John Edwards donor to plead guilty to illegal donations

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: Politico

A prominent Los Angeles trial lawyer has agreed to plead guilty to two misdemeanors for giving employees and a relative a total of $20,000 to donate to former Sen. John Edwards's presidential campaign in 2003, court documents show.

The L.A. attorney, Pierce O'Donnell, has agreed to serve six months in jail and to pay a fine of $20,000, according to a plea agreement filed Thursday afternoon in federal court.

O'Donnell's case drew national attention in 2009 when Judge James Otero issued a surprising ruling that reimbursing a campaign contribution to a federal candidate did not violate federal law. Last year, a federal appeals court overruled Otero and reinstated the charges. Earlier this year, the Supreme Court declined to take up the case, although a Virginia judge recently came to a similar conclusion as Otero.

When the case was filed back in 2008, O'Donnell was indicted on three felony charges. The judge struck two of those charges in his ruling and later dismissed one at the request of prosecutors. With only misdemeanors on his record, O'Donnell could regain his law license, which was suspended after the charges were filed. His trial was set to open August 30.

Read more: http://hamptonroads.com/2011/08/john-edwards-donor-plead-guilty-illegal-donations

[McCamy Taylor]

1. But...but... what about their free speech? Why is the SCOTUS ignoring this one?

Could it be that you only have free speech if that speech supports a Republican?