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April 30, 2013
Might the Gov of Virginia soon be a federal criminal defendant?
The question in the title of this post is prompted by this new Washington Post piece, headlined "FBI looking into relationship between McDonnells, donor." Here are the basics:FBI agents are conducting interviews about the relationship between Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, his wife, Maureen, and a major campaign donor who paid for the food at the wedding of the governor’s daughter, according to four people familiar with the questioning.
The agents have been asking associates of the McDonnells about gifts provided to the family by Star Scientific chief executive Jonnie R. Williams Sr. and actions the Republican governor and his wife have taken that may have boosted the company, the people said.
Among the topics being explored, they said, is the $15,000 catering bill that Williams paid for the 2011 wedding of McDonnell’s daughter at Virginia’s historic Executive Mansion. But questions have extended to other, previously undisclosed gifts from Williams to Maureen McDonnell as well, they said.
The interviews, at which Virginia State Police investigators were present, began in recent months as an outgrowth of a federal investigation of securities transactions involving Star Scientific, which produces a dietary supplement called Anatabloc. The company disclosed that probe in a regulatory filing last month, saying it had received subpoenas from the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
Now, federal officials are trying to determine whether to expand that investigation into a broader look at whether McDonnell or his administration took any action to benefit Star Scientific in exchange for monetary or other benefits, according to the four people familiar with the interviews. It is unclear whether the probe will be broadened.
April 30, 2013 at 12:36 PM | Permalink
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Comments
based upon the local news coverage of this, you might want to add "and AG" after "Gov"
and you might also want to get your popcorn ready.
Posted by: Erika | Apr 30, 2013 4:35:48 PM
sounds like we can expect more 'news at 11'
Posted by: ernie | Apr 30, 2013 5:54:41 PM
It's about time this story picked up some steam. When it first broke in relation to the AG's investiment in the company and the company's litigation against the state, the detail that the CEO paid for the gov's daughter's reception was an aside. It's completely ridiculous that State Govt ethics rules would allow gifts to family members to be unreported. No one just buys $15k wedding gifts for their "friend's" daughte, regardless of how wealthy they are. Something stinks badly here - crooked businessmen and politicians. Thankfully, it is not being swept under the rug, I think the Gov seriously lacks integrity for not having reported this earlier, regardless of the exact ethics rule. The appearance of impropriety is overwhelming.
Posted by: AFP | May 1, 2013 12:05:19 AM
I used to own stock in Star Scientific. It is a company that makes some faux cigarette product. The management is faux as well. If the facts here are true then the Governor needs to be deposed from office and not only pay back the bribe but do some time as well. If he is a smoker then he should be devprived of tobacco while in prison.
Posted by: liberty1st | May 4, 2013 1:27:37 AM