LAW PA523 WEEK 6 PAPER.docx LA/PA523 McDonnel

LAW PA523 WEEK 6 PAPER.docx    LA/PA523                                           McDonnell™s Honest Services Fraud & Hobbs Act Extortion                                                                          University of  Phoenix   McDonnell™s Honest Services Fraud & Hobbs Act Extortion  Former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife Maureen McDonnell were charged by the Federal Government on honest services fraud and Hobbs Act extortion charges and then convicted via a five-week trial. Common laws and statutory laws were used to convict Mr. & Mrs. McDonnell for corruption. Mr. McDonnell was sentenced to two years in jail and Mrs. McDonnell to one year and one day. This case changed how campaigns for elections are run.  Honest Services Fraud  Mr. &Mrs. McDonnell accepted $175,000 in loans and gifts, and other benefits from Virginia businessman Jonnie Williams while Mr. McDonnell was in office. Mr. Williams was the chief executive officer of Star Scientific. Star Scientific hoped that Virginia's public universities would perform research studies on anatabine. Williams wanted Mr. McDonnell's assistance in obtaining those studies through bribes.  Mr. Williams took Mrs. McDonnell on a shopping spree in New York City for clothes worth more than $20,000 and bought a $6,500 Rolex watch for Mr. McDonnell at Mrs. McDonnell's request. Mr. Williams also took Mr. &Mrs. McDonnell on a pricey Cape Cod vacation and allowed the family to stay at his vacation lake home. Mr. Williams gave Mr. McDonnell $120,00