Lawlbringer Apr 2012 #5

yes, she was magical thyme Apr 2012 #6

Yes. She had an account (nt) bigwillq Apr 2012 #7

No... she absolutely did post here. BTW, Wes Clark's son did too... hlthe2b Apr 2012 #9

She was indeed. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #15

not really hfojvt Apr 2012 #17

It used to be against DU rules WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #18

that isn't what I did hfojvt Apr 2012 #21

She may have been a lurker Texasgal Apr 2012 #93

A lot of stuff happens here that used to be against the rules. TheWraith Apr 2012 #37

She's a DUer to me. Her words brought great comfort to many of us. CJCRANE Apr 2012 #38

"Anyone who's posted here and made an impression big or small is a DUer" WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #40

including freeper trolls? snooper2 Apr 2012 #44

If they brought as much in a short time as E.E. did WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #55

Yes, I still remember CJCRANE Apr 2012 #72

She had many more posts under her pseudonym - 38,144 mzmolly Apr 2012 #64

really, and what was that pseudonym? hfojvt Apr 2012 #94

I just feel for their kids... hlthe2b Apr 2012 #8

Agreed. mzmolly Apr 2012 #97

If Sleeze was a crime, the federal prisons would be bursting with pols. leveymg Apr 2012 #11

Wish she still was. progressoid Apr 2012 #12

I remember the first time she posted here. Nye Bevan Apr 2012 #14

I remember also. n/t RebelOne Apr 2012 #51

what ever you think of her husband remember--he was the one who talked about poor folks dembotoz Apr 2012 #16

and that's why i voted for him in the CA primary.. frylock Apr 2012 #45

Some of you may have known Elizabeth Edwards personally. DefenseLawyer Apr 2012 #19

Elisabeth Edwards made quite clear that they did not have any cali Apr 2012 #20

Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act DefenseLawyer Apr 2012 #24

One more time: Clinton never pretended that his cali Apr 2012 #27

I will respectfully disagree DefenseLawyer Apr 2012 #34

Off topic Will Horse with no Name Apr 2012 #22

The fuckhead who hacked my account did. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #79

Twitter had already deleted it before I saw it Horse with no Name Apr 2012 #86

"Hello someone is making nasty things about you" WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #87

No doubts! Horse with no Name Apr 2012 #90

"I think Morpheus means more to me than he does to you ... hfojvt Apr 2012 #23

she kicked him out. cali Apr 2012 #28

Such things are not always permanent jeff47 Apr 2012 #46

She wasn't a very nice person. closeupready Apr 2012 #25

First I've heard of that claim tkmorris Apr 2012 #30

Well I know she had a good side, but for example, closeupready Apr 2012 #33

"There are other examples." WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #39

Take it up with "Vanity Fair". closeupready Apr 2012 #42

I'm taking it up with you, since you brought it to the table WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #49

Did you read the Vanity Fair piece? closeupready Apr 2012 #62

Did you provide a link to it when you used it as convincing evidence? WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #63

I found the data you requested snooper2 Apr 2012 #65

There’s something terribly creepy about reading the scene in a private jet hangar snooper2 Apr 2012 #59

She would have made us proud as a First Lady. lpbk2713 Apr 2012 #26

Yep, she was. mmonk Apr 2012 #31

K&R in Elizabeth's memory. nt pecwae Apr 2012 #35

Edwards prosecutor is a Bush holdover Republican Hissyspit Apr 2012 #36

Really? Did not know that thanks! Rex Apr 2012 #43

word. mahina Apr 2012 #48

Here's a link to a post of hers following the lost election... hlthe2b Apr 2012 #50

Well done. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #53

Do any of us know much about the most intimate aspects of the Edward's relationship? mulsh Apr 2012 #56

yes. we know quite a bit. cali Apr 2012 #58

Thanks,here's a link to an article Elizabth Edwards wrote mulsh Apr 2012 #92

The vituperation from certain segments of the democratic party this long after the fact HiPointDem Apr 2012 #60

"certain segments"? WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #66

nothing to elaborate. all that was meant was that the vituperation isn't universal, HiPointDem Apr 2012 #85

what if some of were strongly anti-Edwards all along? cali Apr 2012 #68

Thank you for your concern. Rex Apr 2012 #73

+1 WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #75

deplorable post (nt) inna Apr 2012 #70

and I'm sure EE would find this OP appalling inna Apr 2012 #71

I disagree. Rex Apr 2012 #74

i'm sure you do inna Apr 2012 #96

So was OMC. kenny blankenship Apr 2012 #84

You're comparing Elizabeth Edwards to OMC. WilliamPitt Apr 2012 #88

He's not my favorite Democrat, BlueIris Apr 2012 #95