(CNN) -- Does John Edwards deserve to go to prison? The jury has decided, and he's walking. Whatever we may think of the Edwards trial, one thing is certain: the prosecution was a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money on a non-crime. Who cares if a billionaire wants to give a multimillionaire some money to hide his mistress (who pays taxes on the gift)? The prosecution of Edwards was never so much about Edwards as it was about George Holding. Wait -- who is George Holding? And why should we care? After winning a recent primary, Holding is likely the next congressman in the 13th District of North Carolina. He initiated the prosecution against Edwards while he was a U.S. Attorney. But he didn't argue the case in court. Instead, after receiving a year's worth of headlines (and Republican praise) for charging Edwards, Holding resigned from the case to run for Congress.
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Jeff Smith: John Edwards trial was a ridiculous waste of taxpayer money on a non-crime
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Smith: Prosecution of Edwards was really about George Holding, who will be in Congress
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He says Holding indicted Edwards for political gains and attention
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Smith: The person in this sordid mess who ought to be prosecuted is Andrew Young
George Holding
George Holding
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George Holding
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And since @placeholder had access to all the available evidence and knew that no witness and no recordings would suggest that Edwards knew he was breaking the law, it is difficult to see how Holding thought he might win, other than hoping that jurors disliked Edwards so much they would convict him.
George Holding
George Holding
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Holding
George Holding
Holding
And since Holding had access to all the available evidence and knew that no witness and no recordings would suggest that Edwards knew he was breaking the law, it is difficult to see how @placeholder thought he might win, other than hoping that jurors disliked Edwards so much they would convict him.
John Edwards
Edwards
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Edwards
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John Edwards
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And since Holding had access to all the available evidence and knew that no witness and no recordings would suggest that Edwards knew he was breaking the law, it is difficult to see how Holding thought he might win, other than hoping that jurors disliked @placeholder so much they would convict him.
George Holding
George Holding
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George Holding
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Or maybe @placeholder wasn't all that concerned with the legal reasoning.
Republican
By the time he indicted Edwards, the well-connected Holding knew that the newly @placeholder state legislature had drawn a safe district he could win, if only he could get out of the primary.
Andrew Young
Of course, prosecuting @placeholder wouldn't have gotten George Holding all the publicity that prosecuting John Edwards did, and it definitely wouldn't have gotten him to Congress.