Outside attorney to assist VCU in McDonnell case

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.迷你倉Oct. 26--The Virginia Attorney General's Office has appointed additional state- funded outside counsel in connection to probes into Gov. Bob McDonnell's relationship with a wealthy donor -- this time for Virginia Commonwealth University.An attorney was appointed to represent VCU staff for matters arising out of their testimony, interviews or other inquiries "related to an investigation by federal authorities of research grants provided by Star Scientific Inc.," according to the retention letter.Amy L. Austin, of Richmond, was appointed Aug. 9 at an hourly rate of $250, the attorney general's office disclosed Friday.Austin's appointment is in addition to two outside law firms that the attorney general's office appointed to represent McDonnell and state employees in a now-resolved criminal case involving a former Executive Mansion chef and related gift probes of the governor.The legal fees are known to have cost taxpayers more than $240,000 so far.Austin billed $2,860.29 for services rendered in August and September.Eckert Seamans was assigned to represent the governor and his office,and the Chicago-based law firm of Baker & McKenzie was assigned to represent state employees.Two additional outside law firms were hired to counsel the Virginia State Police -- William W. "Billy" Tunner of the Richmond law firm Thomp- sonMcMullan and William Dinkin of the Richmond law firm Stone, Cardwell & Dinkin.Cuccinelli's office withdrew from prosecuting the case omini storage the former Executive Mansion chef, Todd Schneider, who pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor counts of embezzlement and received a one-year suspended sentence.Schneider's defense led to the tangle of allegations that have ensnared the governor, first lady Maureen McDonnell and Jon- nie R. Williams Sr., the CEO of Henrico County- based Star Scientific, which manufactures a dietary supplement.The attorney general's office said it faced conflicts because it could have been forced to cross-examine witnesses that it technically represents.Office spokesman Brian Gottstein has said the attorney general's office "had two roles in the Todd Schneider embezzlement case: one as the prosecutor of Todd Schneider and one as counsel to potential witnesses in the case acting in their official state capacity -- the governor and his staff.""Since it was improper to pick which role to drop and which to keep, the attorney general did the appropriate thing and recused his office from the Schneider case and appointed outside counsel for the governor and his staff."However, Gottstein said Friday that the appointment for VCU was to advise their employees on matters related to a grant provided by Star and not because of a conflict situation. VCU's regular counsel did not think they had the resources or expertise, he said.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) Visit the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.) at .timesdispatch.com Distributed by MCT Information Services迷你倉