to prison for up to 30 years. as a presidential candidate, john edwards talked famously about the two americas, one rich, one poor. but as a defendant charged with using campaign money to cover up the sex scandal that threatened his candidacy, he heard his own slogan used against him. campaign finance laws are designed to bring the two americas together, prosecutor bobby higdon said in his closing arguments. and, quote, john edwards forgot his own rhetoric. the government argues edwards masterminded the plan to have two wealthy donors, fred baron and bunny mellon, pay more than $1 million, far beyond the personal limit for campaign contributions, to hide his pregnant mistress rielle hunter from the public. the prosecution called it a full rescue operation for a teetering campaign. but the defense argued the money came from a series of personal gifts to hunter. it never went into a campaign account, and edwards was most concerned about hiding the affair from his dying wife