Can be found here in a good article written by someone who has known the real Bob McDonnell.
Bob McDonnell is no criminal. He never once had a criminal intent for any action he took. And if having a dinner in the Governor’s Mansion is a criminal act, then someone is going to have to prosecute Thomas Jefferson, or at least Dolly Madison.
22 comments
I’ve read more nonsense on this conviction in the past two days then any other jury decision I can recall in the past few years. I don’t wish to deprive anyone of their emotional grief over the McDonnell’s conviction but in the interest of trying to inject a sense of factual reality into the discussion below is the AP summary of the counts, convictions rendered and the specifics of the individual counts. You may notice no dinners, snacks or late night raiding of the executive mansion refrigerator play any part in the decisions handed down.
Count One: Both McDonnells guilty of conspiracy, specifically of conspiring to defraud the voters of Virginia of the honest services they were due from the governor’s office. It alleged that McDonnell and the governor’s office provided “favorable official action” for Star Scientific as opportunities arose, including arranging meetings for Star Scientific and Jonnie Williams with state officials, and hosting an event at the governor’s mansion designed to encourage university researchers to conduct studies on the active ingredient in Star’s tobacco-based health supplement, Anatabloc. In exchange, the McDonnells allegedly enriched themselves by receiving more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.
Count Two: Both McDonnells guilty of committing honest services fraud, not just conspiring to do so. It relates specifically to a $15,000 check from the Williams-controlled Starwood Trust to a catering company in May 2011 that paid costs associated with the wedding of the McDonnells’ daughter Cailin.
Count Three: Both McDonnells guilty of honest services fraud and relates specifically to a $50,000 loan check in March 2012 from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo Real Estate Partners, a joint venture between Bob McDonnell and his sister in which they rented out vacation homes in Virginia Beach.
Count Four: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of honest services fraud and relates to a second loan check for $20,000 in May 2012 from Starwood to MoBo.
Count Five: Both McDonnells guilty of conspiring to obtain property under color of official right, meaning they used the governor’s office to obtain things that McDonnells was not due to receive as governor. Like the other conspiracy count, it is not linked to a specific item the McDonnells received.
Count Six: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right, and relates to a $50,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to Maureen McDonnell in May 2011.
Count Seven: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to the $15,000 catering check Williams wrote, via Starwood, for Cailin McDonnell’s wedding.
Count Eight: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to $2,380 in greens fees, food and merchandise from a golf outing that Bob McDonnell, his two sons, and a future son-in-law took at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot on Williams’ tab.
Count Nine: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to $1,424 in greens fees, caddie fees, dining expenses and merchandise at Kinloch paid for by Williams.
Count 10: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to a $50,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo.
Count 11: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to the $20,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo.
Count 12: Bob McDonnell acquitted of making a false statement to a financial institution by failing to disclose a $50,000 loan from Williams on a loan application to TowneBank. Maureen was not charged on this count.
Count 13: Both McDonnells acquitted of making a false statement to a financial institution by failing to disclose the $120,000 in loans they received from Jonnie Williams on a loan application to Pentagon Federal Credit Union.
Count 14: Maureen McDonnell guilty of obstructing a federal grand jury by returning to Williams the clothing he had purchased for her in New York City, along with a handwritten note suggesting they had a previous agreement that she would return the apparel so Williams could give it to his daughters or to charity. Bob was not charged on this count
Lawrence, we’re aware of what the conviction entailed. The question is what official act was asked for or provided in exchange for these gifts? Arranging introductions or hosting a dinner are pretty innocuous actions, no? I’m not excusing the incredibly poor judgment involved with this relationship (nor the false statement on the loan application), but honestly, it’s a real stretch to say these are official acts like pushing legislation, making appointments to a board or commission, vetoing legislation, altering executive branch policy, etc. Those things are all part of the governor’s official duties, hosting a dinner and arranging introductions are not.
the root of the problem is that they took “gifts.” There is no reason for that. They are well paid for the work plus they get expenses. There are pleanty of rules in public service as well as private corporations about this. The rule is you don’t do it. Taking “gifts” is not right and they got caught.
Where is there such a law, or even a ‘rule’ in Virginia?
He was convicted. There.must be a rule somewhere
They violated Federal law, not Virginia law. That’s why it was prosecuted by Federal prosecutors, in a Federal court.
Perhaps taking these gifts is morally wrong, but is it illegal in Virginia, especially considering Jonnie Williams received nothing of monetary value in return from the Governor. If I recall, Jonnie Williams was fired by his executive board because he didn’t bring in the $$$$ from the Governor for the lousy product he was hawking. Hopefully an appeals court will see reason to reverse, although doubtful since jury verdicts are not usually overturned.
So any future cash for consideration (gifts is nice euphemism) must be linked to an “official act” (to be determined what that may mean) or all is well in Richmond. Steve you are not on a good side of the ethical credibility argument if this is your best position. We will see how this plays out in appeal but you’re downplaying this as a “judgement” issue is something you may come to regret.
Intent? Are you really saying that taking the money and gifts was the right thing to do? He intended on keeping it but did not intend that his actions were wrong? You have really gone over the edge on this one
What McDonnell did was wrong, he expected him to have higher standards but there are no laws in Virginia forbidding public officials from accepting gifts.
maybe not. but Jeanine, he was convicted under Federal law.
He was Governor of Virginia. I would think DOJ and the FBI had plenty of Federal corruption cases to investigate rather than act as stand in for the GA.
Well since you cracked that can of worms one might reasonably ask just how far (if at all) these “gift” practices extend into the General Assembly membership and what AG Cuccinelli was doing as all this unfolded on his watch. This needs to be cleaned up quickly at the state level with the passage of a no nonsense ethics law.
Unfolded under his watch? It seems to have been laid out and spread around long before he got there.
Federal laws cover a Virginia Governor? Can you show me where? Because Virginia Governors have always taken gift, including Redskins tickets, plane rides, vacations and many other gifts, none have been prosecuted.
Jeanine, are you saying that you do not understand that the Governor of Virginia is subject to the laws of the United States? or to rephrase: are you saying that you believe the Governor of Virginia is exempt from Federal law? how ’bout you show me where that is found?
Clearly, Jeanine Martin believes that Bob McDonnell is from the planet Corruptia and therefore only intergalactic law (not federal law) applies to him.
Snark aside, either Jeanine does not understand the difference between Federal laws and courts and state laws and courts, and the premicy of Federal laws and courts over the states. Or, she’s just playing stupid. It is all she’s been posting for days now – ‘what Virginia law did he break”. Telling her for the 40th time that the answer is none, and that he was tried and convicted of breaking Federal laws in a Federal court won’t do much good. She’s either stupid, or acting stupid.
The semi-hilarious part is that she won’t come back to the article and admit her mistakes. She’ll then pretend it never happened.
I don’t know why, but I’m surprised by all of the neo-Confederate rational in use. “He didn’t break a Virgina law, so why is he on trial? What right does the Federal government have in trying the Governor of Virginia? If he wasn’t charged in Virginia, how can he be charged in a Federal court?”
They are saying that Taliban Bob has some sort of immunity from Federal law, or that Federal law doesn’t apply in Virginia. Or that Taliban Bob is not subject to Federal law.
But he was convicted. that me he is a crook
Was it wrong? From a moral standard….yes
Was it illegal? Don’t know where that law is written, but obviously the prosecutor thought so. Maybe the appeals court will make more sense of this fiasco.