Once touted as a possible presidential candidate, McDonnell’s final year in Richmond was sullied by scandal. A series of stories in the Washington Post revealed that McDonnell and his wife had accepted a series of gifts and loans from a Virginia donor, raising questions about the propriety of the relationship. The issue cast a pall over the losing gubernatorial campaign of Republican attorney general Ken Cuccinelli. McDonnell, who is term-limited, has denied wrongdoing. But according to the Post, he could still face federal charges in connection with the gift scandal.