Appeals court denies Bob McDonnell’s request to remain free during SCOTUS appeal

Last fall, McDonnell was convicted in federal court on 11 corruption charges, in a case involving First Lady Maureen McDonnell and allegations of wire fraud and an illicit quid pro quo with businessman Jonnie Williams.

McDonnell now has seven days to report to prison.

McDonnell’s attorneys filed an emergency application on Thursday to stay a lower court’s ruling.

Former governor Bob McDonnell has made a final plea to a federal court to let him remain free. Roberts can decide the matter himself or refer it to the full Supreme Court. They say McDonnell’s case clearly raises important legal questions that merit review by the high court.

“It is not very likely that the court would consider his case”, he says, because the issues raised by McDonnell’s attorneys are “fairly routine”.

McDonnell was sentenced January 6 to two years in prison, the first Virginia governor to be indicted or convicted of a felony. The Bureau of Prisons can give him a date to report by and could select a facility for him. The court typically takes about six weeks to act on the petitions it receives. Oral arguments for Maureen McDonnell’s appeal are scheduled for October 29.

McDonnell’s lawyers filed a brief late Wednesday with the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking for her convictions on corruption charges to be vacated, or at least to get a new trial. Even the former first lady’s lawyers believe that the overlap in their appeals also suggests that the two cases will not be treated differently. The case derailed the career of the rising Republican star, who had been viewed as a possible running mate to presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2012.

The couple was allowed to keep their freedom while they appealed the case.

He appealed the decision and the verdict was upheld in July.