Maureen McDonnell sentenced to one year in jail in corruption case

Maureen McDonnell has been sentenced to one year and one day in jail for her part in a corruption case, a court has ruled on February 20.

Virginia’s former First Lady was convicted, alongside her husband Bob McDonnell, for taking more than $165,000 in exchange for promoting a vitamin firm.

Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was sentenced in January to two years in prison.

Bob and Maureen McDonnell remain free pending an appeal against their convictions.

In court, Maureen McDonnell apologized to her family and Virginians, saying said she takes full responsibility for her mistakes.

“I would ask in your sentence today that you consider the punishment I’ve already received,” she said.

“My marriage is broken, my family is hurting and my reputation is in shatters.”

The six-week trial exposed the McDonnell family’s strained marriage and shaky finances.

Jurors heard the former governor was in financial need and traded on his position to win gifts of travel and cash from Star Scientific chief executive Jonnie Williams, in exchange for promoting his company’s nutritional supplements.

Jonnie Williams testified, under immunity, that Maureen McDonnell asked him for money and to pay for high-end shopping trips, offering to connect him to the governor in return.

Defense lawyers argued the McDonnells could not have conspired to extract bribes from Jonnie Williams because they were barely communicating.

Prosecutors had requested an 18-month prison term, while the defense requested 4,000 hours of community service and probation.

On February 20, Judge James Spencer called the case “puzzling and bizarre”.

He said there appeared to be two versions of Maureen McDonnell – a loving mother and devoted wife but also the first lady “who belittled and terrorized employees” at the Virginia executive mansion.