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Bob McDonnell appears in public to greet veterans at Virginia War Memorial

Posted at 3:14 PM, Nov 11, 2014
and last updated 2014-11-11 15:37:49-05

RICHMOND, Va. — In a rare public appearance since his conviction on federal corruption charges, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell attended an event where a significant media presence was expected. McDonnell greeted veterans and their families at the annual Veterans Day ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial in Richmond.

The former governor spent more than two hours at the event speaking with veterans.

“We’re pulling for you,” Col. Don Kaiserman, Virginia Council of Chapters president, told McDonnell during their brief conversation.

“I have a few bumps still to go through,” McDonnell replied.

Bob McDonnell greets Col. Don Kaiserman

Bob McDonnell greets Col. Don Kaiserman during the Veterans Day ceremony at the Virginia War Memorial.

“Military service is a big part of his family and his life and he’s always found it incredibly important to honor and salute those who serve or have served before,” McDonnell’s former spokesman Tucker Martin said when asked about his old boss’s public appearance. “It’s an important issue to him and so it makes sense to me that he would quietly attend today’s events to pay his respects to our nation’s veterans.”

The former governor is scheduled to be sentenced January 6. In September, a jury found him guilty on 11 of 13 corruption-related charges.

He was accompanied at the War Memorial ceremony by his longtime aide and former cabinet secretary Janet Kelly.

Former First Lady Maureen McDonnell was not spotted at the event. Maureen McDonnell was convicted on nine of 13 counts. Her sentencing is scheduled for February 20.