Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell & wife indicted [ed: and convicted]

Snowboarder_Bo · January 21, 2014, 11:48pm

[

The 43-page indictment portrays a cozy relationship between the McDonnells and Williams that began even before he took office, with many of their interactions initiated by Maureen McDonnell. In 2009, just before the governor’s inauguration, first lady Maureen McDonnell wrote to a senior staffer for her husband: “I need answers and Bob is screaming about the thousands I’m charging up in credit card debt. We are broke, have an unconscionable amount in credit card debt already, and this inaugural is killing us!”

Even before they took up residence in the governor’s mansion, Williams was offering the family money. He was known as a donor who allowed the McDonnells use of his private jet on the campaign trail. In December, he was willing to pay for an Oscar de la Renta dress that the cash-strapped first lady could wear to the inauguration. Although she was the one who asked for the dress, she later refused the offer at the staffer’s urging. But the partnership between Williams and the McDonnells was already underway.

However, the indictment says Maureen McDonnell cut a deal with Williams about two years later: if he bought her dresses and accessories for her daughter’s wedding and the couple’s anniversary, she would make sure he had a prime seat next to her husband at a political event in New York City.

Williams paid her nearly $20,000 tab at stores like Oscar de la Renta and Louis Vuitton, the indictment says. As promised, Williams was seated next to the governor at the event on April 13, 2011.

](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_FORMER_GOVERNOR_INDICTED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-01-21-18-21-42)
It sure seems like there’s a lot of evidence here but this is the first I’ve heard of the whole situation. Anyone have any more info or insights?

PastTense · January 22, 2014, 1:03am

Surely every Doper is sympathetic to the poor woman who doesn’t have any decent clothes to wear!!!

samclem · January 22, 2014, 1:31am

MSNBC was all over this thing in the Fall. Surprised it took this long.

boytyperanma · January 22, 2014, 3:02am

I’m surprised this is the first you’ve heard of it. McDonnel has been buried in this scandal for some time now.

Here is the indictment(pdf) I like page 42 which is a list of things they accepted and will have to turn over if convicted.

There was also a lovely battle between the state butler and McDonnel, basically he was expensiving lots of unreasonable items on the governers mansion budget which is only supposed to maintain the mansion. They also decided to do things like give away the mansions dishes to their children when they went off to college. The tax payers of Virgina were thrilled to pick up the tab!

Falchion · January 22, 2014, 1:59pm

Probably becuase I live in Richmond, but this is has been discussed constantly for a while now. They had negotiated a deal a couple of months ago to hold off on the indictment until he left office, so I’m not sure anyone was surprised by this.

As I understand it, there is a ton of evidence for the “quid” but the “quo” is somewhat weaker. Reading the indictment, I was surpised by how much of this focuses on his wife’s behavior.

Really_Not_All_That_Bright · January 22, 2014, 4:08pm

I just don’t understand why someone who was trying to avoid the appearance of impropriety would host an event at his official residence for a product made by the person who was improperly influencing him. It’s practically an invitation to investigate.

Having said that, I agree that this reads more like an ethics charging document than a criminal one.

Buck_Godot · January 22, 2014, 5:34pm

In early December McDonnell made a last minute appeal to the justice department to hold off on an indictment to allow for a smooth transition of the governors office. The justice department agreed, but now that the governorship has finshed changing hands the indictments are going forward.

ETA: or what Falchion said :smack:

Rhythmdvl · January 22, 2014, 9:57pm

Someone needs to bump the Palin garbage bag full of clothes thread and see if there are any updates!

Buck_Godot · January 27, 2014, 5:38pm

The key is proving that in response to the gifts the McDonnell’s took actions that helped Williams. At first I thought that this would be hard to prove. But then I read thefollowing

That fall, Star officers were focused on how to get state tobacco commission funding for independent researchers at the state’s universities to conduct trials of anatabine. Both McDonnell and his wife repeatedly brought it up with the governor’s staff, prosecutors say.

The couple’s effort continued through February 2012, intertwined with Williams’s continued help on the beach houses.

“Gov wants to know why nothing has developed w studies after [Williams] gave $200,000,” Maureen wrote to the governor’s policy adviser on Feb. 10. “Gov wants to get this going w VCU MCV. Pls let us know what u find out after we return.”

Just before midnight on Feb. 16, the governor e-mailed Williams about their plan to have Williams transfer Star stock he owned into a brokerage account that could help pay the McDonnell beach house mortgages. “Know u have been slammed. Do u want me to call your lawyer on the certificates and the documents. Thanks for all your help. Gov.”

Six minutes later, the governor sent an e-mail to his policy adviser: “Pls see me about anatabloc issues at VCU and UVA. Thx”

Watching the McDonnells try to explain these away will be highly entertaining.

Kolak_of_Twilo · January 27, 2014, 6:18pm

To some extent how this plays out may depend on how well testimony from their former chef goes over with the judge and jury.

CJJ · January 28, 2014, 1:48am

Gee, a right-wing politician preaching fiscal responsibility while he lines his pockets with the usual conservative grift. In other news, water is wet.

I expect a Fox News hire any day now; Mike Huckabee, Sarah Palin, Haley Barbour, and Dick Morris need someone new to talk to.

elucidator · January 28, 2014, 7:01am

Being a successful politician is like being rich and powerful without being rich. All the powerful people you hang out with are rich, but you’re a civil servant, you don’t even make one million dollars a year! You ride in limos, you eat at fancy ass places, but you never pick up the tab because you fucking can’t!

But you are their equal, and they are your friends! So they toss a couple hundred grand your way, big deal, they’re your friends, they tip that much, who cares? They buy you a beer or they buy you a brewery, what’s the diff?

lance_strongarm · January 28, 2014, 3:37pm

This is true in Virginia, perhaps, but on the federal level and in many states, the rules are much stricter. A member of Congress can’t accept anything of value from a lobbyist or anyone who employs one, and there’s a limit of $100 per year per source for gifts from other sources. And of course quid pro quos are illegal regardless.

But yeah, Virginia is different.

The new governor’s first act was to impose limits on him and his staff, and propose legislation to extend it to all government officials.

Really_Not_All_That_Bright · January 28, 2014, 3:41pm

Nitpick: elected officials aren’t civil servants in the traditional sense.

Buck_Godot · January 28, 2014, 6:33pm

I don’t know, I don’t think orange jump suits would go well with Fox’s pundit color pallet.

elucidator · January 28, 2014, 7:27pm

Oh, hell, he won’t go to prison, most likely, and even if he did, he’d go to a Club Fed, which is like summer camp where your Mom can’t come and pick you up.

Johnny_L.A · September 4, 2014, 7:23pm

They’ve been found guilty.

Really_Not_All_That_Bright · September 4, 2014, 7:38pm

So much for the “we totally hate each other” defense.

Snowboarder_Bo · September 4, 2014, 7:46pm

I sent the mods a note asking for a slight title change in light of today’s verdict.

Snowboarder_Bo · September 4, 2014, 7:52pm

Thanks, Mods!