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Virginia governor Bob McDonnell defends conduct over gifts and loans Virginia governor Bob McDonnell defends conduct over gifts and loans
(2 months later)
In the midst of a secret Middle East trip to visit American troops, the governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, isn't discussing gifts from a major political donor and personal benefactor.In the midst of a secret Middle East trip to visit American troops, the governor of Virginia, Bob McDonnell, isn't discussing gifts from a major political donor and personal benefactor.
The Republican governor spoke to The Associated Press by telephone on Wednesday from Kabul, and said there will be time after he returns to discuss thousands of dollars' worth of gifts from Jonnie R Williams, the chief executive of Star Scientific, a troubled Virginia nutritional supplements manufacturer.The Republican governor spoke to The Associated Press by telephone on Wednesday from Kabul, and said there will be time after he returns to discuss thousands of dollars' worth of gifts from Jonnie R Williams, the chief executive of Star Scientific, a troubled Virginia nutritional supplements manufacturer.
McDonnell's private legal and public relations team issued a statement on Tuesday, announcing that he had repaid nearly $125,000 of personal and business loans that Williams made to McDonnell, his wife and his sister. Neither the loans nor the gifts were disclosed on McDonnell's annual statements of economic interest.McDonnell's private legal and public relations team issued a statement on Tuesday, announcing that he had repaid nearly $125,000 of personal and business loans that Williams made to McDonnell, his wife and his sister. Neither the loans nor the gifts were disclosed on McDonnell's annual statements of economic interest.
McDonnell denies wrongdoing and defends not reporting the loans, citing a state ethics law. The law is rated among the nation's weakest and compels disclosure only of gifts directly to officeholders, not their families, and exempts gifts from people considered personal friends – as McDonnell claims Williams to be.McDonnell denies wrongdoing and defends not reporting the loans, citing a state ethics law. The law is rated among the nation's weakest and compels disclosure only of gifts directly to officeholders, not their families, and exempts gifts from people considered personal friends – as McDonnell claims Williams to be.
"It's proper to hold people accountable to what the current law is, and if there are aspirations to improve that based on the current discussion, then I think that is a fair and legitimate discussion," McDonnell said."It's proper to hold people accountable to what the current law is, and if there are aspirations to improve that based on the current discussion, then I think that is a fair and legitimate discussion," McDonnell said.
The loans and the gifts are the subject of federal and state investigations into McDonnell's relationship with Williams and whether the governor used his office to help promote Star Scientific's anti-inflammatory supplement, Anatabloc, in return. Neither McDonnell nor his family has been accused of criminal wrongdoing.The loans and the gifts are the subject of federal and state investigations into McDonnell's relationship with Williams and whether the governor used his office to help promote Star Scientific's anti-inflammatory supplement, Anatabloc, in return. Neither McDonnell nor his family has been accused of criminal wrongdoing.
"I have been, obviously, very saddened with the concerns that have been expressed about things that I have done in my personal financial dealings as governor," McDonnell said. "I thought this would be something critically important for me to do.""I have been, obviously, very saddened with the concerns that have been expressed about things that I have done in my personal financial dealings as governor," McDonnell said. "I thought this would be something critically important for me to do."
New, almost daily disclosures in news reports of additional largesse from Williams to the governor's family have eroded his public support to its lowest point yet. A Quinnipiac University poll last week showed only 46% of those surveyed approved of his performance in office, a drastic plunge from October 2011, when two-thirds in the same poll approved and he was considered a leading Republican vice-presidential prospect.New, almost daily disclosures in news reports of additional largesse from Williams to the governor's family have eroded his public support to its lowest point yet. A Quinnipiac University poll last week showed only 46% of those surveyed approved of his performance in office, a drastic plunge from October 2011, when two-thirds in the same poll approved and he was considered a leading Republican vice-presidential prospect.
McDonnell restated his intent not to resign, despite calls from Democrats for him to step down and erroneous blog reports earlier this month that his resignation was imminent.McDonnell restated his intent not to resign, despite calls from Democrats for him to step down and erroneous blog reports earlier this month that his resignation was imminent.
On Tuesday, McDonnell's private advisers said he had repaid a $52,278 personal loan from Williams to first lady Maureen McDonnell, and a $71,837 loan to MoBo Real Estate Partners, a business the governor owns jointly with his sister. Asked for a similar accounting of Williams' gifts, including a $15,000 check in 2011 to his daughter, Cailin, to cover catering costs for her wedding reception at the executive mansion, he said there will be a time for that.On Tuesday, McDonnell's private advisers said he had repaid a $52,278 personal loan from Williams to first lady Maureen McDonnell, and a $71,837 loan to MoBo Real Estate Partners, a business the governor owns jointly with his sister. Asked for a similar accounting of Williams' gifts, including a $15,000 check in 2011 to his daughter, Cailin, to cover catering costs for her wedding reception at the executive mansion, he said there will be a time for that.
"Obviously there's a review of my statements going on," he said. "I've filled these out for 22 years, I've always been diligent in my understanding of what the law requires to be done, but I think the people of Virginia are looking at this and other situations and saying, 'Look, the disclosure laws may not be adequate, we may want to know more to be sure that there is not any undue influence of anybody at all in government.' And that's a legitimate question.""Obviously there's a review of my statements going on," he said. "I've filled these out for 22 years, I've always been diligent in my understanding of what the law requires to be done, but I think the people of Virginia are looking at this and other situations and saying, 'Look, the disclosure laws may not be adequate, we may want to know more to be sure that there is not any undue influence of anybody at all in government.' And that's a legitimate question."
"Going down the road I will have some further things to say and actions that I will take and suggestions that I will make," he said."Going down the road I will have some further things to say and actions that I will take and suggestions that I will make," he said.
McDonnell began his trip on Monday by visiting wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, before the Pentagon flew him secretly – for security reasons – to Kuwait and then to Afghanistan. He will visit a US military hospital in Germany before returning home over the weekend. He said he was surprised that Virginians on duty in those countries were as informed as they are about events back home.McDonnell began his trip on Monday by visiting wounded soldiers at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, before the Pentagon flew him secretly – for security reasons – to Kuwait and then to Afghanistan. He will visit a US military hospital in Germany before returning home over the weekend. He said he was surprised that Virginians on duty in those countries were as informed as they are about events back home.
"I talked to both a captain yesterday and a master chief today that were asking me about the situation about the tolls in Portsmouth," he said, referring to disputes over tolling for tunnels beneath the Elizabeth River that would connect the city to Norfolk."I talked to both a captain yesterday and a master chief today that were asking me about the situation about the tolls in Portsmouth," he said, referring to disputes over tolling for tunnels beneath the Elizabeth River that would connect the city to Norfolk.
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