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Prosecutors rest in ex-Virginia governor case

By WTOP Staff

ALAN SUDERMAN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Prosecutors wrapped up their case in the public corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, on Thursday by giving jurors their first in-person look at the designer clothes and other gifts the couple received from a dietary supplements entrepreneur who says he was seeking their support for his company’s products.

FBI Special Agent David Hulser was the last of 45 prosecution witnesses to testify before the government rested. The jury will have Friday off while U.S. District Judge James S. Spencer deals with motions, then return Monday for the start of the defense case.

Bob McDonnell is expected to testify. His wife is not.

While leaving the courthouse Thursday, Bob McDonnell told reporters that there are two sides to the story.

“I’m glad we finally get to start our case,” he said.

The trial of the McDonnells began in July. Prosecutors say they took more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from Jonnie Williams, the former CEO of dietary supplements maker Star Scientific Inc., in exchange for helping promote his company’s products. They also were accused of falsifying financial documents, and Maureen McDonnell was charged with obstructing the federal investigation.

The ex-governor, once a rising star in the Republican Party who was widely considered a possible Mitt Romney running mate in 2012, has vigorously denied any wrongdoing. He claims prosecutors improperly stretched the definition of bribery to cover long-accepted political courtesies like hosting receptions and arranging meetings for constituents with government officials.

The trial so far has produced many embarrassing details of the cozy relationship with Williams that destroyed McDonnell’s political future.

Williams said he lavished the McDonnells with gifts including designer clothing, a $6,500 Rolex watch, golf outings, vacations and $15,000 to cover catering expenses for a daughter’s wedding. He also made three loans totaling $120,000 as the McDonnells struggled with debts related to two family-owned vacation rental properties in Virginia Beach.

Jurors had previously examined the Rolex, and they got a firsthand look Thursday at other gifts they had previously only seen in photographs: designer apparel Williams purchased for Maureen McDonnell during a $20,000 Manhattan shopping spree in 2011, golf equipment, a painting of sailboats and a carton of Anatabloc — the supposed cure-all that that Williams wanted studied by state university researchers.

The McDonnells’ lawyers had the items returned to Williams after the gifts were made public in media reports last year.

One by one, a prosecutor had a court security officer hand FBI agent David Hulser one of the gifts, which he then held up for the jury to see.

“Special Agent Hulser, is this the Louis Vuitton trench coat returned by the McDonnells to Mr. Williams?” prosecutor Ryan Faulconer asked.

“It is,” Hulser answered, in what was a typical exchange.

While he was spending lavishly on the McDonnells, Williams was seeking help from Virginia government officials, according to testimony in the first three weeks of the trial. The McDonnells attended conferences to promote Star Scientific products and hosted an event for the company at the Executive Mansion, and the governor’s office arranged a meeting between Williams and the state’s top health official to discuss Anatabloc’s health benefits.

The trial has been especially embarrassing for Maureen McDonnell, who was portrayed in an unfavorable light by several former aides. A onetime chief of staff to Virginia’s former first lady testified that she told investigators Maureen McDonnell was “a nutbag.”

McDonnell’s former political adviser, Phil Cox, testified that in 2012, Williams and Maureen McDonnell tried unsuccessfully to get a meeting with GOP presidential candidate Romney to pitch Anatabloc. Having failed to get an audience with the candidate, Maureen McDonnell cornered his wife, Ann Romney, on a campaign bus and began telling her how Anatabloc could cure her multiple sclerosis, Cox testified.

“I was horrified,” Cox said. “I didn’t think it sort of showed the governor in a great light.”

The McDonnells’ personal finances also have been under the microscope. Prosecutors claim the couple turned to Williams for help because they were swamped with credit card debt and the money-losing beach houses.

Hulser presented charts suggesting that the rental properties were only kept afloat because of $70,000 in loans from Williams. Bank records showed that most of the proceeds of those loans were used to pay several mortgages on the properties.

He previously testified that the McDonnells owed nearly $75,000 on seven credit cards when he was inaugurated in January 2010, and the debt eventually climbed as high as $90,000.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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