Former Aide Rips John Edwards' Confession As 'Empty Words'
Jan. 21, 2010 — -- A former aide to John Edwards dismissed his former boss' confession of having fathered a baby with his mistress two years ago as "empty words" that are little more than a public relations campaign.
Andrew Young lashed out at the former presidential candidate in an exclusive interview with ABC News hours after Edwards released a statement admitting he was the father of mistress Rielle Hunter's nearly 2-year-old toddler.
"I think those were words, empty words," Young told ABC News. "If that is what he wanted to say, he should have said it two years ago. And there has been plenty of time...Now I think it's just a PR campaign."
Edwards' confession comes two weeks before a book by Young detailing his account of the Edwards sex scandal will be released. "The Politician" will hit store shelves Jan. 30.
Family friend and lawyer Harrison Hickman told ABC News that Edwards made his announcement today because the arrangements for child support were just finalized in the last few days.
In an earlier interview with ABC News that will air Friday, Jan. 29, Young also claims that it was Edwards who proposed an elaborate cover-up in a failed attempt to hide the fact that he fathered a baby girl with Hunter.
Edwards finally confessed today that he is the father of Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn. But his statement did not stop fresh revelations from emerging about his attempts to keep his paternity secret.
Young initially tried to protect his boss' reputation and political career by publicly stating that he was the father of Hunter's infant, a story that Hunter did not dispute.
"The senator made the full pitch," Young told ABC News' "20/20." "Not just for me. I mean he didn't just have to convince me that I was going to take paternity. He also had to convince Rielle that she would publicly claim that I had been the father."
Young said Edwards, a former North Carolina senator and Democratic presidential contender in 2008, asked him to steal one of his daughter's soiled diapers as part of a DNA strategy.
Tune in to ABC News' "20/20" and "Nightline" Friday, Jan. 29 to see Andrew Young's exclusive groundbreaking interview. Then tune in to "Good Morning America" on the following Monday, Feb. 1, when Young will appear for his first live interview.
"Get a doctor to fake the DNA results," Young said Edwards told him. "And he asked me ... to steal a diaper from the baby so he could secretly do a DNA test to find out if this [was] indeed his child."
Young said he ignored the request.
Edwards released a statement today finally admitting that he is the father of Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn.
"I am Quinn's father," Edwards said in the bombshell statement.
"I will do everything in my power to provide her with the love and support she deserves."
Edwards said it was "wrong" that he denied he was the girl's father.
