Former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell’s lawyers are wasting no time taking his public corruption conviction to a federal appeals court. When McDonnell appeared before a trial judge on Jan. 6 for sentencing, the appeals paperwork was already ready to go, according to Henry “Hank” Asbill of Jones Day, a lead member of McDonnell’s defense team. U.S. District Judge James Spencer of the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced McDonnell to two years in prison — far less than the 10-plus years prosecutors recommended under federal sentencing guidelines. McDonnell, who had asked for several thousand hours of community service instead of a prison term, was “relieved,” Asbill said in an interview with The National Law Journal. McDonnell understood that the community service request was “a longshot,” Asbill said. “Obviously he hopes he can reverse the conviction altogether, in the court of appeals or the Supreme Court, if necessary.”
McDonnell and his wife Maureen were found guilty of accepting money and other gifts from Virginia businessman Jonnie Williams Sr. in exchange for using the governor’s office to promote Williams’ company and products.
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