Former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, were convicted of charges of bribery, conspiracy and extortion on Thursday. Following a lengthy federal trial, McDonnell was found guilty on 11 counts while his wife was convicted on nine.
According to ABC News, formal sentencing has been set for January 9, 2015 with both McDonnells facing decades in prison.
As Bustle reports, “Both Bob and Maureen McDonnell will serve at least the mandatory minimum sentences, which are at least one to two years per fraud count in the federal system. The maximum federal prison sentence for fraud and corruption is 20 years. According to NBC News, Bob McDonnell, along with his wife, face up to 30 years in prison. “
As is customary in these kinds of corruption cases, the Justice Department seems intent on making examples of the McDonnells. Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell made the following statement on Thursday:
In pursuit of a lifestyle that they could ill afford, McDonnell and his wife eagerly accepted luxury items, designer clothes, free vacations and the businessman’s offer to pay the costs of their daughter’s wedding. In return, McDonnell put the weight of the governor’s mansion behind the businessman’s corporate interests. The former governor was elected to serve the people of Virginia, but his corrupt actions instead betrayed them. Today’s convictions should send a message that corruption in any form, at any level of government, will not be tolerated.
WAVY-TV out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, offers an interesting analysis of possible sentencing for the McDonnells. WAVY reports that “local defense attorney Andy Protogyrou says Bob and Maureen McDonnell could be sentenced to more time in prison than someone convicted of robbing a bank.” Protogyrou believes the McDonnells are facing up to 120 months or 10 years behind bars, but according to WAVY, “other sources say they could face up to 20 years for each conviction.”
In coming to this conclusion, Protogyrou says that the McDonnell defense strategy was flawed from the beginning. According to Protogyrou:
“If you get on the witness stand and say, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong,’ and on top of that say it is Maureen’s fault, I don’t think that the jury likes that.”
According to Protogyrou, a better strategy would have been for McDonnell to tell the jury he made mistakes, but was unaware his actions were a crime.
“I think he was there, so defensive. I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong.’ That’s where I really think they blew it.
One thing here that no one has really talked about, when somebody takes the witness stand and they lose just about every count, that means the jury didn’t believe what he said. If the jury didn’t believe what he said and they didn’t believe you, that’s often in the eyes of federal court a lie. If he lied on top of being under oath and on top of being convicted, the judge can consider that when he gives his sentence.”
WAVY concludes their analysis noting that “McDonnell was offered a plea deal in December that would have allowed his wife off the hook. The former Governor would have pleaded guilty to only one charge, but he decided to roll the dice and got to court.”
“In hindsight, he probably should have, but right now you’re looking at a former governor of Virginia, who, if he had held up a bank and stolen $100,000, he’d probably get the same or a little less,” Protogyrou said.
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