AP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court is clarifying when same-sex marriages could begin in Virginia. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond decided Wednesday not to delay its ruling that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban. According to a letter from the court clerk to the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, its ruling is scheduled to go into effect at 8 a.m. on Aug. 21, barring a stay from the U.S. Supreme Court. That would clear the way for same-sex marriages to begin. The state also would need to start recognizing out-of-state gay marriages. A county clerk in northern Virginia had asked the court to stay its decision issued in late July while it’s appealed to the high court. The appeals court’s order didn’t explain why it denied that request.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ An FBI agent has testified that a wealthy businessman spent more than $36,000 entertaining former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, at a Cape Cod resort in 2012. Agent David Hulser said Thursday that the weekend tab included more than $9,000 for food and beverages, including 16 servings of cognac totaling $2,400. Financial records showed that former Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams paid all the expenses for the McDonnells and three other guests. Hulser testified about finances and phone records as the prosecution prepared to wrap up its case in the McDonnells’ public corruption trial. The former governor and his wife are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from Williams in exchange for promoting dietary supplements made by his company.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ An FBI agent is wrapping up the prosecution’s case in the public corruption trial of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. Agent David Hulser will be back on the stand Thursday to continue testifying about the McDonnells’ finances and phone records. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Dry says the government expects to rest its case Thursday. If that happens, the jury will take Friday off and begin hearing from defense witnesses Monday. The McDonnells are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from the former CEO of a dietary supplements maker in exchange for promoting his company’s products. They could face decades in prison if convicted.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Same-sex couples could begin marrying as early as next week in Virginia after a federal appeals court refused to delay its ruling that struck down the state’s gay marriage ban. The state would also need to start recognizing gay marriages from out of state next Wednesday, though the U.S. Supreme Court could effectively put same-sex marriages on hold again if opponents are able to win an emergency delay. Nancy Leong is a law professor at the University of Denver. She says while clerks in other states within the 4th Circuit — West Virginia and the Carolinas — wouldn’t technically have to begin issuing licenses as well, federal courts in the state would likely make them if they don’t.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) _ State and federal leaders are marking the start of research on unmanned aircraft systems being done at Virginia Tech. Federal Aviation Administration Administrator Michael Huerta, Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe and others on Wednesday marked the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership’s first flight. The visit to the Blacksburg campus included a demonstration of an unmanned aircraft gathering information at a mock auto accident scene. Last year, Virginia Tech was selected by the FAA as a research site for unmanned aircraft systems. Led by Virginia Tech, the mid-Atlantic-based component of the national effort will also involve the University of Maryland and Rutgers University in New Jersey. The research will help guide the agency as it works to introduce commercial versions of the unmanned aircraft into busy U.S. airspace.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ An FBI agent has testified that former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, once had more than $90,000 in credit card debt and that a family real estate partnership was operating at a loss. Prosecutors called agent David Hulser to the stand Wednesday to bolster their claim that the McDonnells were in dire financial straits when they did favors for the former CEO of dietary supplements maker Star Scientific Inc. in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans. Hulser testified that the McDonnells owed nearly $75,000 on credit cards when McDonnell was inaugurated in January 2010. The debt increased to more than $90,000 by September 2010 before falling to just over $31,000 in April 2011.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Gov. Terry McAuliffe is creating a new workforce development initiative with a focus on helping military veterans find jobs. McAuliffe signed an executive order Wednesday creating the new initiative, which will be led by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Maurice Jones. The governor plans to ask 10,000 businesses to sign commitments for hiring veterans. McAuliffe said the state also lacks enough technically proficient frontline workers and directed state agencies to come up with a plan to boost the number of skilled workers by 50,000 in the next three years.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell revised a mortgage refinance application to disclose two loans from a wealthy businessman three days after state police questioned his wife about the debts. That’s according to evidence introduced Wednesday in the corruption trial of McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. They are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company’s products. Nanette Bolt, a mortgage supervisor for Pentagon Federal Credit Union, testified that McDonnell never mentioned to her that his wife had just been interviewed by investigators who asked about loans from Williams. Bolt also said she was not surprised to see the undocumented loans totaling $120,000 added to McDonnell’s loan application on Feb. 18, 2013. Earlier, Virginia Beach Mayor William Sessoms said former Bob McDonnell never mentioned debts to a wealthy businessman in his application to refinance a bank loan. Sessoms is president of TowneBank’s parent company.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A federal appeals court has denied a request to delay its ruling striking down Virginia’s same-sex marriage ban. A panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond on Wednesday denied the request by a county court clerk in northern Virginia to stay the decision while it is appealed to the Supreme Court. That means that without intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court, same-sex couples could begin marrying and have their out-of-state marriages recognized by next Wednesday. Late last month, the court ruled that Virginia’s gay marriage ban approved by voters in 2006 is unconstitutional. Representatives for the defendants didn’t immediately comment.
Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia Beach Mayor William Sessoms says former Gov. Bob McDonnell never mentioned debts to a wealthy businessman in his application to refinance a bank loan. Sessoms, president of TowneBank’s parent company, testified Wednesday in the corruption trial of McDonnell and his wife, Maureen. They are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company’s products. A defense attorney says the Williams loans went to Maureen McDonnell and to a company owned by the former governor and his sister. Bob McDonnell was the sole borrower on the TowneBank loan. Sessoms says that a corporate debt technically doesn’t have to be listed on an individual’s financial statement but that the bank does need to know about shared debts.