“Upon consideration of each Appellant’s contentions, we conclude that the jury’s verdict must stand and that the district court’s judgment should be affirmed”, according to the appeals court decision.
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Back in May, McDonnell filed an appeal of his conviction on public corruption charges.
“[McDonnell] received a fair trial and was duly convicted by a jury of his fellow Virginians”, the judge wrote, adding that the former governor “failed to sustain his heavy burden of showing that the Government’s evidence was inadequate”.
His lawyers said in a statement that they will “continue to pursue all legal options”.
The appeals court finds no merit to McDonnell’s claim that his trial should have been severed from his wife’s.
The politician, who was once seen as a potential Republican presidential contender in 2016, was accused of using his public office to help a company executive promote a supplement in exchange for gifts.
Circuit Judge Stephanie Thacker wrote the decision for a unanimous three-judge panel.
The appeals court disagreed with McDonnell’s contention that the favors he did for Williams were too insignificant to amount to an “official act” under federal bribery law. After the ruling was announced, McDonnell’s legal team declared that the “fight for justice for our client is far from over”, vowing an appeal.
The ex- governor asked the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in March to review the corruption charges against him, arguing that many of them are unconstitutionally broad. His wife documented the watch, and the drive, in pictures later shown at trial. Bob McDonnell drove back to Richmond in Williams’ Ferrari while Maureen snapped pictures of him.
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McDonnell has not served any prison time while his case made its way through the appeals process.
