Former Va. 1st Lady Faces Sentencing for Corruption
In the 25-page brief, they describe how Maureen McDonnell dedicated her life to her five children and supporting her husband’s political aspirations before cracking under pressure and her fear of failure.
Prosecutors draw a less sympathetic portrait, noting “the degree to which the defendant unhesitatingly participated in the scheme to sell the Governor’s office to satisfy her desire for a luxurious lifestyle.”
They concede Maureen McDonnell deserves less prison time than her husband because she was not an elected official and was convicted of just eight counts, three fewer than the former governor.
“But because Mrs. McDonnell was a full participant in a bribery scheme that sold the Governor’s office in exchange for luxury goods and sweetheart loans, many of which she solicited personally, and because she repeatedly attempted to thwart the investigation through false representations, it would be unjust for her not to serve a period of incarceration for her crimes,” prosecutors wrote.
They recommended a sentence of 18 months.