Former Virginia governor owes defense team $10M for successful corruption appeal
Bob McDonnell, the former Republican governor of Virginia whose corruption conviction was recently overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, reportedly owes his appellate lawyers more than $10 million.
Jones Day lawyers Hank Asbill and Noel J. Francisco represented McDonnell, along with John L. Brownlee of Holland & Knight, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.
McDonnell and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, were convicted of corruption in September 2014, based on allegations that they accepted more than $177,000 in gifts and loans in exchange to promote dietary supplements from a company ran by Jonnie R. Williams Sr. State law required the governor to disclose gifts or entertainment worth more than $50, unless it came from a relative or close personal friend. McDonnell has said that he considered Williams a close personal friend.
The U.S. Supreme Court in June found that the trial court judge gave jury instructions that were too broad for defining what would be an official act under federal bribery law. Maureen McConnell’s conviction was also on appeal, and the government last week decided to drop charges against the couple.
The Restoration Fund, which supporters started to help pay for McDonnell’s defense, has made numerous donation requests, according to the Times-Dispatch. As of June 30, the organization had raised $578,335, the newspaper reports.
In February 2014, a Restoration Fund email suggested that the trial would cost $500,000, while an October 2014 put costs in the millions. In February 2016, the group said it had a $1 million fundraising goal for the U.S. Supreme Court argument.
Donors include Washington Redskins owner Dwight C. Schar, 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, and former President George H.W. Bush. As of June 30, the fund reportedly has $35,675.
In 2015, the McDonnells listed their 5,099 square-foot home for sale, with a price of $944,000. It was under contract two days after the listing posted, according to the Times-Dispatch.
