John Edwards

After John Edwards was recently acquitted on violating campaign finance rules and having five more criminal counts dropped, his mistress and baby mama, Rielle Hunter, shares her side of the story about her infamous affair with the former presidential candidate in her memoir out June 26. In the book, titled What Really Happened: John Edwards, Our Daughter, and Me, Rielle makes some surprising confessions about her relationship with "Johnny" and her feelings toward his late wife, Elizabeth, who was dying of cancer at the time of the affair. If you're intrigued by the tell-all but aren't sure you'll actually read it, here are some of the juicy tidbits from Rielle Hunter's memoir:

• John didn't come clean about his other affairs to Rielle until 2011, which included at least two other women as far back as 20 years ago.
• John actually lied to her about having more mistresses than he actually had to keep her from getting attached.
• She calls Elizabeth a "witch on wheels" in the book and claims she harassed her and physically abused John.
• After Elizabeth discovered the truth about the affairs at the end of 2006, she called Rielle from John's phone, and when Rielle answered with "Hey, baby," Elizabeth hung up.
• To keep suspicion off of John when she was pregnant, she agreed to let his aide Andrew Young claim paternity of the child, and she even lived with Andrew's wife and children. She writes that this lie is the thing she regrets the most in regards to her relationship with John.
• Rielle and John filmed a sex tape in Uganda that Andrew tried to sell.
• In 2008, John admitted to the affair with Rielle but not to Quinn being his daughter. Rielle writes that he must have been "temporarily insane" to not cop to being the father of their baby.
• She alludes to them still having a romantic relationship, writing, "I really have no idea what will happen with us. The jury is still out. But I can honestly say that the ending is of no concern to me anymore. The love is here. And as sappy as it may sound, I love living in love."

And stay tuned for even more details when Rielle is interviewed on 20/20 this Friday.

You can't go on trial for cheating on your wife, but if it involves campaign finance abuse, you might face 30 years in prison. Former presidential candidate John Edwards is looking at 30 years behind bars and $1.5 million in fines for allegedly using unclaimed campaign funds to hide his mistress. During an emotional portion of the trial yesterday, about his late wife Elizabeth, his daughter Cate, 30, left the courtroom in tears.

Christina Reynolds, a confidant and aide to the late Elizabeth Edwards, described a confrontation Elizabeth had with her cheating husband in 2007. Elizabeth, who died in 2010 after a battle of breast cancer, confronted her husband at a private airport hanger after the National Enquirer published a story about the affair. Elizabeth had already known about the affair, but became upset by the story. After yelling at John in front of aides, she stormed off and collapsed on the pavement. Reynolds helped her into the bathroom, but then Elizabeth went back out to find John, tore off her shirt and bra, and yelled "You don't see my anymore," shirtless, in front of the staff. According to Reynolds, John told Elizabeth "not in front of our friends," and she responded, "They're not our friends, They're our staff."

Elizabeth was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, which went into remission only to return, terminally, in 2007, the year this episode takes place. In August 2008 John admitted having an affair with Rielle Hunter, his campaign videographer, but denied rumors that he fathered her child. Elizabeth stood by his side until 2010, when John confirmed he was, in fact, the baby's father. Elizabeth passed away in 2010. Despite her parents' very public marital troubles, daughter Cate married in Oct. 2011, and her father walked her down the aisle. She's now at his side at the criminal trial.

All the painful personal details brought out at the trial are meant to help jurors decide if Edwards failed to report $1 million from friends and old donors in order to fund his mistress's lifestyle. Whatever the outcome, I don't think anyone will feel like a winner.

When it comes to sex scandals, politicians like Arnold Schwarzenegger and John Edwards really outdid themselves. Edwards carried on an affair that produced a child while his longtime wife was dying of cancer, and Schwarzenegger fathered a child with his housekeeper, who continued to work for him and his wife for another decade. These contemptible details guarantee little sympathy from the public, and now for Edwards some serious karma in the form of a grand jury indictment and possible jail time.

This morning, the former senator, vice presidential candidate, and progressive sweetheart was indicted on charges that he violated campaign finance law while trying to hide his mistress Rielle Hunter and her pregnancy from the public while running for president. He's charged with illegally using almost $1 million of donor money for Hunter's housing, medical care, and travel in order to protect his campaign.

Edwards's defense is that he used the money for private purposes, namely to keep his late wife, Elizabeth, from finding out about Hunter, therefore he wasn't required to report the donations. But since the affair would have harmed his campaign, it's hard to argue the cover-up was not part of his political strategy. If American presidential campaigns focused less on personal scandals and more on policies, maybe Edwards wouldn't have had to worry about his infidelity being exposed. But we all know that's not the America we live in.

Are you surprised Edwards is facing serious consequences?

Aaron Sorkin's latest film, The Social Network, made a splash this week with its new intense trailer, but for his next project, The West Wing creator is staying with current events and going back to the political. He'll write and direct a biopic about John Edwards and the scandal surrounding his 2008 run for president.

Sorkin has optioned the rights to The Politician, which recounts the road of the former Democratic candidate as he was accused of fathering an illegitimate child, then admitted his guilt to the shock of the nation and his wife. At the time, I definitely thought about what a dramatic roller-coaster ride that news was, so it's almost tailor-made for a movie. The only question now is: who should play Edwards?

• Wonder Woman turns 69, gets a conservative makeover — New York Times
• John Edwards living a life of drinking and flirting — Daily Beast
• Third time might charm for new Twilight, out today — BuzzSugar
• Meanwhile, producer outs Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's relationship — PopSugar
• Should libraries expose people who watch porn on public computers? — Gawker
• VA hospital may have infected 1,800 veterans with HIV — CNN
• Lessons to learn from celebrity drunk driving arrests — Salon
• Mike "The Situation" celebrates his birthday — People

Last month, Rielle Hunter posed suggestively in GQ, and today, the self-described "private" woman's chat with Oprah aired. When the talk show queen inquired as to how Hunter could stand by John Edwards when he renewed his wedding vows with his wife Elizabeth, Hunter admitted she was hurt. She said:

"No. I didn't get out. I was pregnant. Now he's turned into the father of my child. He's no longer the married boyfriend. He is now the father of my child and that shifts you. That changes things."

Are you lenient with your baby's father because he has biological ties to your child?