U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Former Gov. Bob McDonnell's Appeal: Report

UPDATE: Patch has updated the story with a statement from Bob McDonnell.

ARLINGTON, VA -- The U.S. Supreme Court will hear former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s appeal of his public corruption convictions, according to a report Friday afternoon by the Associated Press.

The former Republican governor has been sentenced to prison for his actions, which centered on a relationship with a Richmond businessman who gave the governor and his wife gifts and loans.

McDonnell issued a statement Friday afternoon about the decision to hear his appeal:

“I am very grateful to the U.S. Supreme Court for its decision today to hear my case,” McDonnell said in the statement.

“I am innocent of these crimes and ask the court to reverse these convictions. I maintain my profound confidence in God’s grace to sustain me and my family, and thank my friends and supporters across the country for their faithfulness over these past three years.”

The former governor has avoided prison time while the justices consider his appeal.

McDonnell is expected to remain free at least until a decision, likely by June 2016. The case will be argued in April, with a decision expected by the end of June.

Read: Timeline of Bob McDonnell Case

The former state attorneys general note in friend of the court briefs — pointed out in a column by George Will about the McDonnell case last Thursday — that if “the sweeping definition of ‘official act’” is allowed to stand, this “would federalize the law of public corruption,” something Congress has not chosen to do. Absent a Supreme Court intervention now, or a congressional decision down the road, federal prosecutors will be empowered “to transform innocent political courtesies into fodder for federal prosecutions.”

But others disagree with that take on the case. “This everybody-does-it argument has been the heart of McDonnell’s defense since his indictment two years ago,” writes Dale Eisman of Common Cause, in The Roanoke Times. “It didn’t work on the jury that listened to five weeks worth of evidence against McDonnell or on judges of the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, who twice refused to overturn his convictions.”

Once a national political rising star, McDonnell was found guilty last year on 11 corruption counts. The governor’s wife, Maureen McDonnell, was found guilty of 9 corruption counts and one count of obstruction of justice.

The couple was charged in early 2014 with illegally accepting more than $165,000 in gifts, luxury vacations and large loans from Jonnie R. Williams Sr., a wealthy Richmond-area businessman.

The McDonnells allegedly asked for or accepted loans and gifts of money, clothes, golf tees and equipment, trips and private plane rides. In exchange, the couple allegedly lent the prestige of the governor’s office to Williams’ struggling dietary supplement company, Star Scientific.

Patch file photo. Thompson Wall and Greg Hambrick contributed to this report.

Patch will update this breaking story as new information becomes available.