Former Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards wants represent victims of Volkswagen’s efforts to circumvent federal air pollution emission standards, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Edwards, a former North Carolina senator, is one of 140 lawyers who is attempting to represent Volkswagen drivers as part of a steering committee that is being formed in a lawsuit over the emissions cheating scandal, according to the report.
He told the wire service that the Volkswagen emissions case “has ingredients I’ve spent my life working on.”
{mosads}Volkswagen has admitted to selling diesel models of its cars that had software installed that violated the Clean Air Act by activating required air pollution protections only during emissions tests.
The company programmed vehicles to trick emissions testers into believing its diesel cars released a much lower volume of nitrogen oxide than they actually do. In regular driving, the vehicles emitted up to 40 times more pollution.
Edwards was seen as a rising Democratic star when he was tapped to be current Secretary of State John Kerry’s running mate in the 2004 presidential race.
He pursued the Democratic nomination on his own in 2008, but his reputation has subsequently been tarnished by a sex scandal.
Edwards returned to his law practice in 2013, according to the report.