John Edwards will plead not guilty, lawyer says

Made statement outside Winston-Salem federal courthouse

John Edwards arriving at the federal courthouse in Winston-Salem, NC

(By Bertand M. Gutierrez, Winston-Salem Journal) - An attorney for John Edwards said outside the Winston-Salem federal courthouse today that the felony indictment against the two-time presidential candidate is unprecedented in campaign finance history and that Edwards will plead not guilty.

"He has broken no law, and we will defend this case vigorously," said Gregory Craig of the Skaddenarps law firm of Washington, D.C. Craig was previously White House counsel for President Barack Obama and is now lead counsel on Edwards' case. "This is an unprecedented prosecution, much less an unprecedented civil case."

Craig made the statement as Edwards waited inside the courthouse to appear at a 2:30 p.m. hearing in U.S. District Court on the felony indictment handed up this morning. Edwards is accused of using campaign funds to take care of his mistress and their baby during the peak of his 2008 campaign.