Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell has been charged with 11 counts
of corruption charges. He built a professional relationship with Jonnie
Williams a business woman whom also was apart of a dietary supplement company
called Star Scientific. Throughout the governors political career he has been
given money and gifts, like a rolex from Mrs. Williams. His wife has also been
given loans for her children's weddings. During this time, McDonnell has also
publicly supported this supplement personally and professionally. While
governor he pushed clinical trials for this drug in public state universities
to help move along the process of the FDA approval of this drug. He even
displayed the drug to the health department and secretary of administrations,
who controlled the health plans for the state government workers. The court is
trying to make a case that says he was bribed by Jonnie Williams with these
gifts to help get this drug introduced into the universities system and the
state governments eyes. Although, Bob McDonnell's attorney makes the case that
the court is directly violating his first amendment rights because his actions
are protected by his conduct under the first amendment. The question is, where
does the first amendment stop? It used to protect citizens being falsely
prosecuted by the government but now the amendment protects political
candidates and their big corporation supporters by making it private record of
donations and political support. Should we hide our contributions as a society
or try and change our legal freedoms and protections?
