Friday, November 8, 2013

Were federal prosecutors conned into pursuing Governor McDonnell?

"Were federal prosecutors conned into pursuing Governor McDonnell?"

Friends,

Paul Goldman, former Chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, has long been one of the most respected leaders in the Commonwealth. Earlier this week he penned a devastating analysis on Jonnie Williams and his "playing the prosecutors" on the case regarding Governor Bob McDonnell.

Mr. Goldman also refers to the "curious media failure" that has largely ignored the mountain of questionable ethical, business and legal problems that have followed Mr. Willliams for over three decades. Bob McDonnell's reputation, built over four decades of public service to Virginia and the nation, in the U.S. Army, as a prosecutor, Delegate, Attorney General and now Governor is being challenged by a man with over four decades of ethical problems. It is only fair that his accuser be given a proper examination to weigh the validity and truthfulness of the claimant.

Please take time to read the excerpts of the story below and the link to WTVR's story.

The Restoration Fund

GOLDMAN: Were federal prosecutors conned into pursuing Governor McDonnell?

EXCERPTS AND LINK BELOW:

http://wtvr.com/2013/11/05/goldman-were-federal-prosecutors-conned-into-pursuing-governor-mcdonnell/

"I didn't vote for Republican Governor Bob McDonnell.

But something never "smelled" right about the unprecedented U.S.
Department of Justice's relentless investigation into a popular Republican Governor during a gubernatorial election year."

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"There isn't much genuine bipartisanship left anymore on tough issues. So it seemed useful for me to prepare an article showing the McDonnell investigation had not actually tainted the election outcome prior to today's results.

But the research - on my own without any compensation - revealed a troubling picture I frankly never expected.

All avenues of research confirmed the Washington Post's observation that the "key question for prosecutors is who is most believable about the interactions between the governor and Williams."

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"Prior to the McDonnell investigation, Star Scientific faced a relentless federal probe into years of questionable company stock transactions. This probe could have proven ruinous to Star along with Mr. Williams. But once Star's founder began fully cooperating with the Governor's pursuers, the securities probe seemingly faded away, the company telling shareholders not to worry.

As famed New York Yankee catcher Yogi Berra once said, some things are simply too coincidental to be a coincidence."

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"A CURIOUS MEDIA FAILURE

With all due respect to reporters who have covered this unprecedented story, the inexplicable failure by the Virginia media to provide the necessary in-depth profile examinations of Mr. Williams is self-evident.

He claims to know evidence capable of taking down the Virginia Governor.

An "MRI" examination into Mr. Williams thus became a basic journalistic obligation.

His relevant history discussed below is easily accessible to any interested journalist. It leads to the next question, "is it possible prosecutors are equally in the dark or possess insufficient interest in this history?"

Moreover, federal prosecutors have ready access to countless federal and state documents not available to me over the Internet, assuming someone even knew they existed. The mainstream media also given their resources and confidential sources.

Given this failure, the people of Virginia have been left without the necessary information as regards the answer to the fundamental question: Just who, the heck, is the real Jonnie Williams?" .......

On the other hand, the website cites a little-known newspaper article quoting a former employee of Williams saying "Jonnie Williams could sell a snowball to an Eskimo."

However, "when it came to backing up what he was selling, now that was another story. Let's face it, he was a salesman through and through." This description, given repeatedly during his business career, comes from a newspaper story about him in 1981.

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"PLAYING THE PROSECUTORS"

"Prosecutors apparently believe Williams' claims that McDonnell tried to get the Virginia Tobacco Commission to fund Star-friendly research. But Williams' lawyer is twin brother to a long-time Commission powerbroker, now its Chairman. Why would he need the Governor? Besides, a search of the Commission website suggests those types of projects didn't readily if ever received funding.......

From his earliest days as a legendary used car salesman in Fredericksburg, everyone recognized Jonnie Williams had the "gift." Mr. James Sealey, a businessman who said the super salesman skipped town owing him thousands, still marveled. "That guy could sell you anything. I mean anything" he said. "Let's face it," he added with a grin, "Jonnie could talk his way out of anything."

"He was a very slick salesman," said David Muller, who competed with Williams back in the 1990's. Williams is "the guy who could sell snowballs in Alaska," Muller told Bloomberg News.

FULL STORY HERE: http://wtvr.com/2013/11/05/goldman-were-federal-prosecutors-conned-into-pursuing-governor-mcdonnell/