The American Spectator

Washington Prowler

(Page 2 of 2)

JOHN'S EXTENDED FAMILY br> Remember how nationally influential Mississippi trial lawyer Dickie Scruggs threatened to derail Sen. John Edwards 's presidential aspirations by cutting off trial lawyer money to his presidential campaign? At the time Scruggs, who also happens to be the brother in law of Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott, had his underwear in a knot over Edwards's treatment of Mississippi judge Charles Pickering , whose nomination to the federal appeals court was blocked, in part, due to the North Carolina senator's patently dishonest questioning. /p>

As first reported in The Prowler, Edwards was so concerned about Scruggs's threats that he planned a trip to Mississippi to kiss and make up with Scruggs. But Edwards never made the trip, in part because Scruggs through intermediaries told him not to bother. Sure enough, as reported by Roll Call, Mississippi trial lawyers aren't giving to Edwards.

But otherwise Edwards had no cause to worry, given that non-Mississippi trial lawyers are making many donations to his New American Optimists PAC. In fact, four of every $5 raised by Edwards' PAC is from a lawyer, a firm. or a firm's family member, according to an Edwards staffer on Capitol Hill.

"Senator Edwards is a trial lawyer, and the family, as it were, is keeping its money within the family," says the aide. And what is Edwards doing with the more than a $250,000 his PAC has raised? He's buying up mailing lists. Last month, he purchased the mailing lists of both the Iowa Democratic Party and the Florida Democratic Party. Iowa holds the nation's first caucus in the 2004 presidential primary season, and Florida will hold the first Democratic straw poll of the cycle in October 2003.

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