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APPENDIX 1-C
| Alexandria, VA
E-mail:
of the boat, discovering later that he broke his arm. As Rex tells it, I set about to interview
McDonnell. The talk didnt last long, and I stepped back to check my notes. The next thing I
knew, I was sitting on the deck of the boat with people, including the governor, hovering about
asking how I was doing. I had passed out from the pain, I learned later and fallen. My first
words, Im told, were gems of wit under fire: Did something happen?
Something did happen. I was standing next to Rex when he literally hit the deck. And he hit
hard. Not knowing how injured he might be, I propped him up with my legs. To my surprise, it
was not the trained marine law enforcement agents or the boat captain or the Governors
protective agents who jumped to administer aid. It was Bob McDonnell. The Governor of the
Commonwealth of Virginia, the former Boy Scout, the former Army Officer was immediately
there offering first aid. With Rex leaning on my legs I had a front row seat to the compassionate
Bob McDonnell, checking his vital signs, unbuttoning Rexs shirt, asking him questions about
his pain and medical history. Wow.
Here we were there with 20 or so people gathered for a boat trip but everything was on hold. We
had a second boat and the Governor could have easily turned the scene over to his staff and the
officers present. But he stayed there until Rex was lifted into a chair and was stable. Later, Rex
would say in an article, I wonder if Obamacare will work as well as McDonnellcare.That
evening, McDonnell called me at home. It turns out that politicians can be caring people. Who
knew?
Here is a photo from the event.
I know you have many things to consider in sentencing Bob McDonnell. I hope this story gives
you a glimpse into the true character of this compassionate man.
Sincerely,
Doug Domenech
The Honorable Douglas W. Domenech
Alexandria, Virginia
October 7, 2014
Honorable James R. Spencer
United States District Judge
Eastern District of Virginia Richmond Division
701 E. Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
RE: Robert F. McDonnell
Dear Judge Spencer,
I am writing to you on behalf of former Governor, Robert F. McDonnell, to make
request for a lenient sentence, because of the long history of good he has done for
our great Commonwealth, and because he became over the last four years, a
personal friend.
My family has been in Virginia since colonial times, and I have a great love for
our Commonwealth and the people who live here. I was the first person in my
family to graduate from College, Im a proud graduate of Virginia Tech and
manage my own small business. But I am also the wife of a former member of
Governor McDonnells Cabinet, Secretary of Natural Resources, Doug
Domenech, and in that capacity, I was privileged to get to know the Governor
personally during my husbands term, 2010-2014.
One of the things I respected and appreciated was the Governors first hand
knowledge of military service. There were many occasions when he honored and
supported military families. I felt this personally. My son is an active duty Army
Officer, and during 2012 he was serving with the 82nd Airborne unit in
Afghanistan. As you can imagine, with a son downrange, we were anxious for
news of his welfare, and said many prayers on his behalf.
Once the Governor knew that our son was in the Army, he ALWAYS asked
about how he was, and how I was doing, as he understood first hand how hard it
is to have your child serving in harms way. As a man of faith, the Governor
encouraged us that he was praying for our son. We were grateful for the
understanding and concern he showed. We are grateful to God that our son
returned safely, along with all of his platoon.
I was also very impressed by the Governors initiative to find homes for the
children remaining in Virginias foster/adoption system, and my husband and I
both supported that effort, since we adopted our youngest child through a
Virginia Agency. The Governors Initiative was very successful, placing over
1,000 children in loving homes. The desire of the Governor to meet the needs of
some of the least powerful and disposessed people in our Commonwealth shows
the true heart of this man you will have to sentence.
In light of his compassionate and long service to our Commonwealth, I implore
you to make his sentence lenient.
With respect, and prayers for the serious decision you have before you.
Sincerely,
Jeanne M. Domenech
Jeanne M. Domenech
10/8/2014
Honorable James R. Spencer
United States District Judge
Eastern District of Vi rginia Richmond Division
701 E. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Dear Judge Spence~
We are Paul and Gail Duberstein. We are former neighbors of Bob McDonnell when he resided in
Virginia Beach. I have been a Regional Director of Operations with Jackson Hewitt Tax service for the
past 16 years, retiring this past April. Gail, after serving 30 years as a Virginia Beach Educator specializing
in reading and writing, is also retired. We have known Bob and his family for 20 plus years.
During that time we have witnessed Bob tirelessly giving of himself whenever asked. I recall one
incident when our neighborhood association needed some assistance with a proposal to the Virginia
Beach City Council regarding an adjacent neighborhood that was going to be built. Bob offered his
services and spent many hours with the neighborhood council formulating a proposal. He then went
above and beyond by actually delivering the proposal to the Virginia Beach City Council. In addition, his
time spent on this project was pro bono.
This is only one example of the many times that Bob was there for someone when needed. Over the
years Bob has earned our respect and admiration for his service and actions in which he has been
involved.
