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AP source: Former AG subpoenaed in McDonnell trial

By WTOP Staff

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is a possible witness in the upcoming corruption trial of former Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person told the AP that Cuccinelli has been subpoenaed by the McDonnell defense team to potentially testify. The person insisted on anonymity because the subpoena is not supposed to be made public.

The McDonnells’ defense team was granted 20 blank subpoenas for potential witnesses in early June. Their trial is set to begin Monday.

The former Republican governor and his wife are accused of accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from former Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for helping promote the company’s dietary supplement.

Cuccinelli, who was the unsuccessful GOP gubernatorial candidate last year, declined to comment through an assistant.

While serving as attorney general during McDonnell’s term, Cuccinelli had his own dealings with Williams. Cuccinelli accepted more than $18,000 worth of gifts from Williams and Star Scientific, and once owned more than $10,000 in company stock.

A prosecutor investigated Cuccinelli’s failure to promptly disclose the gifts but concluded that the attorney general broke no laws. As the unsuccessful GOP candidate for governor last year, Cuccinelli later donated $18,000 — the amount of the gifts — to a Richmond charity.

Prosecutors have indicated that they intend to explore McDonnell’s financial disclosure forms filed when in office, which do not list all of the gifts and loans Williams provided to the McDonnell family. Judge James R. Spencer recently denied the defense’s request to withhold those forms being submitted as evidence at trial.

After Cuccinelli’s investment in Star Scientific became public, he appointed two private lawyers to defend the state in a lawsuit filed by the company over a tax dispute. The case had been dormant for nearly two years.

Cuccinelli also withdrew as prosecutor in the embezzlement case against former Executive Mansion chef Todd Schneider, who provided authorities information that sparked the McDonnell investigation. In the motion to withdraw, Cuccinelli’s office cited a conflict of interest because a potential witness — Mary Shea Sutherland, former chief of staff to Maureen McDonnell — later worked for a company that raised funds for Cuccinelli’s campaign for governor. Sutherland never testified because Schneider pleaded no contest to lesser charges, but she is a likely witness in the McDonnell trial.

In another development, McDonnell’s attorneys filed a motion seeking copies of documents “purportedly signed by Mr. Williams” and notarized by his former assistant, Jerri Fulkerson, a likely prosecution witness. The motion came a day after the prosecution asked U.S. District Judge James Spencer to compel Fulkerson to answer certain questions that she had indicated she would decline to answer to avoid incriminating herself.

Defense attorneys said prosecutors have indicated that Fulkerson may have signed Williams’ signature to some documents she notarized, which they said could be illegal. They said such evidence would allow McDonnell to “impeach not one but two key Government witnesses.” Williams is expected to testify under immunity as the prosecution’s star witness.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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