Lawmaker: McDonnell Verdict Won't Stick
Democrats are licking their chops over the prospect of former Virginia Governor
Bob McDonnell going to jail, but not so fast...
(Washington Examiner) The former Virginia governor was convicted Thursday on 11 counts of conspiracy, corruption, and bribery. But Virginia state Sen. Dick Black, former chief of the Army’s Criminal Law Division at the Pentagon, said he suspects the bad news won’t last.
"I
predict that the McDonnell case will be reversed on appeal," the Republican
lawmaker said. "Of course, the trial has resulted in conviction on numerous
counts. But the verdict followed a tabloid trial that focused less on legal
issues and more on titillating gossip that was irrelevant to properly deciding
the case."
Black, a longtime state lawmaker who worked with McDonnell for years on the Virginia House of Delegates Courts of Justice committee, argued that the Supreme Court clearly states that a quid pro quo is required for a corruption conviction, and that McDonnell's case doesn't show there was one.
"I think the jury was misled into believing that it’s unlawful for officials to provide official help to contributors," he said.
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(Washington Examiner) The former Virginia governor was convicted Thursday on 11 counts of conspiracy, corruption, and bribery. But Virginia state Sen. Dick Black, former chief of the Army’s Criminal Law Division at the Pentagon, said he suspects the bad news won’t last.
"I
predict that the McDonnell case will be reversed on appeal," the Republican
lawmaker said. "Of course, the trial has resulted in conviction on numerous
counts. But the verdict followed a tabloid trial that focused less on legal
issues and more on titillating gossip that was irrelevant to properly deciding
the case."Black, a longtime state lawmaker who worked with McDonnell for years on the Virginia House of Delegates Courts of Justice committee, argued that the Supreme Court clearly states that a quid pro quo is required for a corruption conviction, and that McDonnell's case doesn't show there was one.
"I think the jury was misled into believing that it’s unlawful for officials to provide official help to contributors," he said.
Read The Full Story
