Washingtonpost.com caption: "In a Jan. 3, 2012, photo, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell wears a Rolex during an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. At the time, McDonnell said the watch was a Christmas gift from his wife. Sources say Williams purchased the $6,500 Rolex for the governor at first lady Maureen McDonnell's request. They say it is engraved '71st Governor of Virginia.' McDonnell returned the watch, along with other gifts from Williams, in July.""I deeply regret accepting legal gifts and loans from [Jonnie] 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."-- former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, in a statement today"The criminal prosecution also marks stunning crash for a politician who was considered for the Republican vice-presidential nomination in 2012 and just a year ago was considered a credible future candidate for president."McDonnell presided over a state with declining unemployment and brightening state finances. Even his political opponents admired his civil temperament, and he had faced no challenges to his ethics or character before the relationship with Williams emerged."-- from this afternoon's Washington Post report, "FormerVa. Gov. McDonnell and wife charged in gifts case"by KenVirginia voters may have more to be grateful that, however narrowly, they decided not to elect former AG "Cuckoo Ken" Cuccinelli their governor than just the likelihood that the men in the white coats would be dragging him off in a butterfly net. Hanging over him was, and as far as I can tell still is, the possibility that prosecutors may target him for the slammer, a step or two behind the state's former governor, "Handsome Bob" McDonnell and his lovely wife Maureen. As you may know, the McDonnells were indicted today.
Former Va. Gov. McDonnell and wife charged in gifts caseNov. 5, 2013: Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, left, and his wife, Maureen, arrive to vote in Richmond. The McDonnells have been under state and federal investigation stemming from their dealings with a wealthy political benefactor.By Rosalind S. Helderman, Carol D. Leonnig and Sari Horwitz, Updated: Tuesday, January 21, 3:48 PMFormer Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were charged Tuesday with illegally accepting gifts, luxury vacations and large loans from a wealthy Richmond-area businessman who sought special treatment from state government.Authorities alleged that for nearly two years, the McDonnells hit up executive Jonnie R. Williams Sr. again and again, lodging near constant requests for large loans, clothes, trips, golf accessories and private plane rides.In exchange, authorities allege, the McDonnells worked in concert to lend the prestige of the governorship to Williams' struggling company, a small former cigarette manufacturer that now sells dietary supplements.They said the first couple arranged access for the CEO to top state officials, allowed the historic governor's mansion to be used for a launch party for his company's new non-FDA approved pill and attended events designed to boost the company's prestige with university scientists who might research the company's product.The two were charged with 14 felony counts, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, obtaining property under color of their official office and conspiring to the do the same.They were also charged with making false statements to a federal credit union.McDonnell was also charged with making a false statement to another financial institution, and Maureen McDonnell was charged with obstructing the investigation.Charges mean the couple could face a maximum of decades in prison, though would likely serve far less if convicted. . . .-- the start of this afternoon's Washington Post report
Unfortunately for the McDonnells, when we look at what has been revealed so far about the feds' investigation, you get the feeling that the reason the governor can say so adamantly that he and Mrs. McDonnell are not crooks is that they seem to have devoted an awful lot of legal attention all through their dealings with Jonnie Williams to make sure that they were on this side of the applicable laws, even if by the smallest technical margin -- and in consideration of the fact that Virginia's political gift-reporting laws are embarrassingly lax.The governor's self-righteous proclamation of innocence might carry more weight if, for example, he and the missus had returned those gifts -- with interest -- before reporters had begun reporting on them. When you do the sort-of-right thing one step ahead of the sheriff, you really don't score a lot of legal points, and I'd have to say no ethical points. Also still left unexplained is how the McDonnells came to commit their wee lapse in judgment, thinking it was okay for the governor, or for any member of his family, to be accepting favors from private citizens, and even more, how Governor Bob thought it was in any way, shape, or form okay for him also to be pushing his benefactor's causes in his official duties.Now, another thing you find out as you scour the nauseating details of the allegations against the McConnells is that they didn't get rich off what they sure seem to have hoped would be a get-at=least-a-little-rich scheme. For that matter, ditto Jonnie Williams.For that matter, as we begin to get a sense of the grifting that the people around NJ Gov. Kris KrispyKreme were engaged in was small-time stuff by the standards of the usual big-money upper-crust scams we usually hear about. Which just kind of confirms the feeling I've had all along about Governor KrispyKreme, and now have about "Handsome Bob" McDonnell as well: that they're mission is to ensure that white-collar corruption isn't the exclusive province of upper- and upper-middle-class swells -- that people farther down in the middle class also get their crack at lining their pockets, either raiding the public till directly or using their positions to rake in the dough.It was certainly the feeling I had about KrispyKreme before he became governor, when he was merely a Karl Rove-hand-picked U.S. attorney. Why, he seemed to be asking, should only the elites benefit from corrupt governance?I note too that wistful tone in the WaPo report, recalling rightly that Handsome Bob not that long ago seemed destined for greater things. He was, you may recall, the slickly tarted-up face (and hair) of far-right Republicanism -- not to be confused with his would-be successor, Cuckoo Ken, who was closer to the more traditional tin-foil-hat-wearing face of far-right crackpottery.As for the air of "ethics" and "character" that the WaPo writers charitably extend to Handsome Bob and his administration -- at least before the doody started feeling the pull of the various fans aimed its way -- maybe the problem is that nobody was looking very hard, either at his administration or at then-U.S. Attorney KrispyKreme's administration of his office.Remember the days when the Right always claimed to be vigorously upholding the values of Law 'n' Order? Ha ha ha.#