Local legislators react to McDonnell indictments

Lawmakers representing Suffolk reacted Wednesday to Tuesday’s federal indictments of former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell.

McDonnell and his wife are charged with 14 counts of wire fraud, obtaining property under color of official right, false statements, obstruction and conspiracy. The allegations stem from their alleged acceptance of gifts, loans, luxury vacations, golf outings and other benefits from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for using their office to help promote his company’s medical products.

“An indictment is just a charge,” Sen. John Cosgrove said by phone. “I’ve known Bob McDonnell for almost 15 years, and he has been a close friend and a confidante, and he’s a good man.”

Delegate Rick Morris said in an emailed statement, “Using elected office for personal gain is never acceptable. There is a pending judicial process, and we should let that process be heard in the court.”

Representing the Senate’s Republican caucus, Majority Leader Thomas Norment Jr., who represents part of Suffolk, called the announcement “a sad and disappointing day for the Commonwealth.”

“As with any case in the early stages of the judicial process, we should avoid a rush to judgment,” he said. “We have a deliberate system of justice to ensure the truth — the complete truth — has an opportunity to prevail. That system must be allowed to operate as it was intended, unimpeded by either sensationalism or partisanship.”

He also said the circumstances surrounding the indictments were “disheartening, but they need not undermine the public’s confidence in the underlying integrity of our government or of those entrusted to serve in it. Every elected public official is human, and humans make mistakes.”

The indictment states the McDonnells started using Jonnie Williams’ jet for the gubernatorial campaign in March 2009, without having met Williams. The couple later met Williams and allegedly benefited from Williams’ increasing largesse.

He eventually loaned the couple more than $100,000, bought designer dresses and shoes for Maureen McDonnell, paid for a portion of the catering bill for their daughter’s wedding, footed the bill for numerous golf outings by members of the family and their friends at a private club, loaned the use of his Smith Mountain Lake vacation home and Ferrari, bought an engraved Rolex watch for the governor at the suggestion of Maureen McDonnell, and more.

Allegedly in return, the McDonnells hosted a launch event for a Star Scientific product at the governor’s mansion, served as guest speakers for Star Scientific events and pressured state officials to include Star Scientific officials in events and to look into state university research opportunities for the company’s drugs.

Maureen McDonnell also held thousands of shares of Star Scientific stock, which she unloaded at the end of 2011 and bought back by Jan. 20, 2012. At the end of that year, she again sold the stock, this time transferring most of it to her children and winding up with less than $10,000 worth, the minimum reportable on the governor’s annual statement of economic interests form.

The indictments allege the purpose of her buying and selling pattern was to avoid having to disclose ownership of the stock.

Throughout the relationship, only a couple of small expenses paid by Williams were disclosed on annual reporting forms.

The indictments also allege the McDonnells started covering their tracks when law enforcement began to investigate — lying about when Bob McDonnell and Jonnie Williams met, amending disclosure statements and giving back designer clothing, according to the indictments.

According to a transcript of Bob McDonnell’s Tuesday statement posted by the Washington Post, McDonnell continued to assert he did nothing illegal and said the gifts and loans from Williams were “his personal friendship and generosity.”

Delegate Chris Jones of Suffolk, who has been a close ally of McDonnell since being recruited to the General Assembly when McDonnell was still a legislator, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Tuesday or Wednesday.