Edwards may still be lying about his affair

Washington, Aug.12 : The lid on former Democrat vice-presidential nominee John Edwards affair with videographer Rielle Hunter hasn't been shut, as according to Fox News, several apparent inconsistencies have surfaced that contradict his assertion that he was telling "99 percent" of the truth before coming clean Friday in a confessional interview.

Edwards admitted to the affair with Hunter, saying it began in 2006. He denied it for months it following reports by the National Enquirer last October.

But discrepancies between his story and the unraveling timeline of events raise more questions about whether Edwards' attempts to come clean are in fact just more lies and half-truths.

A former close friend to Edwards' mistress told Fox News on Monday that the former presidential candidate's affair began months before she was hired to work for his campaign - contrary to Edwards' claim that the relationship began only after Hunter was hired to film Edwards for a series of documentaries to appear on the Internet.

Pigeon O'Brien said Hunter met Edwards at a New York City hotel in late February or early March of 2006, and that the affair began shortly thereafter.

By the time Hunter was signed on to the Edwards campaign as a videographer, for a fee of 114,000 dollars, O'Brien said they were already in a steamy relationship.

O'Brien said that they were seeing each other on a regular basis from early in the relationship.

"She said that he was in love with her and she was in love with him and that the relationship was solid," said O'Brien.

In his written statement admitting the affair, Edwards said the "misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then."

But according to reports, Hunter wrote e-mails in early April about a trip she took to North Carolina to see her "love lips."

Campaign finance records also show Hunter received her first payment in July 2006.

Other loose threads are also unraveling Edwards' account.

After Edwards was caught by The National Enquirer visiting Hunter in late July at the Beverly Hilton, the former North Carolina senator said Friday that that rendezvous was only arranged last minute.

Without going into specifics, the reporter said the tip came within the week, suggesting the tabloid had more than an afternoon to organize its stakeout.

Though the Enquirer published a photo that alleges to show him holding a baby at the Beverly Hilton and an Enquirer reporter said he saw McGovern show up at the Hilton on that day with a baby carrier, Edwards said, "I have no idea who that baby is."

Meanwhile, the issue of paternity is a question that is not likely to be resolved soon.

Edwards said confidently during his interview Friday that he would submit to a paternity test to prove he is not the father of Hunter's baby.

The Enquirer issued a challenge for him to do so on its Web site and even a family member of Hunter's came out to suggest such a test be taken.

But a day later Hunter's lawyer issued a statement saying Hunter would not take the test.

Asked about reports that 15,000 dollars a month was being paid to Hunter by Dallas attorney and Edwards supporter Fred Baron, Edwards said, "I had nothing to do with any money being paid and had no knowledge of any money being paid."

Edwards also left open the door when asked about reports that he had met Hunter in California several times before his run-in with the Enquirer in July.

He responded only, "I was at the Beverly Hilton."

ANI