The cynic in me says that McDonnell will not go to jail. The hopeful idealist in me says “stick him in a cell with Bubba.”.
He’s a white politician in the south. What do you think will happen? (my cynical nature shows through)
Fugger won’t do any time. He’s a Republican and they don’t do time, they get probation and a speaking gig at an Amway rally.
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Precisely what did Clinton do that was on par with the high crimes and misdemeanors that Nixon performed that resulted in his resigning office?
Ah but in conservative circles a criminal conviction can be a badge of honor; look at Ollie North or G.Gordon Liddy.
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@SLBinVA : You are absolutely right. The jury too deserves a lot of credit.
It is sometimes hard to tell the BS and santorum when the atmosphere is tense and the santorum is lubey, frothy and being spread by high paid lawyers. The lawyers often select jurors who will consume their version of events without critically thinking about it.
The William Jefferson precedent will be hard to beat.
This was the kind of case that required intelligent jurors.
Dumb jurors are the ones who acquit against evidence.
False equivalency Meri. Clinton was never charged with corruption like selling his office.
RE: McDonnell’s Fall & Appeal -
As much as Federal jurisdiction over Bob McDonnell’s crimes relies on
18 U.S. Code § 1343 ‘interstate commerce’, 18 U.S. Code § 1341 's US Mail, a federal office or federal money
the appeals court may have to declare a mistrial and transfer the retrial to a Virginia court of competent jurisdiction.
Virginia’s ethics statutes are plenty strong. Our problem is not with our statutes.
In VA, under VA18.2-111, when a person receives a gift or ANYTHING
from someone other than their employer that they received by virtue of their holding an office
belonging to their employer then that thing received belongs to their office not to their person,
If the receiver converts the ‘gift’ to their personal property then they have, according to VA statute,
perpetrated embezzlement and larceny.
Custom does not make it less of a felony -
Regarding criminal intent: Bob McDonnell knew the law and
knew that he was deemed to know the law by the law -
as are ALL officers or the VA Supreme Court (i.e. lawyers).
Bob McDonnell’s conclusively evidenced in public record root felony
is a presumption that he is so important that
“Resisting the execution of the laws under the color of its authority” [VA18.2-481(5) Statutory Treason]
is his prerogative and is the prerogative of all people of his class.
The problem is that Virginia’s Judges & Commonwealth Attorneys
have made grand juries ineffective contrary to duly authorized law.
No complaint of criminal conduct can be brought to a grand jury by any just MERE citizen.
That raises the in-crowd above the reach of the law.
And it turns YOU into a mere chattle ruled by the ‘Uniform Commercial Code’ and mere presumption when ever it is convenient.