While Victoria Cobb and similar neurotic Christofascists continue to lament the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals decision striking down Virginia's same sex marriage bans, Bob and Maureen McDonnell are providing a glimpse at what a godly Christian marriage really looks like: rapacious greed, a willingness to ignore the law, alleged alienation, and putting on a show to satisfy what others expect. Seemingly, all that is fine from a Christofascist perspective since (i) marriage is only for procreation - and according to past fathers of the Catholic Church even that is sinful if the couple enjoys physical sex - and (ii) one's allegiance is supposed to be subservient to one's slavish obedience to God/the church fathers. The Richmond Times Dispatch continues to provide coverage of the McDonnell corruption trial show what a GOP version of a godly marriage is all about. Here are highlights:
Williams earlier testified that after a stock transfer to then-Gov. Bob McDonnell could not be arranged, he had a $50,000 check from the Starwood Trust, a trust for his children, made out to MoBo Realty.
"What did you expect to get in return from the governor," asked Michael Dry, an assistant U.S. attorney.
"To help me move this product forward in Virginia," said Williams. He said he hoped the governor could assist with testing of Anatabloc by the state medical schools, by publicly supporting it and in other ways.
"If you need cash, let me know," he wrote to the governor, adding that his business "was about to break out strong."
Williams told the court that later that summer, he expensed to Star Scientific a trip to Cape Cod, which included McDonnell and his wife, McDonnell's friend and political action committee director Phil Cox and his spouse and a doctor with whom Williams worked on Anatabloc.
Star picked up the tab for golf, sailing, lodging and private airfare on Williams' jet and a clambake on the beach of the luxury resort, capping the evening with a $5,000 bottle of Louis XIII cognac.
Dressed in a dark suit and muted tie, the short and soft-spoken dietary supplement impresario testified that he was with Maureen McDonnell at the Executive Mansion on Aug. 1, 2011, when she asked him what kind of watch he was wearing. He said he told her it was a Rolex and she remarked she would really like the governor to have one.
"You want me to get you a Rolex for the governor?'" he said he asked. "'Yes,'" she said.
He said he bought the Rolex for $6,000 to $7,000 at a store in Malibu, California. Williams said his wife suggested getting it engraved. He called Maureen McDonnell from the store to ask what she would like the engraving to say. She said "71st governor of Virginia."
The transactional nature of the relationship between the governor and his wife and Williams is central to the case being brought by the federal government, which has charged the former first couple with using the governor's office to illegally assist Williams and his company in exchange for the personal gifts received.
Dry asked Williams whether he thought he would have had the launch for his product at the Executive Mansion if he hadn't spent the money he did on the McDonnells. "No, I did not," he said.
Williams explained the circumstances surrounding the May 31, 2011, trip to Sarasota Florida during which he flew then-first lady Maureen McDonnell on his private plane to participate in a research conference and fundraiser for Anatabloc.
Under questioning from prosecutor Dry, Williams told the eight men and four women of the jury that he put up the first lady and her aide, Mary-Shea Sutherland, at the Ritz Carlton hotel, and that she did not hesitate at the opportunity to address the crowd of doctors, researcher and investors assembled at the Roskamp Institute.
There's much more. The take away? The Christofascists/Virginia GOP support corrupt marriages like that of the McDonnells but oppose loving same sex relationships where no member of the couple is out to rip off Virginia taxpayers and put government favors up for sale.
No comments:
Post a Comment