VOA常速英语2014--前维吉尼亚州州长麦克唐纳因腐败受到指控（在线收听）

Former Governor's Corruption Trial New for Virginia, but Not for US Politics 前维吉尼亚州州长麦克唐纳因腐败受到指控

WASHINGTON—

A public corruption trial in the U.S. state of Virginia has made headlines across the nation, with stories of expensive gifts, a faltering marriage and infatuation.

The former governor, Bob McDonnell, and his wife, Maureen, are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from a wealthy businessman in exchange for promoting his company's products.

Once entrusted by voters with fighting for the people of Virginia, former governor McDonnell is now fighting in a court of law.

曾经受选民委托为弗吉尼亚人争取利益的前州长麦克唐纳现在正投身法庭的唇枪舌战之间。

"I can't comment on any of the testimony in the trial, as you know."

“我不能对任何审判的证词发表评论,你懂的。”

It's the first time a Virginia governor has faced trial on public corruption charges.

这是第一次一位维吉尼亚州州长在公共腐败指控中受审。

The McDonnells are charged with accepting numerous lavish gifts and loans from businessman Jonnie Williams, including 15,000 for their daughter's wedding.

麦克唐纳夫妇被控从商人强尼·威廉姆斯处接受包括他们女儿的婚礼费用15000美元在内的价值不菲贵重礼物及大笔贷款。

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Defense lawyers said Maureen McDonnell developed a "crush" on Williams and reject the prosecution's claim the McDonnells used the governor's office to promote the businessman's dietary supplement company.

辩护律师表示茂琳·麦当诺对威廉姆斯发展出一种“迷恋”态度并且拒绝控方所称麦克唐纳夫妇利用州长职务之便帮助促销这位商人的膳食补充剂公司的证词。

Trials of U.S. politicians are not new.

美国政客们受审并不是什么新鲜事。

"Certainly the behaviors before this court today will never be repeated," San Diego Mayor Bob Filner, who is serving jail time after being convicted of sexual harassment last year.

“当然现如今上法庭之前的种种行为永远不会相同。”去年因被指控性骚扰正在狱中服刑的圣地亚哥市长鲍勃·费那尔说道。

Trey Radel resigned from office after pleading guilty to cocaine possession.

而特雷·阿德尔承认持有可卡因的罪名后辞去了职务。

“I have let down our country, I have let down our constituents. I've let down my family.”

“我让我们的国家蒙羞,我让我们的选民失望。我愧对我的家人。”

Political corruption trials, like the McDonnells', often stem from investigative reports published in the U.S. media, according to Newport University's Quentin Kidd via Skype.

纽波特大学的昆汀·基德通过Skype表示，麦克唐纳这样的政治腐败审判案往往来源于在美国媒体上发表的调查报告。

"We have a media that will go after these stories and expose them, and then prosecutors will come in behind them and say Oh yeah, we see there's a potential crime here,and they'll investigate it and charge public officials sometimes, other times they don't.”

“我们的媒体将追踪这些事件并且进行曝光,然后检察官就会现身说法:哦,我们了解到这里有潜在的犯罪行为,进而他们会展开调查并且有时指控政府官员,有时则不会。”

A free and open news media often keep corruption in check.

一个自由和开放的新闻媒体常常能够抑制腐败。

“I think as long as human nature is what it is, there will probably always be corruption, which is why we need a free media and which is why we need a judiciary that's independent of the political process.”

“我认为只要人性使然,就必然会有腐败,因此我们需要自由媒体及独立于政治进程的司法。”

"We're looking forward to conitnue to having the truth come out."

“我们期待继续将真相挖出来。”

If convicted, he and his wife face decades in prison.

如果罪名成立,他和妻子将面临数十年的牢狱生活。