In following the McDonnell's corruption trial for the last week, I have heard all kinds of salacious details about the McDonnell's marriage, Mrs. McDonnell's mental state, and the enormity of their greed. All very titillating, but far from proving corruption.
But the one thing I still can't understand is Jonnie Williams motive. Putting the ethics of bribery aside for a moment did Williams strategy in dealing with the McDonnells make any sense? He says he tried to bribe the Governor to help his business. He is either lying or not a very good businessman. Let me explain. If you own a vitamin business, and had 165,000 dollars to spread around, would you really think the Governor of one state, ignore for the moment that there are 49 other states, but this one Governor can really help you sell more vitamins?
Consider the following. For the most part vitamins and pharmaceuticals are regulated by the Feds, not the state. In fact the state has little role in such an industry. So the Governor could not provide Williams with regulatory relief.
In addition, as far as I know the state isn't handing out million dollar vitamin contracts. So it is not like the Governor can slip into the budget a big purchase of the company's pills.
No, Williams claims that he needed the Governor to direct a university to do a study of his vitamins. A study that would no doubt prove that his vitamins really work. And from there the great publicity would lead to great sales. This strains credulity to its limits, but lets look at that idea.
What would happen if UVA or VCU did a study of Williams product. Could the Governor guarantee positive results? Of course not. And what if the results came back inconclusive, or found no benefit. Would he expect the Governor to quash the results of the study? In effect Williams could have paid 165,000 dollars for a study that said his vitamins are worthless. He had to have considered that possibility.
No, I think Williams had other motives. Perhaps he shared Mrs. McDonnell's crush, and wanted to impress her with gifts. Perhaps he just wanted to hang out with a Governor. But the notion that he thought the Governor could help his business is a real stretch.
My guess is the Feds came to him and said testify against McDonnell, and we will ignore your shady stock deal in another case.
2 comments:
Your entitled to your opinion , although I think it is still to early to make an accurate judgement rite now with still a few weeks left in this trial! What I will say is that the defense team is throwing any and everything against the wall hoping something sticks, with all diversions being thrown out there such as the wife's mental status, she had a crush on Williams, and the marriage was on the rocks? You can clearly see the defense strategy! One thing for sure, this guy Williams was positioning himself to be close with former Gov. Let us not forget, this guy is a business man, and by Macdonell at the time being one of a few positioned for the making a run for the white house. You have to remember Macdonnell gets this guy in doors with big wigs he would never be able to get close to! As well as out pushing his products for him. What I will say at this point is that Macdonnell' hands aren't clean in this whole situation , as the defense would like you to believe, by pointing everything toward his wife. There's a reason he got rid of the Ferrari as it will come out as well. The question I would like to ask you, is if Macdonnell were a dem. would you feel the same way about this trial? Seeing as how you like to lob bombs at my state of Md. About corruption and all the other wise cracks you make!
Thanks for the comment Donald! What did Williams get? A meeting with the Health Secretary. My guess is he could have gotten that on his own. Virginia is not Maryland, there is no corruption regarding the Mcdonnell administration.
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