I've known Bob for many years and the picture (from the Virginian Pilot) shows all the pain and worry he has been through. The jury meets again today and who knows when the verdict will be announced. The longer the wait I think it's more likely Bob will be found not-guilty.
Like everyone interested in Virginian politics, I have my reasons for wanting Bob to be found not guilty but in a nut shell 13 of the counts require that Bob knowingly agreed to help Mr. Williams because of bribes. As governor Bob tried to help everyone and I doubt he made such an agreement. If he did Bob sure didn't deliver which would go against his nature which makes me very inclined to believe Bob was being Bob and no "special" treatment was given Mr. Williams.
The count the Feds wanted him to plea guilty to and forgo trial was the lying on his loan application in that he didn't including his personal loans with Mr. Williams. I thought this was an easy conviction until it became known the mistake was corrected by Bob before the loan was underwritten and the final documents signed at closing were correct. I'm not even sure if the initial application is part of the official record and I'm a loan officer.
So my feeling is Bob will be found not guilty.
Maureen? Who knows...
***
Update - McDonnell guilty on 11 counts! Got this totally wrong. One thing that threw me off was the charge the Feds wanted him to plead guilty to (loan fraud), was the only charge he wasn't found guilty of. How is that possible?
***
Update - McDonnell is still not in prison while he works on his appeal. There is a good chance this whole thing could be overturned as the judge apparently didn't instruct the jury correctly. Time will tell and I'm making NO predictions.
***
December 8th, 2015 Update - McDonnell is still not in prison. Solicitor General recommends that the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOUS) not hear his case.
***
January 15th, 2015 Update - McDonnell is still not in prison and the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOUS) announces they will in fact hear his case. Bob accepted gifts, trips, vacations and no or low interest loans for a business friend of his wife. This was NOT illegal. No one has said accepting gifts (as long as they are reported) is illegal. In my mind I think accepting anything should be illegal but the law in Virginia is very clear on this and it's NOT. However, the jury found that Bob McDonnell gave this business man special access, etc.. and helped him with his Virginia based company.
I would argue that a Governor should do what he can to help businesses in his state... Right?
Now the Supreme Court is going to determine if politics as "commonly practiced" in the United States is illegal.
Think of it this way if a company wines and dines elected officials so they cast votes that reduce taxes, build roads, whatever... to help a company build a new plant in their state that is against the law. My thought is the court is going to take this matter seriously and reverse the lower courts decision or more likely send it back to the state to retry the case with different instructions and the state will decided not to try it again. So the Beemer's prediction is "remand".
***
June 27th, 2016 Update - The Supreme Court just unanimously reversed "remanded" the lower courts ruling... Bob is a free man!
