Judge reprimands ex-Edwards aide

Federal investigators have been looking into the money that exchanged hands during Edwards’s second White House campaign. He has denied breaking campaign finance laws.

Yesterday, the judge who has ordered Young to turn over all copies of the tape declared that Young was in contempt of court, demanding that he turn over a “personal’’ videotape being sought by Edwards’s former mistress.

Superior Court Judge Abraham Penn Jones reprimanded Young in a court hearing yesterday but declined to put him in custody.

The contempt ruling will be lifted if Young turns over a videotape “of a personal nature’’ and other items by Wednesday, Jones said.

“These items are to be produced and turned over to the court,’’ Jones said. “The court will put them under lock and key - and under seal - until the lawsuit is resolved.’’

Hunter had won a temporary restraining order against Young that sought the return of what she called a private video she made in 2006, but when deputies went to retrieve the item, Young’s attorney declined to release it. Young has said he has a copy of a video showing Edwards in a sexual encounter with a woman he believed to be Hunter.

Hunter has also filed a lawsuit accusing Young of invasion of privacy.