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Lawyers for Edwards ask judge to throw out case

Michael Biesecker

Lawyers for John Edwards have asked a federal judge to throw out criminal charges against the former presidential candidate.

Edwards' defense team filed three motions Tuesday evening saying that federal prosecutors had violated his constitutional rights. In the filings Edwards' lawyers say the federal indictment against him was unconstitutionally vague, arguing that even if all the facts alleged by prosecutors are true, then no crime occurred.

Edwards was charged in June with felony counts related to more than $1 million in undisclosed payments from political supporters used to help hide his pregnant mistress Rielle Hunter during his 2008 run.

Edwards' lawyers say he conspired with an aide to hide his mistress not to preserve his political candidacy, but to keep his affair secret from his wife and children.

The Associated Press