Posted on 09/09/2014 5:32:27 AM PDT by Kaslin
The soap opera that played out in Richmond these last weeks and ended with the convictions of former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, on multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy charges is a tragedy for them, their children and the voters of Virginia.
By most objective standards, McDonnell did a good job as governor. He took a deficit left by his predecessor and turned it into a surplus without raising taxes or cutting essential services. But a jury found that he and his wife also served themselves, using his office to get sweetheart loans and other favors in exchange for access and the promotion of a commercial product by their benefactor, Jonnie Williams, who avoided indictment by testifying for the prosecution.
Some pundits have rightly noted that a man who preaches about strong families and honesty should be expected to live by those standards. Even so, there is a double standard in politics that often allows those who have engaged in similar or worse behavior not only to escape prosecution but to win re-election.
The McDonnells might have benefitted from recalling Sherman Adams, President Dwight Eisenhower's chief of staff. Adams was accused of accepting a vicuna coat along with gifts and loans from businessman Bernard Goldfine. Adams acknowledged that he had conferred with the Federal Trade Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission about Goldfine's trouble with those agencies. Adams eventually resigned, but it was Goldfine who was later convicted of tax evasion, fined $110,000 and served one year in prison.
Little has changed since then because human nature doesn't change. Corruption is bipartisan. See Judicial Watch's list of "Ten Most Wanted Corrupt Politicians" (http://www.judicialwatch.org/press-room/press-releases/judicial-watch-announces-list-of-washingtons-ten-most-wanted-corrupt-politicians-for-2013/#story9).
The modern gold standard for selling one's office belongs to former President Bill Clinton. As "NBC Nightly News" anchor Tom Brokaw noted on a Feb. 25, 1997, broadcast: "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue turned out to be the most expensive bed and breakfast in North America." A sound bite showed President Clinton denying the Lincoln bedroom had been "sold."
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski said in his report: "White House documents, some in the president's own handwriting, indicate the Lincoln bedroom was at least on the market to major political donors. Under increasing public pressure, the White House released the names of 958 visitors who slept at the White House during Clinton's first term. Most were family friends, but many were major political contributors, like computer magnate Steve Jobs, who gave $150,000; and Hollywood producer Steven Spielberg, $200,000.
"But the most potentially damaging revelation came unexpectedly from former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Harold Ickes. Under threat of subpoena, he turned over some 500 pages of documents pertaining to Democratic fundraising to the House Oversight Committee. The documents appear to support allegations the Democrats turned the Clinton White House into a political fundraising machine. In one 1995 memo, Democratic Finance Chairman Terry McAuliffe [McDonnell's successor as Virginia governor] recommends the president meet with major supporters for 'breakfast, lunch or coffee' to 'energize them for the upcoming year.'
"President Clinton himself wrote back, 'Yes, pursue all three, and promptly, and get other names at 100,000 or more, 50,000 or more.' The president added, 'ready to start overnights right away.' And in a 1996 memo, Clinton campaign chairman Peter Knight tells the White House that Democrats expect to raise $350,000 from just one White House coffee with the president. As bad as it may look, White House spokesman Mike McCurry insists it's still all perfectly legal."
If so, perhaps The Hatch Act and related federal statutes aimed at preventing corruption need strengthening.
While the jury instructions calling for conviction based on suspected “winks and nods” created the possibility for a successful appeal by the defense, there’s an even bigger takeaway from this case: Do NOT... EVER.. accept gifts at any time if you are a GOP officeholder. The system is now structurally arranged to allow democrats as much corruption as they want (Maxine Waters, Charles Rangel, et al), but a GOPer will not get the same latitude. So the best course is staying above reproach. Politely reject even the smallest of tokens.
There was no "pro" for the "quid," therefore there was no crime.
The McDonnells are guilty of low-class behavior, but if that is a crime then Ubama deserves the death penalty.
The big difference between Dims and Republicans...
If a Republican gets caught, BOTH sides want justice.
If a Dim gets caught, the Republicans are the only ones demanding punishment. For the Dims, it’s a resume enhancer.
Even so, there is a double standard in politics that often allows those who have engaged in similar or worse behavior not only to escape prosecution but to win re-election.
I’ve long argued that you cannot have ‘double’ standards when the opposition has NO standards.
Paging Chris Dodd...Friend of Angelo
How much money was involved in the theft of GM, and how much was the payoff to Obama's political backers?
I have no doubt of that, but at present, there's no correction to the problem forthcoming. The "media" will always circle the wagons around their fellow travelers in liberal circles, while calling for Republican heads for the same thing. The key is not letting that "thing" occur. Yes, it's unfair the bar is higher for some and not all, but them's the facts.
Pikers compared to Chris Dodd........ and countless other rats.
Exactly
I have no sympathy for the McDonnells no matter what their intent or the political motivations of their persecutors. There are many temptations put before each of us in life. God gives us the free will to choose. If we choose poorly we are held accountable, if not in this life in the next.
If he did nothing for Mr. Williams, there was not a crime.
What did he do for Mr. Williams?
Bob is guilty of being a Republican. If he were a Democrat, the Roanoke Times would be calling this a Witch Hunt.
Democrats wanted "justice" for Blago as a firewall to protect Obama from getting caught trying to sell his Senate seat.
Everything we have seen from the Obama camp since then just screams that he was involved.
-PJ
Yep, they did nothng wrong. This was a move to take him out of the presidential run. Am i supposed to believe the jury wasnt suspect when the charges were? The feds are just out of control and they need to be reigned in, power stripped.This is clearly abuse of power and a suspect court room.
I don’t care how good a governor he was.....if he knowingly broke the law he should go to jail. We don’t need some one like that when we are giving dems the grief they so richly deserve. McDonald is an embarrassment and evidently a bribe taker!!
“The reason why Democrat governor Rod Blagojevich went to prison was that, if the investigation were allowed to continue, it would have led straight to Obama.”
No doubt.
Sometimes, a democrat has to fall on his/her own sword to protect the party. The “guilty” will be amply rewarded after their time is served...maybe not overtly, but certainly enough to compensate them for their sacrifice. It’s a red badge of courage for them, and gains them street cred that will be admired by fellow party members.
a.) apologize,
b.) lawyer-up, and
c.) pay the money back.
source
"click to enlarge"
There may have technically been no crime committed. I still have no sympathy. He received “consideration” due to his position. In some cases his wife asked for favors and received them. Whether or not a crime was committed, their actions were unethical by any standard. Had they not requested and accepted favors, there would have been no trial and no conviction.
It was a jury trial of his “peers” who found him guilty. He is free to appeal.
His real crime was being a good conservative governor who turned a budget deficit into a surplus. He really pissed off a lot of Democrats. That alone deserves prison time.
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