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| BOB AND MAUREEN MCDONNELL - CROOKS AND LIARS |
From my local TV station WTKR
Former Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen have been charged with illegally accepting lavish gifts, luxury vacations and large loans from a wealthy businessman who wanted special treatment from state government. Authorities say McDonnell and his wife received gifts from dietary supplement executive Jonnie R. Williams Sr. on many occasions.
In exchange, the McDonnell's allegedly worked to lend the prestige of the governorship to Williams’ struggling company, Star Scientific.
McDonnell acknowledged he received the gifts from Williams but claims he did nothing wrong.
Click here to read the entire indictment.
Investigators say McDonnell lied. The indictment charges the McDonnell’s with 14 counts and claims that they accepted more than $135,000 in loans and gifts from Williams and also lied on loan applications and other documents.
Also in the indictment are emails from Maureen McDonnell that show she believed she could have Williams buy her a designer dress for the inauguration.
According to the indictment, a McDonnell staffer referred to only as “J.E.” said that would not be proper. McDonnell then became angry with “J.E.” and sent the following email:
Both Bob McDonnell and Maureen McDonnell have been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest-services wire fraud, three counts of honest-services wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to obtain property under color of official right, six counts of obtaining property under color of official right, and one count of making false statements to a federal credit union.Bob McDonnell is also charged with an additional count of making a false statement to a financial institution, and Maureen McDonnell is charged with one count of obstruction of an official proceeding.
Their initial appearance and arraignment will be held this Friday in Richmond.
McDonnell released the following statement on Tuesday afternoon regarding the indictment:
“My fellow Virginians, earlier today federal prosecutors notified my attorneys that they have filed criminal charges against me and my wife Maureen, alleging that we violated federal law by accepting gifts and loans from Jonnie Williams, the former CEO of Star Scientific. I deeply regret accepting legal gifts and loans from Mr. Williams, all of which have been repaid with interest, and I have apologized for my poor judgment for which I take full responsibility. However, I repeat emphatically that I did nothing illegal for Mr. Williams in exchange for what I believed was his personal generosity and friendship. I never promised – and Mr. Williams and his company never received – any government benefit of any kind from me or my Administration. We did not violate the law, and I will use every available resource and advocate I have for as long as it takes to fight these false allegations, and to prevail against this unjust overreach of the federal government.”
