John Edwards Scandal: Andrew Young Offered 'Gigantic' Sum for Sex Tape

Feb. 1, 2010— -- The former John Edwards aide who claims to have a sex tape of the one-time presidential candidate and his pregnant mistress said he'd been offered a "gigantic" amount of money to sell it.

Young also told "Good Morning America" today that after he broke with Edwards, tensions over the cover-up got so heated that he feared for his family's safety.

"For several months, I used to get up at 3 a.m. and walk around the house with a baseball bat and a knife," he said. During that time, Young said he had his three young children sleep with him and his wife.

That fear, he said, peaked during a car ride "out in the middle of nowhere" with Edwards. During that ride, "all I could think about was Vince Foster," Young said, referring to the former aide to President Clinton who committed suicide in a Washington, D.C., park. Foster's death has been the subject of conspiracy theorists who speculated that he was killed to cover up a White House scandal.

"Did I think Edwards was capable? No," Young said. "But was I scared, genuinely scared, for me and my family."

The most titillating revelation in Young's book, however, remains the existence of a sex tape that Edwards and his lover Rielle Hunter reputedly made together. While Hunter's face isn't seen in the video, Cheri Young said bracelets and a thumb ring that belonged to Hunter are visible in the video.

"I think it's a shame people are focusing on this. I couldn't have told this story without including the sex tape," Young told "GMA." "We've been offered gigantic amounts of money. And we've said no."

Young didn't say who offered to pay for the video, but it's apparently in demand. Hunter has won a temporary restraining order preventing Young from distributing photos and the sex tape, saying they belong to her.

Young told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos that he "truly doesn't understand" what Hunter is asking for.

"I'm not clear anything she's asking for is hers," Young said.

Click here for complete coverage of the John Edwards scandal

John Edwards Lashes Out at Andrew Young

Hunter was awarded the temporary restraining order Friday, hours before Young and his wif,e Cheri Young, shared their story on "20/20."

"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."

Hunter gave birth to her and Edwards' child, Frances Quinn, in February 2008.

Young said he found the video in trash at a house he and his wife shared with Hunter for several months. The photos referenced in her restraining order, Young said, were shots of Hunter's daughter that she uploaded onto the Youngs' computer.

Edwards' lawyers also lashed out at Young, his former confidant, before the book was released Saturday. Lawyers for Edwards, who had previously declined to comment on the allegations made in his new book "The Politician," issued a statement Friday questioning Young's motives.

"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.

Young told "Good Morning America" today that Edwards' activity in recent weeks was suspicious, given the timing of the book release.

"I will say I'm genuinely surprised that after 2, 2½ years of this ongoing, within 10 days of my book coming out, all of a sudden John's building houses in Haiti," Young said. "He's confirmed he's the father of the baby."

Young said he has saved voice mail messages and e-mails from Edwards and his camp proving that he had been asked to help the one-time presidential nominee hide his pregnant mistress while he made a bid for the White House, his cancer-stricken wife by his side.

He got the call asking to cover up Edwards' paternity of Hunter's baby while shopping for a turtle aquarium for his children, he told "GMA." He said he agreed, not only out of loyalty for Edwards and compassion for Edwards' terminally ill wife, but because he had been assured by "two very powerful people" that every viable Democratic presidential hopeful had something to hide.

"We were convinced by the people that were talking to us about this that all of the candidates had skeletons in the closet," he said, adding that he doesn't believe that accusation now. "I'm not making a charge that it's true."

Young told "20/20" that it cost Edwards benefactors' $1 million in cash, private jets and hotel rooms to cover up the affair and Hunter's pregnancy.

Hunter has also filed suit against Andrew and Cheri Young seeking damages for invasion of privacy.

Click here to read an excerpt of Andrew Young's book, "The Politician."