Tennessee Democratic state senator convicted of wire fraud
Fox News
A Democratic state senator from Tennessee was convicted of wire fraud on Thursday after being accused of paying for personal expenses using grant money reserved for a health care school she ran.
Her defense had requested all 20 charges be dismissed for insufficient evidence.
After the acquittals, she was convicted of stealing around $3,400, far less than the more than $600,000 she was originally accused of taking from the school before she was elected.
In a statement following the verdict, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally said, "While Senator Robinson’s convictions did not stem from actions taken while in office, they are nevertheless very serious. As public servants, we are held to a higher standard. My personal opinion is that it would be in the best interest of the state and her constituents for Senator Robinson to step down at this time."