Attorneys for Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, will spend Monday locked in separate hours-long meetings trying to convince federal prosecutors that the first couple should not be charged in the gifts scandal that has dominated state politics.
The meetings open a new, critical phase of the investigation, timed to help prosecutors decide over the next few weeks whether to file charges, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation.—Washington Post
Federal authorities have been investigating whether McDonnell (R) agreed to take official actions to aid nutritional supplement company Star Scientific while accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts and money from its chief executive, Jonnie R. Williams Sr.
The stock was bought and held in the same time frame that she and Gov. Robert F. McDonnell
were taking steps to promote the dietary supplement company.
Confirmation of the transactions adds another layer to the connections between Jonnie Williams Sr., the Star Scientific executive who has lavished gifts on Gov. Bob McDonnell and his family. Those gifts are now part of state and federal investigations.
The stock purchase was confirmed Friday evening by an attorney representing the first lady.—Pilotonline.com
