'Government Is Wrong,' McDonnell Lawyer Tells US Supreme Court

PHOTO: Photo by Michael Melkonian, CNS

__________-

Will former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell escape a two-year prison term after being sentenced on bribery charges?

The Republican family man, a former rising star of the GOP, took his case to the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday, his last hope, where justices heard his arguments.

McDonnell was convicted on bribery charges for accepting money and gifts from a dietary supplement promoter in return for various actions to favor his business interests. The McDonnells were charged in early 2014 with illegally accepting more than $165,000 in gifts, luxury vacations and large loans from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., a wealthy Richmond-area businessman.

The former Republican governor was sentenced to prison for his actions, which centered on a relationship with the Richmond businessman, who gave the governor and his wife gifts and loans. Once a national political rising star, McDonnell was found guilty on 11 corruption counts. The governor’s wife, Maureen McDonnell, was found guilty of 9 corruption counts and one count of obstruction of justice.

On Wednesday, McDonnell, along with wife and one of their daughters, waded through about 100 reporters under drizzly gray skies outside the US Supreme Court in DC. McDonnell and his family members sat in the courtroom in the second row, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported.

"The governor did not cross the line to try to influence" any official decision, McDonnell's lawyer told the court, the newspaper reported. "If you're simply setting up a meeting...that simple referral can't be an official act."

Justice Breyer, the New York Times reported, said McDonnell’s case presented "as knotty and complicated and difficult a problem as I can think of."

Several media outlets, including the Associated Press and Politico, said McDonnell had a good day in court Wednesday.

"The Supreme Court seems likely to overturn the conviction of Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on political corruption charges and place new limits on the reach of federal bribery laws," the Associated Press reported.

Politico weighed in saying that "former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell had a surprisingly strong outing at the Supreme Court Wednesday, as a majority of the court appeared to be leaning in the direction of overturning the corruption convictions a jury returned against him two years ago."

After the hearing, McDonnell thanked his lawyers and the high court. "I want to thank my distinguished legal team for their outstanding effort today," McDonnell said later, outside. "I'm incredibly grateful to the Supreme Court of the United States for accepting the case and they attention they have given it."

"And I want to say, as I've said for the last 39 months," McDonnell said, "that never during any time in my 38 years of public service have I ever done anything that have abused the powers of my public office."

Read: Timeline of Bob McDonnell Case

The former governor has avoided prison time while the case is before the Supreme Court. McDonnell is expected to remain free at least until a decision, expected by June.

NBC News pointed out Wednesday that "McDonnell lost a potential ally with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, who expressed the view that some anti-corruption laws were vague, including one that makes it a crime for public employees to deprive the government of their 'honest services.'"

With eight justices on the court, a 4-4 tie would mean the convictions stand, the Richmond Times-Dispatch pointed out.