Lawyers for John Edwards Fight Back in Mistress Scandal

Jan. 29, 2010— -- Lawyers for former presidential contender John Edwards lashed out at Andrew Young today, saying his former aide is "primarily motivated by financial gain" in publishing a book packed with allegations about Edwards' affair with a mistress and his elaborate efforts to cover it up.

Edwards has previously declined to comment on the allegations leveled by Young in interviews with ABC's "20/20" and in his book "The Politician," which will be released Saturday. His lawyers, however, issued a statement today.

"While we have not had an opportunity to view the interview or read the book, we urge extreme caution by everyone involved. From media reports, it is obvious that there are many allegations which are simply false. It appears that Andrew Young is primarily motivated by financial gain and media attention," the statement said.

The statement was released by Wade M. Smith and James P. Cooney III, attorneys for Edwards.

Edwards' former mistress Rielle Hunter also fought back today, winning a temporary restraining order that prevents Young from distributing a video and photos she claims belong to her.

"In or about September 2006, using my video camera, I authored a personal video recording that depicted matters of a very private and personal nature," Hunter wrote in an affidavit filed Thursday. "In 2006, I was also having an intimate relationship with Edwards."

Watch "20/20" at 10 p.m. ET and "Nightline" at 11:35 p.m. ET Friday, Jan. 29, to see Andrew Young's exclusive interview. Then tune in to "Good Morning America" Monday, Feb. 1, when Young will appear for his first live interview.

Hunter, who gave birth to Edwards' love child nearly two years ago, wants the tape returned to her.

She has also filed a lawsuit against Andrew and Cheri Young that seeks damages for invasion of privacy.

A source close to Young told ABC News, "A local judge has granted a TRO requesting vague material, but this is an unsettled matter and Andrew is litigating it."

In an interview with "20/20" Andrew and Cheri Young detailed how they discovered what they said was a sex tape made by Edwards.

Cleaning their house after hiding Hunter there for a while, the Youngs said they found some of her items in the trash.

"There was one tape that was marked 'special,'" Young told ABC News' Bob Woodruff in an exclusive interview. "It's a sex tape of Rielle and John Edwards made just a couple of months before the Iowa caucuses."

Dispute Over John Edwards Sex Tape

Though Young never saw the woman's face in the tape, he said she was "visibly pregnant" and was "wearing a bracelet" and a "thumb ring" typically worn by Rielle Hunter.

"It's her jewelry," Andrew Young's wife, Cheri, told ABC News. "It could be on another woman with the same jewelry."

Young, who had worked for Edwards since his 1998 Senate win, said he was absolutely sure it was his boss in the tape.

"It's definitely him. You never see her face. But you see -- you clearly see his face for a long time. And I can't speak for the other body parts, but it's definitely his face," Young told ABC News.

Young, who covered up the Edward's affair with Hunter, said that he came across the sex videotape as he cleaned up a home he rented in North Carolina where Hunter briefly stayed in October 2007.

"It's amazing the tape exists. ... But to leave it in a house that's for sale -- where Realtors are going to be coming through it -- and leave it there for eight months -- is unbelievable," Young said.

Hunter said she left three videotapes and other items in storage at a Chatham County, N.C., house Young had rented for her, assuming they were safe.

In August 2008, she said, while living with the Youngs in Santa Barbara, Calif., she asked them to enter her former North Carolina residence to retrieve her passport, which was stored in the same box as her videotapes.

"I learned the video recordings were missing in September or October 2008, in conjunction with a move of my personal belongings," Hunter wrote. "I believe the Youngs or one of them in fact have possession of the video and/or one or more copies of the video."

Young said he made plans to secure the tapes to corroborate his side of the story -- if it came to that.

The allegations in Young's tell-all book have sent its subjects scrambling. It wasn't until last week, with the memoir about to be published, that Edwards abandoned his long denial, revealing that he was the father of Hunter's almost 2-year-old daughter.

Young's memoir has revealed details about the affair and the extent of the cover-up -- from Edwards' push for Hunter to abort, the scheme for Young to falsely claim paternity, to the nearly limitless funds from Edwards' wealthiest benefactors.

A federal grand jury in Raleigh, N.C. is investigating whether any crimes were committed in an effort to conceal Edwards' affair with Hunter.