Bob McDonnell loses appeal over public corruption convictions

[Sunlei]

Source: Washington Post

A federal appeals panel court on Thursday unanimously affirmed the public corruption convictions against former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell, writing in an 89-page opinion that the onetime Republican rising star "received a fair trial and was duly convicted by a jury of his fellow Virginians."

The decision, authored by judge Stephanie D. Thacker and joined by judges Robert B. King and Diana Gribbon Motz, brings to a close another important chapter in the saga that has gripped Richmond and the nation.

While McDonnell's attorneys have vowed previously to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court -- and his wife is pursuing a separate, ongoing appeal -- it is now likely he will be sent to federal prison.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/mcdonnell-conviction-affirmed/2015/07/10/144da937-66de-4644-816c-0bcea4803401_story.html

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RICHMOND — A federal jury on Thursday found former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, guilty of public corruption — sending an emphatic message that they believed the couple sold the office once occupied by Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson to a free-spending Richmond businessman for golf outings, lavish vacations and $120,000 in sweetheart loans.

After three days of deliberations, the seven men and five women who heard weeks of gripping testimony about the ­McDonnells’ alleged misdeeds unanimously found that the couple conspired to lend the prestige of the governor’s office to Jonnie R. Williams Sr. in a nefarious exchange for his largesse.

He and his wife face decades in federal prison, although their actual sentences are likely to fall well short of that. U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer set a sentencing hearing for Jan. 6. The former governor, a onetime Republican rising star considered for the 2012 vice-presidential nomination, was convicted of all 11 corruption-related counts brought against him. In a small victory, he was acquitted of lying on loan documents.

background news story link http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/mcdonnell-jury-in-third-day-of-deliberations/2014/09/04/0e01ff88-3435-11e4-9e92-0899b306bbea_story.html

[Blue_Adept]

1. Gripped the nation

As if.

Important as the story is, it certainly didn't grip the nation and it hasn't had a lasting impact in any way on the national consciousness.

Lazy reporter/columnist writing. Sensationalism spread throughout like that is just terribly done.

[FSogol]

3. That reporter live blogged the hearings/trial. It was a circus atmosphere.

Being that close to a story can skew objectiveness.

Bob McDonnell was once considered a GOP prospective Presidential candidate. Him being found guilty will cause ripples.

[Blue_Adept]

4. Which is why they need editors

Gotta be able to filter things into reality beyond what the reporter writes.

I know it was an absolute circus there as we had oh so much reporting here on it as well that I followed. But even during its heyday I doubt you could get 10% of people to identify him by face or name.

[underpants]

6. Here in Richmond we were gripping our sides in laughter

It's was THE topic of discussion but it was commonly referred to as "the soap opera".

"Did you see what happened in the soap opera today?"



People of both political sides too.

[FSogol]

10. Yup. Petty grifters. They should have gotten extra time for their bogus defense claims. n/t

[FSogol]

2. Great. Glad that GOP felon will have to do his time. n/t

[wordpix]

16. at least that one R felon will but what about the rest?

Rummie, Bush, Cheney and the KochBros, to name a few

[onenote]

5. Link to opinion

It's long....

http://www.ca4.uscourts.gov/docs/pdfs/154019p.pdf?sfvrsn=2

[calimary]

7. And a long time in coming, too.

Just desserts today!

Man, the Dixie Swastika comes down in front of the statehouse,

The women soccer stars are getting their ticker tape parade,

And this scheming anti-woman's-rights grifter-jerk loses his appeal to try to beat the rap.

How 'bout that. Did somebody say "Grace"?

[onenote]

8. Actually, the appeals court acted incredibly fast

Oral argument in McConnell's appeal was heard in Mid-May. Churining out a lengthy opinion in less than two months after the argument is actually quite a quick turnaround.

[calimary]

9. Even better. But that was just one part of it on the timeline.

When he started wanting to shove long, hard, plastic objects up women's vaginas in a kind of state-sanctioned rape, that's when I wanted to see him get the heave-ho. So in that respect, it did take a long time. And the court case itself took a long time, too.

Well, "long," in terms of - I wanted him gone, and in leg-irons, overnight!

[onenote]

12. Even the court case was relatively fast moving

Last edited Sat Jul 11, 2015, 11:01 PM - Edit history (1)

McDonnell was indicted in January 2014; Jurors were enpaneled in July 2014, the veridct was rendered in September 2014, sentencing was January 2015. One year from start to finish (and then six more months for the appeal to be heard and decided).

Compare that to Rod Blogojevich: indicted in April 2009 (four months after being arrested); June 2010 trial starts, verdict rendered in August 2010. Followed by a retrial on certain counts (due to hung jury), starting in April 2011 and concluding with verdicts in June 2011 and sentencing in December 2011 (over two and a half years).

[calimary]

13. Understood. I'm certainly no legal expert (as you can probably tell!).

And yeah, I wanted him hauled away when he was still governor. RIGHT THEN AND THERE! NOW! Had to wait on that. Far longer than I wanted, certainly. But I'll take this and be glad. At least it's happened. And I appreciate your expertise. Good to have, especially the comparison here to Rod Blagojevich. And many many others. Amazing how things can get dragged out, and how justice can so often be delayed, and postponed. Hell, sometimes we don't get any justice AT ALL (ahem - bush/cheney - ahem! Cough, cough...).

[wordpix]

17. McConnell should have been indicted but it was McDonnell

[Gothmog]

11. McDonald was guility as heck

[sulphurdunn]

14. Ole' Bob was the darling

golden boy of the religious right and everyone with money in the privatization rackets. Just meeting the guy was like shaking hands with a well oiled and programmed cyborg. It was creepy. I wonder how many more just like him are out there.

[47of74]

15. I remember him as Trans-Vaginal Bob

One of those creepy reich wing bleepsticks who thought the state should have the right to shove probes inside women any time it wanted.

[wordpix]

18. the R's want gov out of everywhere except women's vaginas

We don't want no stinkin regulations but vaginal probes? Yes, that should be legislated and mandated.