John Edwards: "I did not break the law"

Flanked by his daughter, Cate (right), former senator and 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards speaks to a phalanx of reporters outside the federal courthouse in Winston-Salem after pleading not guilty to six felony counts, including allegations he illegally used campaign funds to conceal an extramarital affair with his mistress, Rielle Hunter, and her pregnancy with his child. (photo by Keith T. Barber)

Former senator and 2008 presidential candidate John Edwards said he did not break the law after being indicted on six felony counts, including one count of conspiracy, four counts of illegal campaign contributions and one count of making false statements. Edwards pleaded not guilty during his arraignment inside the federal courthouse in Winston-Salem Friday afternoon. “There’s no question that I’ve done wrong and I take full responsibility for having done wrong," Edwards said to reporters outside the courthouse. "And I will regret for the rest of my life the pain and the harm that I’ve caused to others. But I did not break the law and I never ever thought I was breaking the law. Thank you all very much.”

Edwards daughter, Cate, was at his side.

In the filing of the United States of America vs. Johnny Reid Edwards, federal prosecutors laid out the reasons for the alleged conspiracy that involved the illegal use of campaign funds to conceal an extramarital affair with Edwards' mistress, Rielle Hunter, and her subsequent pregnancy.

"The purpose of the conspiracy was to protect and advance Edwards' candidacy for President of the United States by secretly obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from [two campaign donors], well in excess of the Election Act's limit, to conceal Edwards' extramarital affair with [Rielle Hunter] and [Hunter's] pregnancy with his child."