Washington Post: “Well, depending on how you define corruption, it could be Florida, or Louisiana, or Tennessee, or New York, or Georgia. And then there’s the District of Columbia.”

“Prosecutors laid out a startling corruption case against former Virginia governor Robert F. McDonnell and his wife, but the government faces a high bar in proving that the couple committed a crime,” the Washington Post reports.

“To make its case, the government must show beyond a reasonable doubt that McDonnell (with wife Maureen as co-conspirator) struck a corrupt bargain with a Richmond businessman who lavished the McDonnell family with $165,000 in cash and gifts. They must deliver evidence that the former governor agreed to provide his official help to Star Scientific chief executive Jonnie R. Williams in exchange for his largesse.”

First Read says federal prosecutors might have a tough case to prove when it comes to the indictment of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R).

“It’s all clearly unethical, but being unethical is not a crime — it’s proving the quid pro quo. And McDonnell’s statement yesterday gives a hint as to his defense that he never thought he was doing anything in return for the gifts. Jonnie Williams has immunity, which is why there are SO MANY details in this indictment. But judging by what McDonnell’s lawyers are saying off camera, don’t expect some plea deal right away. This could very well end up in court.” 

If you haven’t had the chance to read the formal indictment of former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) and his wife, Maureen, the Washington Post highlights six of the most interesting details.

Byron York: “News reports give readers the basic outline of the prosecution, but one has to read the indictment itself — it’s just 43 pages — to grasp the full extent of the McDonnells’ alleged corruption.”

The Week: “But while garden-variety graft and wire fraud are bad enough in public officials, scheming to use state employees as guinea pigs for an untested, tobacco-derived dietary supplement is another thing entirely.”

Former Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) and his wife Maureen were charged “with illegally accepting gifts, luxury vacations and large loans from a wealthy Richmond-area businessman who sought special treatment from state government,” the Washington Post reports.

“The two were charged in connection with their relationship with dietary supplement executive Jonnie R. Williams Sr. Authorities alleged that McDonnell and his wife received gifts from Williams again and again, lodging near constant requests for money, clothes, trips, golf accessories and private plane rides.”

The indictment is an amazing read.

Richmond Times Dispatch: “Taken together, the charges, if they resulted in convictions and maximum sentences, could produce fines in excess of $1 million and put the McDonnells behind bars for decades.”

“Jim Greer, the disgraced former chairman of the Florida GOP, is now selling La-Z-Boy recliners for $8 an hour plus commission at an Orlando-area furniture store as part of a prison work release program,” the Orlando Sentinel reports.

“Greer still has seven months left on his prison sentence for stealing $125,000 from the state GOP.”

Former Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ) “has asked a judge to let him wait until Jan. 13 to report to prison to begin serving a sentence for his convictions on public corruption, money laundering and other charges,” the AP reports.

“The former Arizona congressman has been ordered to report to prison Monday, but his lawyers have asked for a one-week extension to give the judge a chance to rule on Renzi’s pending request to remain free on bail while he appeals his convictions.”

Former Moreno Valley, CA City Councilman Marcelo Co “agreed to plead guilty to accepting $2.36 million in bribes to an undercover FBI agent posing as a real estate developer, in what officials called the largest bribe by an undercover agent in history,” the Press Enterprise reports.

“As part of his payoff, Co vowed to line the pockets of other council members to secure a voting majority and inflate the value of a 38-acre parcel to more than $5 million that would be voted on by the council.”

Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) reported to prison early to begin serving a two-and-a-half-year sentence for corruption, but was turned away, the Chicago Tribune reports.

“It was not immediately clear when Jackson would be able to start his 30-month prison sentence.”

Former Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ), “convicted in June on 17 counts of extortion, racketeering and other federal charges, was sentenced to three years in prison this morning at the U.S. District Court in Tucson,” the Arizona Republic reports.

“Kwame Kilpatrick has been sentenced to serve 28 years in prison for crimes of racketeering and conspiracy committed during his six years as the mayor of Detroit,” the Detroit News reports.

“I’m more popular than I was when I went into jail.”

— Newark Mayor Sharpe James (D), quoted by the Wall Street Journal, promoting his new memoir, Political Prisoner.

Federal prosecutors asked a judge to sentence former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) “to at least 28 years in prison for his multitude of crimes — a request that raised eyebrows within the legal community as some experts said Kilpatrick could get the stiffest punishment for public corruption in U.S. history,” the Detroit Free Press reports.

“The government says he deserves it, noting Kilpatrick’s sentencing guidelines call for up to life in prison.”

“I just thank the Lord for carrying me through all of this. It really drove my detractors crazy because I had the joy of
Jesus in me, and they didn’t understand it.”

— Former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX), quoted by the Washington Examiner, on his money laundering conviction being overturned.

A Texas Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX), KHOU reports.

“DeLay was convicted in 2010 for his alleged role in a scheme to influence Texas elections. He was found guilty of money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering after he was accused of helping funnel corporate money to Texas candidates in 2002.”

“Over the past 12 years, John C. Beale was often away from his job as a high-level staffer at the Environmental Protection Agency. He cultivated an air of mystery and explained his lengthy absences by telling his bosses that he was doing top-secret work, including for the CIA,” the Washington Post reports.

“For years, apparently, no one checked.”

“Now, Beale is charged with stealing nearly $900,000 from the EPA by receiving pay and bonuses he did not deserve. He faces up to three years in prison.”

“Even in southern West Virginia, where corruption is as much as a part of life as coal, people are shocked by allegations that a judge commandeered the legal system in a years-long attempt to frame a romantic rival for crimes he didn’t commit,” the AP reports.

A Texas judge says he plans to have a special prosecutor review allegations that Gov. Rick Perry (R) abused the powers of his office and broke the law over a veto that cut funding for state public corruption investigators, CBS Dallas-Fort Worth reports.

Judge Robert Richardson expects to name a special prosecutor as early as next week to look at the complaint filed by a watchdog group, Texans for Public Justice.