John Edwards Caught in Lies Regarding Affair

By Pamela Mortimer

John Edwards had claimed previously that he was telling 99% of the truth about his relationship with videographer Rielle Hunter. On Friday, Edwards confessed to having an affair with Hunter beginning in 2006. Edwards had vehemently denied any relationship with Hunter after the National Enquirer reported on it last October.

Although Edwards has finally admitted to the affair, more inconsistencies and discrepancies with his story have people wondering about the accuracy of this new confession.

On Monday, a former confidant to Hunter told FOXNews.com that the affair between Hunter and the former presidential candidate started several months before she was hired onto the Edwards campaign as a videographer. Edwards had said that the affair started after Hunter was hired.

Pigeon O’Brien said Edwards and Hunter met at a hotel in New York City in late February or early March 2006. According to O’Brien, by the time Hunter was hired at a hefty price of $114,000, the pair was already involved in "a steamy relationship."

"The affair began before she was hired to work for the campaign," said O’Brien. Hunter’s former friend said the inconsistency in Edwards’ story is what prompted her to come forward.

O'Brien reported that the couple was seeing each other "on a regular basis" from the beginning. "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.

According to Edwards’ Friday confession, Hunter was not hired in July 2006 because of their relationship. Edwards also issued a statement saying that the "misconduct took place for a short period in 2006. It ended then."

The National Enquirer reported seeing Edwards at the Beverly Hilton in July when he supposedly went to see Hunter. Edwards rebutted that the meeting was arranged at the last minute.

"I had been in Los Angeles that day to do an event with the mayor, and that afternoon I got a call in my hotel room from a gentleman named Bob McGovern. … And he asked me to come and meet with them."

A reporter for the Enquirer stated that he had been tipped off the week prior to the rendezvous.

Edwards finally admitted that the meeting was planned but that he only went to make sure Hunter wasn’t going to go public with their relationship. Edwards denies going to visit the baby he claims doesn’t belong to him. When Edwards was confronted about the child, Edwards responded, "I have no idea who that baby is."

The North Carolina senator has offered to take a paternity test to dispel rumors that he is the father of Hunter’s baby. The offer was soon quashed by Hunter’s attorney who claimed his client would not subject herself to the test.

"Rielle will not participate in DNA testing or any other invasion of her or her daughter's privacy now or in the future," lawyer Robert Gordon said.