We would like to thank you for your service during the course of the recent trial for Bob. We would also
ask that you consider leniency when handing out the sentencing for him. We ask this because we know
Bob as a person, neighbor, and good friend.
Thank you for your time and consideration in this matter.
'.
~.
It'.our
fault.
itsnotyourfault.us
--
Polly Franks,
ecut ve Director
It's NOT Your Fault
23230
II
info@itsnotyourfault.us
II
804.564.9196
Indy Freeman
p.s. I love Our Lord, I love Our Country and I love people who obeys Our Lord and Pray for the ones who does not know Our
Lord so that they too can live and enjoy the Heavenly Peace, Love, and Joy in their heartsno matter what storms of life they
are facing today and tomorrow.
HonorableJamesR.Spencer,UnitedStatesDistrictJudge,EasternDistrictofVirginia,RichmondDivision,
701E.BroadStreet,Richmond,Virginia23219.
DearJudgeSpencer
Thankyou,sir,foryourserviceincontributingtoacivilsociety.IamaCanadian,fromTorontobut
studiedinVirginiamanyyearsago.Istudiedcrossculturalcommunicationsandnowworkwithmy
husbandasweteachESLinVancouver,Canada.
BobMcDonnellwasinmyclass,thoseyearsago.Bobwasalreadymarriedandhadafewchildrenthen.
Irememberhimoftenbeinginthelibrarywhenwewouldgotostudy.Hewasagoodteampersonon
projectsandwashelpfultoothers.Irememberhimasamanofcharacterandasapleasantandkind
person.IamwritingtoaskthatyoursentencingwouldbelenientforBobMcDonnell.
Thankssincerely,
SkyeFulton,MA
,Delta,BC,
Canada
HonorableJamesR.Spencer
UnitedStatesDistrictJudge,EasternDistrictofVirginiaRichmondDivision
701E.BroadStreet,Richmond,Virginia23219
DearJudgeSpencer,
MynameisTomGardnerandIhaveknownBobMcDonnellforalmost40years.Heismarriedtomy
sisterMaureenandasmybrotherinlawhasbeenintegralpartofmyfamilyformanydecades.I
believethatIhavealwayshasacloserelationshipwithBobandhisfamily.AsmybrotherinlawIhave
alwaysknownBobtobeatruefamilymanandalwaystreatednotjusthisownfamilywiththeutmost
respect,butmineaswell.
SinceBobandIhaveknowneachotherforthebetterpartofourlives,IfeelthatIamagoodcandidate
tosharewhatkindofpersonheis.WhenIwasyounger,whenhefirststarteddatingmysister
Maureen,Ilookeduptohimasanolderbrother.BothheandIhavebeenpartofbigfamilieswith
parentswhoalwaysstayedtogether.Thatkindofenvironmentandbackgrounddirectlywasthebiggest
reasonhehasalwayshadastrongfoundationthatbuilthissolidcharacter.LikeBob,Ialsoama
veteran,spendingsixyearsintheUnitedStatesMarineCorps.Bobalwayshasbeentherelikeanolder
brotherandfriendasIwentthroughthetoughesttimesinmylifeandIhavetriedtobethereforhimas
well.WhichiswhyInowwritethisletter.Yourhonor,recentlybothBobsfamilyandmyfamilyhave
lostparents.Ithasbeenaroughfewyears,butBobremainedsteadfastonbeingthepillarthatthe
familyneededandalsotheCommonwealthofVirginianeededasourleaderandGovernor.
Bobhasalwaysbeenanamazingfather,directlyinvolvedineveryaspectofthelivesofallfiveofhis
children.Mostparentswouldbeenviousofthebondthathehaswithallthreeofhisdaughtersand
bothofhissons.Speakingformyself,Iappreciatedwhatkindofafatherhehasbeen,thateightyears
agoIaskedBobtobemyonlysonsGodfatherandofcourseheaccepted.Hehasbeenaverycaring
uncleforbothmysonanddaughter.
Irespectandcompletelyunderstandthatyouhaveaverydifficultjobtodo,butIknowBobsoIaskthat
considerthefactthatthismanhasdonequiteabitforhisfamily,thestateofVirginiaandfortheUnited
StatesofAmerica,andbecauseofwhathehasaccomplishedandhowhewasraised,heisamanof
integrityandhonor.Furthermore,hesahusbandandfather.Hisimmediatefamilyneedshimto
continuebeingtheirpillar.SoIaskthatthatyouconsiderallofthispriortosentencingthisman.Hehas
beenafaithfulservanttohisfamily,communityandcountry,andlikeascoutandveteran,helefthis
postinbettershapethanhowhefoundit.IbelievethattobeafactasdomanyotherVirginiansand
Americans.
Sincerely,
TomGardner