Edwards’ trial leaves only losers

Thursday’s messy ending of John Edwards’ criminal trial seemed somehow fitting for a prosecution that was a stretch to begin with and a defendant whose political career was over no matter what the jury decided.

While Edwards thanked the jury, which acquitted him on one count of violating campaign finance laws and deadlocked on five other counts, there was no victory to celebrate. Not for anyone.

Sure, Edwards got off, apparently after defense attorneys convinced jurors he was a liar, a cad and a sinner — but not a criminal. Was there anybody who didn’t already know what he was? He cheated on his wife, fathered a child with another woman, had an aide falsely claim paternity, and lied about it on national TV, all while his wife was dying of cancer. The nation is fortunate that someone of such flawed character never made it to the White House.

The Justice Department is also a loser. It fought to a draw on five counts after spending years — and who knows how much valuable time and tax dollars — investigating Edwards, five weeks try- ing him and nine days waiting for a verdict. A retrial is unlikely.

Perhaps the public is the biggest loser. It remains stuck with a campaign finance system as worthless and hypocritical as the one Edwards was charged with offending.

Prosecutors accused Edwards of taking about $1 million in illegal campaign donations from two admirers, the bulk of it from heiress Rachel “Bunny” Mellon, whose funds came to be known as “Bunny money.” It was used to hide his mistress to keep his 2008 presidential campaign afloat. At the time, campaign donations were limited to $2,300 per candidate per election.

Illegal or not, the scheme certainly qualified as sleazy. But today, mega-donations are an accepted part of running for president. Donors can give millions of dollars as long as they keep up the fiction that the money is going to an “independent” super PAC.

Thursday’s verdict is irrelevant to Edwards’ future in politics. He has none. Fixing the corrupt campaign finance system is a different story.