Jonnie Williams got a chance to show off his dietary supplement at the Executive Mansion.

He also met with a member of then-Gov. Bob McDonnell’s administration to discuss the product, called Anatabloc.

In the end, however, the former Star Scientific CEO did not get any new state investment. His pitch to have a state university conduct research on his product also went nowhere.

And he did not receive any other official help for Anatabloc, which Mr. Williams testified had cured his wife’s pre-cancerous thyroid disease and he previously claimed could cure the underlying conditions that cause Alzheimer’s disease.

Indeed, while governor, Mr. McDonnell and his administration did not take Mr. Williams or his product seriously and only indulged Mr. Williams to thank him for his contributions.

Those were the assertions of Mr. McDonnell’s defense team this week in the Virginia trial of the century — the first ever involving a former governor.

The defense sought to make it clear to the 12 jurors during cross examination that there is little or nothing to support the prosecution’s claims that the former governor essentially sold his office in exchange for more than $165,000 in gifts and loans Mr. Williams provided the McDonnells.

The jury is hearing the case at the federal courthouse in Downtown under the gavel of Judge James R. Spencer.

The jurors will decide if the former governor and his estranged wife, Maureen, will remain free or become felons.

On Tuesday, Molly Huffstetler, a former top aide to Secretary of Health and Human Resources Bill Hazel, acknowledged in testimony meeting with Mr. Williams on Aug. 1, 2011, at the Executive Mansion at the “governor’s request.”

The meeting took place after Mr. Williams held in January 2011 what prosecutors termed a “launch” party for Anatabloc at the Executive Mansion.

Ms. Huffstetler met with Mr. Williams a day after the McDonnells returned from a vacation at Mr. Williams’ Smith Mountain Lake home.

She told jurors Mr. Williams spent most of the meeting talking about Anatabloc and its benefits.

She said she “mostly listened” as Mr. Williams claimed that $3 million was to be spent on research of Anatabloc at a state university. She said she never took it seriously.

She termed a communication she later sent Mr. Williams about the meeting “a blowoff email.”

In an earlier email, she dismissively called Mr. Williams “the Tic Tac man,” referencing the dietary supplement and his penchant for passing out samples of Anatabloc to anyone he met.

In separate testimony Tuesday, a former senior policy adviser to Gov. McDonnell said Mrs. McDonnell aspired to serve on the board of directors of Star Scientific, maker of Anatabloc.

The adviser, Jasen Eige, said he blocked the action by voicing his concerns to Mr. Williams.

Mr. Eige said he also cautioned the governor about seeking to enlist the Virginia Commonwealth University and University of Virginia medical schools to seek state tobacco commission grants to study the health benefits of Anatabloc, at Mr. Williams’ behest.

The defense team took its shots at Mr. Williams’ credibility after he began testimony last week and concluded it Monday.

Mr. Williams claimed he showered the McDonnells with gifts and loans with assurances from Mrs. McDonnell the governor would reciprocate by allowing him to use his office to promote Anatabloc.

Mr. Williams gave the McDonnells $100,000 in loans, a $6,500 Rolex, expensive shopping trips, golf outings, use of his vacation home and a Ferrari.

The case has sullied Mr. McDonnell’s reputation and likely ended any hopes of him holding higher office.

The prosecution continues to present its case.

Mr. McDonnell already has indicated he will testify when the defense takes it turn in presenting evidence.