Posted on 01/06/2015 12:27:10 PM PST by iowamark
Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell was sentenced today to two years in prison for public corruption.
U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer said McDonnell must report to prison on Feb. 9. Spencer said he was moved by the support for the former governor, but "a price must be paid. Unlike Pontius Pilate, I can't wash my hands of it all. A meaningful sentence must be imposed."
Earlier, McDonnell addressed the court, asking that Spencer show him and his wife, Maureen, mercy.
"I stand before you a heartbroken and humbled man," he said.
The sentence could be seen as a victory for McDonnell's attorneys. Prosecutors sought at least 10 years and one month to as long as 12 years and seven months in prison for the acceptance of bribes totaling $177,000 while McDonnell was governor. Spencer had earlier lowered the recommended sentence to 6 1/2 to 8 years.
McDonnell's attorneys had asked for community service rather than prison time. The former governor is expected to appeal today's sentence.
Virginia's former governor and his wife, Maureen, were convicted in September of multiple counts of corruption stemming from a relationship with Jonnie Williams, the CEO of Star Scientific. The couple accepted money, expensive gifts and vacations from Williams in exchange for government favors as Williams sought to market his company's dietary supplements. The Washington Post listed several of the gifts, which included a Rolex watch, a shopping trip in New York City, wedding catering for the McDonnells' daughter Cailin and several golf outings for the couple's sons on a private jet.
Defense attorneys had argued for a sentence of 6,000 hours of community service based on, among other things, McDonnell's service as governor and what they argued was his acceptance of responsibility for the offenses. The prosecution counters that McDonnell's case should serve as an example of political corruption and its consequences.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the defense submitted a 29-page memo asking that the former governor be allowed to remain free pending an appeal.
Virginia Public Radio's Craig Carper told NPR's Newscast that more than 400 letters were written by McDonnell's family members, friends and supporters, as well as elected officials, asking Spencer for leniency.
Maureen McDonnell will be sentenced separately on Feb. 20.
A question never asked.. most don’t want to KNOW>...
HOW DEEP DOES THE CORRUPTION GO?..
I hope that they throw the book at his wife.
Is that all?
What did Tammy Faye McDonnell get?
McDonnell’s big mistake?
He should have switched over to the Democrat party just before he left office.
Democrats never go on trial for corruption.
Rod Blagojevich wishes this were true. As does William Jefferson.
Two years to serve. His crime? He accepted two free golf games at a country club from a businessman. For that, the businessman and his business got nothing from the governor or the state.
By contrast, Obama has accepted the gifts of hundreds of golf games from businessmen. Where are his indictments?
McDonnell addresses the court saying he’s a humbled man. Then further into the article it says he’s expected to appeal his sentence. Yeah, he’s humbled alright.
What corruption /s Isn’t this basically the same crap that goes on in Washington with lobbyists and union goons where people are bought and paid for with bribes to do what they say or else...
yet Harry Reid gets away with bribing Democrats god knows how many millions to vote for Obama-Care?
A NPR article and no mention of the Governor’s party affiliation?!
A pity.
What was his role again in the ‘12 primary process?
I like Bob McDonnell and still hope he’s innocent and wins his appeal. If he’s guilty and goes to prison, by his statement this afternoon it seems like the Lord will use him in prison ministry like Chuck Colson.
Don’t care. They can all pound sand.
Never let facts get in the way of a good conspiratorial rant.
Remember, both of these crooks got caught with their arms in the cookie jar up to the shoulder. There was never any doubt about guilt. Blago was heard auctioning off Obama's senate seat. Jefferson could never explain the bricks of cash in his deep freezer. However, they both know too much to expect anything less than a total pardon for all crimes ever committed, all the back to the Big Bang.
Otherwise, if they talk, their wives and children could have an unfortunate accident, involving acid.
In this case, there's no need for conspiracy. Media leftists don't need to get together to distort the news. Their looking glass worldview means that they all interpret it a certain way, without any need for coordination.
Democrats probably let a lot of things slide. That's perhaps how Jon Corzine got away scot-free despite diverting client funds into company accounts at MF Global. It's how Loral's Bernard Schwartz got away with providing rocket technology to China without a lengthy prison term. Clinton basically used Loral as a cut-out to provide this technology, in exchange for Chinese campaign money. Thanks to that sob, China can now be certain that their ICBM's will land where they want them to land.
Bottom line is that stopping these things requires direct executive intervention. Clinton kept Loral's chestnuts of the fire thereby shielding his own. Obama kept Corzine out of prison. Blagojevich and Jefferson were investigated and indicted under GWB.
It was a lot more than that, a lot more. Sure, Dem's have done worse, but this McDonnell fellow was either casually corrupt or very stupid.
It is easy to say “a lot more.” It is harder to point to anything McDonnell got from Williams. The loans were to a company that McDonnell had no personal exposure for. The lake house week vacation involved no exchange of money. He got to drive a Ferrari. It was the first time he had driven in 3 years!
Governor Warner=$180,000 in gifts.
Governor Kaine=$190,000 in gifts.
But no indictments for them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.