VA IS FOR LOVERS

Ex-Virginia Gov’s Wife Had Crush

New twist in corruption trial.

In the end, it was about love. That, at least, is the defense offered by the lawyers for former Virginia Republican Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife Maureen who are on trial for using his office for personal enrichment. According to the defense lawyers, Maureen's "crush" on the businessman Jonnie R. Williams Sr. led to the couple accepting over $165,000 in cash and luxury gifts. It also made their marriage so broken that the couple did not communicate about the gifts. Meanwhile, prosecutors argued that for Williams, their star witness, the gifts to both spouses were about making more money through access to the governor. If convicted, the McDonnells face over 20 years in prison. McDonnell, who was once tapped to give the State of the Union response, had been seen as a potential vice presidential candidate for Mitt Romney, as well as a contender in 2016 for president.