Justices will hear ex-Virginia Gov. McDonnell’s appeal

The justices said Friday they will review a lower court ruling that upheld his convictions.

Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of 11 charges of corruption in 2014.

McDonnell’s contributions, they said, came in the form of meetings arranged to connect Mr. Williams with state officials, a luncheon Mr. Williams was allowed to throw at the governor’s mansion to help launch the product and a guest list Mr. Williams was allowed to shape at mansion reception meant for health-care leaders. I am innocent of these crimes and ask the court to reverse these convictions, ‘ McDonnell said in a statement.

“Reaffirming that such quid pro quo agreements are unlawful poses no threat to legitimate political activity, ” the Justice Department brief states. Ahead of Friday’s action by the Supreme Court, a broad coalition of former and current Virginia lawmakers, criminal defense attorneys, former federal officials, law professors and other supporters filed briefs backing the ex-governor and urging the justices to take action in his case.

It is unclear yet if the court will hear the case this term or next.

“The church involved in the case was denied access to a state program in Missouri that provides playground surface rubber made from old tires”.

– A dispute about whether a board created to review patents by a 2011 law is jeopardizing innovation by using a standard that favors challenges to patents and invalidating too many patents.

Additionally, the court will consider Microsoft’s attempt to avoid a class-action lawsuit from Xbox 360 owners who contend that the video game console scratched users’ discs.

– A bid by service advisers at auto dealerships who say they are entitled to overtime pay under federal labor laws. Such votes typically signal the court will hear the full appeal.

In January 2015, McDonnell was sentenced to two years in prison and his wife was sentenced to one year and a day. The former Virginia first lady’s appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals was put on hold while the Supreme Court weighed whether to hear her husband’s case.

The heart of the former governor’s appeal is that he never took official action to benefit Williams or the Star Scientific company he ran. Stone added Chief Justice John Roberts allowed McDonnell to remain free on bond, thus hinting at the highest court’s eventual intentions.

A federal appeals court upheld the conviction “based on the unexceptionable proposition that a public official violates federal corruption statutes where, as here, he accepts personal benefits in exchange for his agreement to influence government matters”, U.S. Solicitor General Donald Verrilli argued.

The case and the Supreme Court’s decision whether or not the hear the case has drawn attention from lawmakers and legal experts nationwide.