Michael Rosensaft, a partner in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution practice, spoke with The New York Times regarding alleged corruption on the part of former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife. While Virginia's ethics laws at the time placed no limits on gifts an official could accept, prosecutors are attempting to prove that $160,000 in cash and gifts from businessman Jonnie R. Williams Sr. were given and accepted not out of friendship, but as part of an illegal scheme in which the governor did official favors for Mr. Williams's company. Ms. McDonnell's lawyers are portraying her as infatuated with Mr. Williams, a strategy Michael—a former federal prosecutor in New York—said is sure to complicate the government's case: "This whole possible affair between the governor's wife and Mr. Williams, the jury is going to love that. Did she do some of the things because she wanted to help him, not because of her husband's position? It's a great defense to complicate the issues, and really distract the jury from the basic facts of did he receive something and did Williams get something in return." ("In Virginia Graft Case, Cognac and Golf Trips Aren’t Smoking Guns," August 5, 2014)