GREENSBORO, N.C. รข€" An interior designer testified Thursday about his role in funneling secret money from a reclusive millionaire to an aide of John Edwards in a scheme that included checks labeled for fake antique furniture purchases.
Bryan Huffman described, for example, receiving a $100,000 check from now-101-year-old heiress Rachel "Bunny" Mellon with "Antique Charleston Table and Chairs" written in the memo line. It was part of an elaborate ruse to hide $725,000 intended for Edwards from the Mellon family's money managers by sending checks to the designer, who endorsed the checks and sent them to a fundraiser for Edwards' 2008 campaign.
A prosecutor asked Huffman whether Mellon was aware of a federal law that limited individual political contributions to $2,300 per election cycle.
"She thought it was a little low," Huffman, 48, replied to laughter. "Our furniture business did not really involve furniture. It was money for Sen. Edwards."
Edwards has pleaded not guilty to six criminal counts related to campaign finance violations involving about $1 million provided by Mellon and another donor. Some of the money was used to hide the candidate's pregnant mistress as he sought the White House in 2008. He faces up to 30 years in prison and $1.5 million in fines if convicted.
In addition to the $725,000 in secret money, Mellon provided $6.6 million to Edwards' political action committee and his poverty center. The checks stopped after her lawyer learned about them and confronted the interior designer, who admitted that the money had gone to Edwards aide Andrew Young. The lawyer is expected to testify Friday.
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