No Hunter paternity test

WASHINGTON - The ex-mistress of former presidential candidate John Edwards said on Saturday she will not participate in DNA testing to establish the paternity of her daughter.

Rielle Hunter's lawyer, Robert Gordon, says his client is a private

individual who is not running for public office and that she wishes

to maintain the privacy of her and her daughter.

"Rielle is therefore making no statement now or in the future,"

Gordon said in a statement.

 

"Furthermore, Rielle will not participate in DNA testing or any

other invasion of her or her daughter's privacy now or in the

future."

 

On Friday, Edwards admitted to having an extramarital affair

with Hunter in 2006 but denied that he was the father of Hunter's

five-month-old daughter.

 

Edwards offered to take a paternity test to prove he is not the

father.

 

Hunter's decision means that the issue of who the father is

remains an open question.

 

Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn Hunter, was born on February

27, and no father's name is given on the birth certificate filed in

California.

 

A former Edwards campaign staff member professes to be the

father.

 

Edwards, a former North Carolina senator who was the Democratic

vice presidential nominee in 2004, confessed to ABC News that he

had lied repeatedly about the affair with Hunter, then 42, who

produced videos for Edwards as he prepared to launch his

presidential campaign.

 

In an interview which aired on ABC's 'Nightline' on Friday

night, Edwards said he would be willing to take a paternity test to

put the issue to rest but wasn't sure whether Hunter would be

willing to.

 

The National Enquirer first reported on the affair in October

2007, in the run-up to the Democratic primaries, and Edwards denied

it.

 

Last month, the Enquirer carried another story - the blaring

headline referred to an Edwards "love child" - stating that its

reporters had accosted Edwards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los

Angeles where he had met with Hunter after her child's birth.

 

Edwards called it "tabloid trash."

 

In her statement on Friday, Elizabeth Edwards said it wasn't

easy to find out about the extramarital affair in 2006 but

indicated she did not believe that her husband was the father of

Hunter's daughter.

 

"This was our private matter, and I frankly wanted it to be

private because as painful as it was I did not want to have to play

it out on a public stage as well," she said.

 

- Edwards declared his presidential candidacy in December

2006.

 

His wife campaigned enthusiastically with him and by herself in

the months that followed.

 

She announced in March 2007 that her cancer, formerly in

remission, had returned and there apparently was no cure.

 

Edwards dropped out midway through this year's primaries.

 

He recently endorsed Barack Obama, who eagerly sought him out,

and had been mentioned as a possible running mate.

 

Nampa-AP

 

"Rielle is therefore making no statement now or in the future,"

Gordon said in a statement."Furthermore, Rielle will not

participate in DNA testing or any other invasion of her or her

daughter's privacy now or in the future."On Friday, Edwards

admitted to having an extramarital affair with Hunter in 2006 but

denied that he was the father of Hunter's five-month-old

daughter.Edwards offered to take a paternity test to prove he is

not the father.Hunter's decision means that the issue of who the

father is remains an open question.Hunter's daughter, Frances Quinn

Hunter, was born on February 27, and no father's name is given on

the birth certificate filed in California.A former Edwards campaign

staff member professes to be the father.Edwards, a former North

Carolina senator who was the Democratic vice presidential nominee

in 2004, confessed to ABC News that he had lied repeatedly about

the affair with Hunter, then 42, who produced videos for Edwards as

he prepared to launch his presidential campaign.In an interview

which aired on ABC's 'Nightline' on Friday night, Edwards said he

would be willing to take a paternity test to put the issue to rest

but wasn't sure whether Hunter would be willing to.The National

Enquirer first reported on the affair in October 2007, in the

run-up to the Democratic primaries, and Edwards denied it.Last

month, the Enquirer carried another story - the blaring headline

referred to an Edwards "love child" - stating that its reporters

had accosted Edwards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles

where he had met with Hunter after her child's birth.Edwards called

it "tabloid trash."In her statement on Friday, Elizabeth Edwards

said it wasn't easy to find out about the extramarital affair in

2006 but indicated she did not believe that her husband was the

father of Hunter's daughter."This was our private matter, and I

frankly wanted it to be private because as painful as it was I did

not want to have to play it out on a public stage as well," she

said.- Edwards declared his presidential candidacy in December

2006.His wife campaigned enthusiastically with him and by herself

in the months that followed.She announced in March 2007 that her

cancer, formerly in remission, had returned and there apparently

was no cure.Edwards dropped out midway through this year's

primaries.He recently endorsed Barack Obama, who eagerly sought him

out, and had been mentioned as a possible running mate.Nampa-AP

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