Beltway Snark

Some say yes, some say no.

The family of John Edwards’ former mistress, Rielle Hunter, is challenging the former senator to take a DNA paternity test after his claim that he did not father Hunter’s 6-months-old child.

In the first reaction from Hunter’s family, her younger sister Melissa told ABC News that Edwards should immediately follow through on his pledge to take a paternity test.

“I would challenge him to do so,” the sister said.

“Somebody must stand up and defend my sister,” she said. “I wish that those involved would refrain from bad-mouthing my sister.”

As for Rielle herself, hse says she doesn’t want a DNA test. Why, we don’t know.

The attorney, Robert Gordon, called Hunter a “private” person who is “not running for public office” and would not comment further.

“She wishes to maintain her privacy and her daughter’s privacy,” he said in the 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.”

One of Edwards’ friends must have, out of the kindness and goodness of their heart, ponied up an ishload of money to shut her up. Ed Morrissey is saying, and I agree, that all this is going down because Edwards threw Hunter under the bus in his confessional interview. He basically made her out to be a beltway bunny who was sleeping with Andrew Young (the other alleged father) at the same time she was sleeping with him. I’ll see if I can find YouTube of the interview for you guys. It’s popcorn-worthy material.