Judge Says Case Against (R) Gov McDonnell Has Enough Strong Evidence
Posted by:
Oh My!
()
Date: May 27, 2014 01:10PM
The corruption case against former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, is set to go to trial this summer after a judge tossed out a motion to dismiss most of the charges against the couple.
U.S. District Judge James R. Spencer also decided Tuesday that the former first couple should be tried together rather than apart.
The rulings are the latest in a series of setbacks for the McDonnells' legal team, which had had several motions denied since the former first couple was indicted in January.
The Republican and his wife are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 from Jonnie Williams, the former CEO of dietary supplements maker Star Scientific Inc. In exchange, they would help promote his products, according to prosecutors. Those gifts include shopping sprees for designer clothes and accessories, a Rolex watch, $15,000 in catering expenses for a daughter's wedding, golf outings and a lake-house vacation stay that included use of Williams' Ferrari, according to the indictment.