The storm clouds just keep growing: FBI questions relationship between McDonnell & Williams

If Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell thought he’d experienced the worst of the ever-growing scandal surrounding the dietary supplement manufacturer, Star Scientific, its CEO Jonnie Williams Sr., and the ‘gifts’ that Williams has lavished onto the McDonnell clan, the latter got a rude awakening on Monday.

In case you missed it, the FBI is taking its investigation into the relationship between Bob McDonnell and Jonnie Williams Sr. deeper, and among the topics being looked at closer is the $15,000 catering bill Jonnie Williams Sr. paid for the daughter of Bob McDonnell’s wedding at the Executive Mansion. 

Now that the relationship between Williams and McDonnell has been placed under the public microscope, a number of additionally disturbing findings are being unearthed from the shadows of back-door politics in Virginia.

Maureen McDonnell, Bob McDonnell’s wife, has reportedly received gifts from Williams that were previously undisclosed. As if this weren’t audacious enough, Star Scientific and its CEO have contributed to McDonnell and his political action committee (PAC) over $120,000 in PUBLICLY DISCLOSED donations and gifts. But the $120,000 does not take into account the other gifts that McDonnell and his family have received from Williams and Star Scientific such as the use of William’s vacation lake house in western Virginia. I wonder if I can use it too!

In turn, McDonnell has promoted Star Scientific in the past. Thus, the focus of the FBI interviews was reportedly to find out whether or not the substantial gifts given to McDonnell by Williams and Star Scientific represent a quid pro quo between the two.

Just as you don’t need a weather man to tell which way the wind blows, it doesn’t take a detective with 20 years of on-the-job experience to figure out if all of the money and gifts given to McDonnell resulted in any illegal uses of public office to promote one company.

While no one can yet say unequivocally that McDonnell and Star Scientific have acted illegally (which would admittedly force us to assume that Jonnie Williams Sr. and Star Scientific are rather stupid, because why else would Star Scientific spend so much money), it’s probably wise to place your bets on the side of “guilty.”

So much for the legacy of Bob McDonnell as the transportation kingpin.  Now it seems likely that McDonnell will leave behind a legacy of gross misconduct and an abandonment of the public trust (even if he’s already done both anyways!).