PT achieves double victory over PSDB in the Siemens case.
Brazil's Public Ethics Commission dismissed a complaint filed by PSDB leader Carlos Sampaio against Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo for administrative misconduct in the handling of the CADE (Administrative Council for Economic Defense) proceedings regarding cartel formation in the Siemens-Alstom case; at the STF (Supreme Federal Court), interim president Ricardo Lewandowski authorized an investigation into whether São Paulo state secretary José Aníbal (PSDB) committed the crime of defamation against Cardozo by accusing him of fabricating accusations in the inquiry; PSDB members at a disadvantage.
247 - The PSDB (Brazilian Social Democracy Party) suffered a double defeat against the PT (Workers' Party) on Wednesday, the 29th, in the Siemens case. In the first decision, the Public Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic dismissed a complaint filed by the PSDB leader in the Chamber of Deputies, Congressman Carlos Sampaio (SP), against Minister José Eduardo Cardozo. The accusation was that the Minister of Justice had committed administrative misconduct in conducting the investigation of the so-called "PSDB bribery scheme."
In his complaint, Carlos Sampaio accused Cardozo of using his position to order "selective investigations." The investigation was requested because the Minister of Justice forwarded a dossier containing allegations involving bribes to party representatives in a cartel scheme involving Metro and CPTM services to the Federal Police, which is subordinate to the ministry, instead of the Public Prosecutor's Office. The PSDB also filed a complaint with the Attorney General's Office, which has not yet issued its opinion.
In another decision that puts the PSDB party at a disadvantage, the interim president of the Supreme Federal Court (STF), Minister Ricardo Lewandowski, authorized the opening of an investigation against former congressman and current Secretary of Energy of the State of São Paulo, José Aníbal, to assess whether the PSDB member committed defamation against Cardozo. Aníbal accused Cardozo of fabricating accusations in the Siemenes case. The minister then filed a lawsuit in the TRF-3 (Regional Federal Court of the 3rd Region) and the Supreme Court alleging that the secretary of Governor Geraldo Alckmin damaged his honor with such an accusation.
Brazil's Attorney General, Rodrigo Janot, assessed on the 23rd that the secretary should be heard within 15 days regarding the accusation and that the Supreme Court should proceed with the investigation presented by the Minister of Justice. This Tuesday the 28th, Minister Lewandowski ordered that the action be re-filed as an inquiry, in addition to notifying José Aníbal. The politician will have 15 days to defend himself and will then be judged by the full Supreme Court.