John Edwards Expected to Admit He Fathered Rielle Hunter's Baby, TV Station Reports

John Edwards is expected to publicly admit he is the father of the daughter of his former mistress, Rielle Hunter, sources told North Carolina's WRAL News on Thursday. The report followed a story in the National Enquirer that a DNA test proves Edwards' paternity of 18-month-old Frances.

The National Enquirer, which broke the original story about the extramarital affair between Edwards and Hunter, cited "multiple sources" in reporting that Edward took a secret DNA test for paternity. The former senator and presidential candidate has previously denied that he is the baby's father; his wife Elizabeth has said she doesn't know the girl's paternity.

The Enquirer quotes a close friend of Hunter's: "Rielle had no choice but to demand John take a DNA test. She was worried about getting long-term financial support for her daughter. So she hired an attorney, and John consented to undergo a secret swab test to establish paternity."

"There was no surprise," said the friend, according to the Enquirer. "The results of the DNA test proved John was Frances' daddy."

After receiving the DNA test results, the Enquirer reports that lawyers for Hunter and Edwards are negotiating child support payments for the girl.

Last week, Hunter was seen entering a courthouse in North Carolina and leaving nine hours later. She apparently testified before a federal grand jury, which is investigating whether Edwards broke campaign finance laws by allegedly paying off Hunter and aide Andrew Young, who claimed paternity of the child in 2007. Young reportedly testified last month to the same grand jury.