She suggested that Eige call Williams, who called Eige instead as the McDonnell aide was working the governor’s legislative agenda on the ground floor of the Capitol. Eige explained his concerns about the potential “bad public optics” of such an appointment.

“My recollection was that he seemed to understand,” Eige testified.

Eige also confirmed he came under pressure from Maureen McDonnell in February 2012 because U.Va. and VCU had not applied for grants from the Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission to research the health benefits of Anatabloc.

Maureen McDonnell forwarded a message to the governor and Eige that she had received from Williams. “He has calls in to VCU & UVA & no one will return his calls,” she said in her email, referring to the Star CEO.

Eige testified that he recalled the first lady calling him previously to see “if there’s something we can do in terms of getting some response back from the universities.”

He replied to her email that they would talk the next week, but she sent another email asking him to call Williams about the issue. In the email, Maureen McDonnell said the “Gov wants to know why nothing has developed w studies after (Williams) gave $200,000” in research grants.