The key person funding John Edwards' cover up of his affair was a 101-year-old philanthropist who had swooned over the Democratic presidential contender in 2007.
Rachel "Bunny" Mellon was so taken with Edwards after meeting him at her Virginia estate in 2005 that she lent her personal plane to take him home to North Carolina, her confidante Bryan Huffman told the jury at Edwards' trial.
"Bunny was euphoric with the visit," Huffman told the court.
As the plane taxied down her private runway with Edwards' face visible in the window, Huffman said she told him, "There goes the next president of the United States."
What she might have said is there goes $725,000 of her money.
Huffman brought some color to a trial that has been marked by tears, grim faces, angry accusations, and tense testimony.
Huffman, dressed in yellow checked blazer with matching yellow tie and pocket square, cheerfully regaled the jury with stories about the financial scheme in his deep southern drawl.
Mellon was so enamored of Edwards that she made sure that her personal lawyer was unaware of her under the table donations, which formed the bulk of the hush fund meant to keep the presence of his mistress Rielle Hunter a secret. Mellon was also unaware of how the money was spent, Huffman said.
In addition to the $725,000 meant for Edwards personal needs, Mellon donated another $6 million to his political action committee and non-profit organization.
Edwards is charged with violating campaign finance laws by using nearly $1 million from wealthy donors to hide his pregnant girlfriend. He could face up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Huffman will be back on the stand today and he will be followed by Mellon's personal lawyer Alex Forger.
The checks, which became known as "Bunny money" to those involved in the cover up, were disguised as payments for furniture.
"It gave her something to look forward to," Huffman told the court. "The campaign gave her a wonderful focus and something to really hold onto."
When asked if Mellon was aware there was a $4,600 legal limit on campaign donations, Huffman replied, "She thought it was a little low."
At the time of the donations Edwards was fighting for the Democratic nomination against Barack Obama and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton, who Mellon referred to as "the old rag" or "ol' raggy."
The checks would arrive sporadically with notes attached to hide their purpose, Hufffman said
The notes pretended the money was for dining room chairs, a book case, or an "antique Charleston table."
"One note said she was paying me back for money I had bet on a horse. She was having fun with this," Huffman testified. "It was called the furniture business."
When Edwards' presidential campaign ended, Huffman says Edwards and Mellon began talking about a foundation that would fight poverty. Huffman said Young then asked Mellon for $40 million to $50 million to fund the foundation. Young has testified that he made the request at Edwards' behest.
"Bunny Mellon was a little upset that she was going to be out on the street corner and they were going to have her farm for the foundation," Huffman said.
In an August meeting in Mellon's home Forger talked to Edwards about the money and Edwards said he didn't know anything about the money or the foundation, Huffman told the court.
Other former Edwards aides have previously testified that Edwards was aware of the money and the plans for a foundation.
Rielle Hunter Told John Edwards' Aide "We Are Very Much in Love"
In testimony on Thursday, Edwards' former "body man" John Davis told the court that Hunter came to his hotel room on Feb. 5, 2007 to tell him that she and Edwards were "very much in love."
Hunter had already been dismissed from the campaign at the insistence of Edwards' wife Elizabeth, so Davis was surprised when he ran into Hunter in an elevator and that she got off on his boss' floor.
Davis went to his room and moments later Hunter came to his room.
"She told me she and John Edwards were very much in love and he (Edwards) was concerned that I had seen her," Davis testified. "I told her it was not my business... and I asked her to leave."
Two days later Edwards called Davis into a room, he said.
"He asked if I had run in to Miss Hunter. He (Edwards) told me she came to his room and told him she was going to go on Inside Edition or Access Hollywood to talk about her work for him. He told me she was crazy and to make sure she didn't contact him," Davis told the court.
"He denied there was an affair. He brought it up proactively," Davis said. The aide did not tell Edwards about Hunter's confession to him.
The aide said that he became aware that the relationship was continuing because Edwards would sometimes borrow his phone and keep it for a long time. On one occasion, Davis returned to Edwards' room to get his phone back, but could hear Edwards and Hunter talking on the phone.
"I heard Rielle Hunter on the speaker phone. I recognized her voice. I heard Mr. Edwards ask if she was showing yet," Davis testified.
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