Ex-Virginia gov., wife guilty of public corruption

RICHMOND, Va. — A jury has convicted former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, of corruption, fraud and bribery, after the couple accepted more than $165,000 of gifts and loans from a businessman.

Both Bob and Maureen bowed heads and wept as a chorus of “guilty” kept coming from the court clerk.

McDonnell was widely considered a possible running mate for presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012. He was charged with doing favors for a wealthy vitamin executive in exchange for the gifts and loans.

Bob McDonnell was found guilty of 11 of 13 corruption charges against him. His wife was found guilty of nine of 13.

A federal jury in Richmond returned the verdicts Thursday after a five-week trial and deliberating for three days.

Here’s a look at each of the counts:

Count One: Both McDonnells guilty of conspiracy, specifically of conspiring to defraud the voters of Virginia of the honest services they were due from the governor’s office. It alleged that McDonnell and the governor’s office provided “favorable official action” for Star Scientific as opportunities arose, including arranging meetings for Star Scientific and Jonnie Williams with state officials, and hosting an event at the governor’s mansion designed to encourage university researchers to conduct studies on the active ingredient in Star’s tobacco-based health supplement, Anatabloc. In exchange, the McDonnells allegedly enriched themselves by receiving more than $165,000 in gifts and loans.

Count Two: Both McDonnells guilty of committing honest services fraud, not just conspiring to do so. It relates specifically to a $15,000 check from the Williams-controlled Starwood Trust to a catering company in May 2011 that paid costs associated with the wedding of the McDonnells’ daughter Cailin.

Count Three: Both McDonnells guilty of honest services fraud and relates specifically to a $50,000 loan check in March 2012 from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo Real Estate Partners, a joint venture between Bob McDonnell and his sister in which they rented out vacation homes in Virginia Beach.

Count Four: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of honest services fraud and relates to a second loan check for $20,000 in May 2012 from Starwood to MoBo.

Count Five: Both McDonnells guilty of conspiring to obtain property under color of official right, meaning they used the governor’s office to obtain things that McDonnell was not due to receive as governor. Like the other conspiracy count, it is not linked to a specific item the McDonnells received.

Count Six: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right, and relates to a $50,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to Maureen McDonnell in May 2011.

Count Seven: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to the $15,000 catering check Williams wrote, via Starwood, for Cailin McDonnell’s wedding.

Count Eight: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to $2,380 in greens fees, food and merchandise from a golf outing that Bob McDonnell, his two sons, and a future son-in-law took at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot on Williams’ tab.

Count Nine: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to $1,424 in greens fees, caddie fees, dining expenses and merchandise at Kinloch paid for by Williams.

Count 10: Both McDonnells guilty of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to a $50,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo.

Count 11: Bob McDonnell guilty, Maureen acquitted of obtaining property under color of official right and relates to the $20,000 loan from Williams, via Starwood Trust, to MoBo.

Count 12: Bob McDonnell acquitted of making a false statement to a financial institution by failing to disclose a $50,000 loan from Williams on a loan application to TowneBank. Maureen was not charged on this count.

Count 13: Both McDonnells acquitted of making a false statement to a financial institution by failing to disclose the $120,000 in loans they received from Jonnie Williams on a loan application to Pentagon Federal Credit Union.

Count 14: Maureen McDonnell guilty of obstructing a federal grand jury by returning to Williams the clothing he had purchased for her in New York City, along with a handwritten note suggesting they had a previous agreement that she would return the apparel so Williams could give it to his daughters or to charity. Bob was not charged on this count.

LARRY O’DELL, Associated Press