John Edwards Turned Away at Donor's Funeral

John Edwards’ shamelessness led to an embarrassing moment at the funeral of  former donor Bunny Mellon’s funeral: he and his daughter Cate were not allowed inside the church. 

Mellon, 103, the Listerine fortune heiress, shunned publicity, telling the New York Times in 1969,”Nothing should be noticed,” and was deeply upset when she was dragged into the public eye during Edwards’ 2011 trial for misuse of campaign funds.

Mellon had seen Edwards as a latter-day JFK, for whom she had redesigned the White House Rose Garden. She gave over $700,000 to Edwards in his 2008 presidential campaign after he was criticized for getting a $400 haircut, but was shocked when it was revealed that much of the money Edwards accumulated was used to support his mistress Rielle Hunter and their love child. Even though Edwards was found not guilty of illegally using Mellon’s funds, the family kept him out of the church, forcing him and his daughter to stand in an adjacent parish and watch a live stream projection.

NY Social Diary blogger David Patrick Columbia told The New York Post, ‘The service may have been open to the public, but he was not welcome.” Columbia added that Edwards’ shamelessness continued: “He was working the crowd near the gravesite after the service.”

Frank Langella, a longtime friend of Mellon’s, wrote, “Mellon had once said of Edwards, ‘Well, I suppose it’s my own damn fault,’ she told me, ‘he was so attractive. White shirt, white pants, sleeves rolled up. And you know I’m weak on good looks.’ “