Former Gov. Bob McDonnell: U.S. Attorney's Office Recommends Another Trial: Report

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District is recommending that former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell go on trial again, after the U.S. Supreme Court vacated his corruption convictions, The Washington Post reports Friday.

The U.S. Justice Department will ultimately decide whether to put the former Republican governor on trial again.

The deadline for U.S. prosecutors to formally signal the go-ahead for retrying the case is Sept. 19.

After the Supreme Court ruling, the New York Times reported that prosecutors may seek to retry McDonnell, but under a stricter standard.

In a statement after the Supreme Court ruling, McDonnell expressed his "heartfelt gratitude" to the justices of the U.S. Supreme Court Monday.

Dana J. Boente, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said in a statement after the Supreme Court ruling that “the U.S. Attorney’s Office is reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision in the McDonnell matter and does not have any further comment at this time.”

Since McDonnell’s corruption scandal came to light, the General Assembly has passed what Progress Virginia calls "toothless ethics reform bills riddled with loopholes." Research conducted by Progress Virginia Education Fund found 79 percent of gifts reported by legislators in 2014 would still be allowed under the ethics law passed in 2015, including 70 percent of gifts from lobbyists and principals. More recently, the commonwealth’s ethics council raised issues showing gifts prohibited from lobbyists could simply still be funneled through their PACs.

McDonnell, a Republican family man, a former rising star of the GOP, took his case in April to the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices heard his arguments. (You can listen to oral arguments from McDonnell v. United States here.)

PHOTO: Gov. Bob McDonnell, Capital News Service