Former Virginia
Gov. Bob McDonnell
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ A cabinet secretary for Bob McDonnell tells jurors she wasn’t instructed to give preferential treatment to the owner of a dietary supplement company at the heart of the former governor’s ongoing corruption trial. Janet Kelly, who was secretary of the commonwealth under McDonnell and played a key role in handing out jobs and appointments, testified Monday as the former governor’s lawyers began laying out their defense. She says she was never asked to give any appointments or jobs to Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams or to executives from his company. She says McDonnell wanted only the “best and the brightest” to serve in his administration, regardless of their connections. Prosecutors say McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, accepted gifts and loans from Williams in exchange for promoting his dietary supplements.
