Convicted ex-Va. governor's lawyers push for no jail time

RICHMOND, Va. — Lawyers for Virginia's former governor convicted in September on public corruption charges asked a federal judge Tuesday to ignore federal sentencing guidelines and take prison time out of the equation.

Former GOP governor Bob McDonnell is expected to be sentenced Jan. 6 after being found guilty Sept. 4. on 11 of 13 federal charges filed against him, trading access to his power for $165,000 in loans and high-end gifts. Earlier this month, federal prosecutors recommended a sentence of more than 10 years, which McDonnell's lawyers say is unfair.

His lawyers argued that the proper sentencing range for their client is 33 to 41 months but recommended that he serve probation and give 6,000 hours of "full-time, rigorous community service."

"Bob has consistently adhered to the highest moral standards, respecting the law and acting with honesty, integrity and sound moral character in every situation," his lawyers wrote in a 60-page sentencing memorandum. "That history alone supports a below-guidelines sentence."

And, as in the former governor's six-week trial, his lawyers are saying that though McDonnell was convicted of performing official acts for former Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams and his company, those actions do not deserve punishment as if they were a run-of-the-mill bribery case.

"He did not take briefcases of money or hide stacks of $100 bills in his freezer," the memorandum states. "Rather, the quid (Latin for 'what') that the indictment charges that Mr. McDonnell or his family members received were gifts — a wedding gift to Mr. McDonnell's daughter and several rounds of golf at Mr. Williams's country club — as well as three loans at commercial rates that the McDonnells paid back with interest."

McDonnell's wife, Maureen, who was tried at the same time as her husband, was convicted on nine of 13 charges filed against her. Her sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 20.