WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court on Monday gave former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) the reprieve of his life -- reversing his multiple convictions for corruption and effectively sparing him from federal prison.
McDonnell had been fighting since last summer for the high court to get involved in his case, and a major stroke of luck came in January, when the justices granted him a rare opportunity to not turn himself in until they issued a final ruling.
When the court finally heard the merits of McDonnell's appeal, he seemed to have gotten lucky yet again, with a clear Supreme Court majority expressing deep skepticism over the way the federal government handled his criminal prosecution.
In a unanimous ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court left open the possibility for a new trial for McDonnell, while making clear the case is filled with indiscretions that may dismay the public.
"There is no doubt that this case is distasteful; it may be worse than that," Roberts wrote. "But our concern is not with tawdry tales of Ferraris, Rolexes, and ball gowns. It is instead with the broader legal implications of the Government’s boundless interpretation of the federal bribery statute."
At the crux of the case was the question of what kind of behavior by elected officials counts as an "official act" under federal anti-corruption laws. McDonnell -- aided by a coalition of legal scholars, former government officials and defense attorneys -- argued against a definition that sweeps too broadly and punishes otherwise innocent, everyday political activity.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Supreme Court Spares Ex-Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell From Prison
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