In the corruption trial of former Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, the prosecution resumed its case on Thursday, according to Reuters.
The former chief of staff for Maureen McDonnell, Mary Shea Sutherland, testified this week that the first lady shouted at her twice. The shouting matches were so bad that guards at the governor’s mansion rushed to see if something was wrong.
Sutherland said she complained to the governor multiple times, but, “it was difficult.”
The governor made excuses for his wife, saying that her father had just died and that she was still trying to adjust to being first lady of the state.
“I told him that my mother had died in a car accident and my father died five months later and I never treated anybody like that,” Sutherland said in U.S. District Court.
The couple faces 14 federal counts of corruption and bribery for accepting $165,000 in gifts and loans from Jonnie Williams Sr. In exchange for the money, Williams’ company, now known as Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc., was supported by the governor
The testimony of Sutherland was used to counter the defense argument that the marriage between the McDonnells was so bad that there was no way they could conspire to take the gifts and loans from Williams.
Sutherland even testified that Maureen would request more time with her husband and staff members would arrange for them to eat dinner together as much as possible.
The couple faces more than 20 years in prison and a massive fine if they are convicted.