Bob McDonnell, Ex-Governor of Virginia, Faces Sentencing for Corruption
Source: The New York Times
RICHMOND, Va. — Bob McDonnell, the former governor of Virginia who was convicted in September on a host of corruption charges, will be sentenced here Tuesday morning in one of the most spectacular falls of a statewide elected official in the history of the commonwealth.
Mr. McDonnell, a Republican who was once considered a possible contender for the White House, could face as much as two decades in prison for the spate of charges of trading favors in return for $177,000 in loans, vacations and gifts from a wealthy family friend who was trying to promote his vitamin supplement business.
Prosecutors are seeking a minimum of 10 years behind bars for Mr. McDonnell, while his defense lawyers, citing his years of good work and commitment to public service, have argued that a sentence of community service should suffice.
Nearly 450 people, including Mr. McDonnell’s relatives and their friends, have written letters seeking leniency to Judge James R. Spencer, who oversaw the trial in Federal District Court. Some have cited the former governor’s generosity with the homeless. Others have noted his devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. Still others said he always took care to notice the lowest rungs of the political ladder during campaigns.
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Here's hoping McDonnell gets a sentence that will make other pols sit up and take notice.
