McDonnell convicted of corruption

Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) was found guilty Thursday of 11 corruption charges and his wife, Maureen, was found guilty of nine counts, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. 

A federal grand jury indicted the couple in January on 14 counts related to their decision to receive thousands of gifts and loans from a prominent political donor and businessman.

The verdict from a federal district court in Richmond, Va., comes more than a year after the scandal, which virtually ended McDonnell’s political career, began to unfold.

{mosads}The jury began deliberating the outcome of the case on Tuesday after hearing from dozens of witnesses over the course of more than a month.

McDonnell and his wife could face decades in prison and fines of more than $1 million.

Prosecutors accuse the couple of illegally accepting $177,000 in large loans, expensive gifts and luxury vacations from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., an executive at dietary supplement company Star Scientific. In return, Williams received special treatment from the governor’s office to help his company.

The gifts included a New York City shopping spree for McDonnell’s wife, a Rolex watch that had the governor’s title inscribed in it, a trip to a Final Four basketball game and a stay at a vacation home. 

Prosecutors said the couple violated federal law by using the power of the governor’s office to help Williams’s company. The executive wanted one of his company’s supplements to be included in medications covered under the state employee health plan.

At the time of the indictment, McDonnell said he regretted accepting gifts and loans from Williams, which he said were all returned, but claimed he didn’t do anything illegal for Williams.

The former governor’s lead attorney, Henry “Hank” Asbill, said his team is not done fighting the charges. 

“We’re very disappointed, but we’re not deterred. This fight is a long way from over,” he told a local TV news outlet outside the courthouse. 

McDonnell’s term as governor ended about a week before the indictment was announced earlier this year. He was elected in 2009. 

Before the scandal unraveled, McDonnell had a promising political career. He was floated as a possible 2016 presidential contender and was reportedly on Mitt Romney’s shortlist in 2012 for vice presidential candidates. McDonnell previously served as chairman of the Republican Governors Association.  

— This story was updated at 3:45 p.m.