Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s fate got a little bleaker Thursday, after a federal appeals court denied his request to remain free on bond while he appeals his legal convictions to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Unless given a reprieve by the Supreme Court, the Republican who was once seen as a presidential candidate will be required to report to federal prison within seven days.
McDonnell was vetted by Mitt Romney as a running mate in 2012, and was once considered a potential 2016 presidential candidate, as an established center-right winner in a critical swing state. Today’s ruling is just the latest setback for the disgraced politician and his now-estranged wife, both of whom have been embroiled in a ruinous corruption scandal since mid-2013.
“I ask my exceptional friends across the nation to continue to support and pray for me and my family during this agonizing time. I thank God for His abundant grace and strength as I continue this difficult journey,” McDonnell said. “I am innocent of these charges and will petition the U.S. Supreme Court for a grant of bond.”
Last fall, McDonnell was convicted in federal court on 11 corruption charges, in a case involving First Lady Maureen McDonnell and allegations of wire fraud and an illicit quid pro quo with businessman Jonnie Williams.
Prosecutors argued and the jury found that the former governor deprived his constituents of the “honest services” they were entitled to under federal law. McDonnell has never been charged with any state crime, and some of the statutes McDonnell was convicted under are controversial, both points of major rhetorical contention from the McDonnell legal team.
The Associated Press reports McDonnell is due to serve two years in prison.
