Would have had to serve six months for campaign violations.
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Before former North Carolina senator and vice-presidential candidate John Edwards was indicted Friday on charges that he committed campaign-finance violations in covering up his affair and love child with mistress Rielle Hunter, prosecutors made him a final offer: They would accept his guilty plea to three misdemeanor violations for six months in prison, according to the News & Observer. A “furious back and forth” followed, sources told the News & Observer, and Edwards and his legal team contemplated the deal late into the hours Thursday, and did not turn it down until a few minutes before his indictment was returned by the grand jury around 9:30 a.m Friday.