Defense: CEO Capitalized on Va. Gov’s ‘Broken’ Marriage
he stress of the governor’s office broke the marriage of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, and his wife, Maureen McDonnell, developed a crush on a businessman who wanted favors from the governor, lawyers for the couple said Tuesday in the McDonnells’ federal corruption trial.
Prosecutors painted the McDonnells as a broke, greedy couple who traded favors in exchange for lavish gifts from Jonnie Williams, then chief executive of Star Scientific.
“Unlike the other man in her life, Jonnie paid attention to her,” said Bill Burck, Maureen McDonnell’s lawyer. Burck spent his opening statement tearing down Williams, saying the wealthy businessman duped the then-governor’s wife and that Williams’ version of the events that transpired between him and the McDonnells changed nine times.
More: Defense: CEO Capitalized on Va. Gov’s ‘Broken’ Marriage