RICHMOND, Va. (AP) – A legal opinion by Attorney General Mark Herring says former Gov. Bob McDonnell’s pension benefits can be taken away based on a law he signed while governor.
Herring said in an opinion Friday that current Gov. Terry McAuliffe can begin proceedings to cancel former McDonnell’s pension benefits and not wait until the appeals process plays out.
When he was governor, McDonnell signed into law a provision that strips government officials of their pensions if they are convicted of felony misconduct while in office.
A jury in September found McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, guilty of doing favors for former Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. The couple have been sentenced to prison time but are currently free on appeals.
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