Former Governor Bob McDonnell

Former Governor
Bob McDonnell

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Five former Virginia attorneys general are asking a federal judge to consider their argument that public corruption charges against former Gov. Bob McDonnell should be dismissed.

The former Republican governor and his wife Maureen are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 from the CEO of a dietary supplements company in exchange for helping promote his products. They have pleaded not guilty. A jury trial is set for late July.

Three Democrats and two Republicans who served as attorney general filed a motion asking U.S. District Judge James Spencer to accept their friend-of-the-court brief late Wednesday.

In court papers, they say the government’s “expansive interpretation” of the federal bribery law is alien to any advice they would have given to any Virginia governor.