Foreword
Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell was once a rising star in the Republican Party. Just 10 days after he completed his term in office, however, he had a stunning reversal of fortune when he and his wife were indicted on Federal bribery and corruption charges. Prosecutors accused the governor of accepting sweetheart loans, gifts, and paid vacations from Jonnie Williams, the head of the dietary supplement company Star Scientific. Williams, the government alleged, wanted McDonnell to pressure State university medical schools to conduct research on his company’s products and otherwise promote his business. Although Star Scientific reaped no tangible benefit as…
