The Donadon case is a "bad omen" for the mensalão scandal.

247 - Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lewandowski believes that the Supreme Court's decision to order the immediate imprisonment of federal deputy Natan Donadon (PMDB-RO) is a "bad omen" for those convicted in Criminal Action 470, a case known as the "mensalão" scandal. "The decision is a bad omen for those convicted in the trial of Criminal Action 470," said Lewandowski, as reported by Folha de S.Paulo, during the inauguration ceremony of the court's new Justice, Luís Roberto Barroso. Lewandowski was the reviewing judge in the mensalão trial.

Brazil's Attorney General, Roberto Gurgel, had already stated last Wednesday that the decision regarding Donadon, convicted of embezzlement and conspiracy, could have repercussions in Criminal Action 470, in order to prevent delaying appeals from the defense. The appeals filed by the 25 defendants convicted in the case will still be evaluated by the Supreme Federal Court (STF). Of these, 11 could go to jail, as they received sentences totaling more than eight years. 

Donadon is expected to turn himself in sometime this morning, says Federal Police.

Congressman Donadon, however, has not yet been found in Brasília. His press office reported that he has already presented himself to the Federal Police. The Federal Police press office, however, said that he has not yet arrived at the agency's headquarters in Brasília, which was expected at 11:30 AM. 

This Thursday (27), the PMDB of Rondônia announced the expulsion of deputy Natan Donadon, sentenced to 13 years, four months and ten days in prison for embezzling R$ 8,4 million from the Legislative Assembly of Rondônia, when he was the institution's financial director. State deputy Marcos Donadon, Natan's brother, was also expelled from the party for having been convicted by the Justice system.

The Chamber's Constitution and Justice Committee cannot find Natan Donadon.

Staff from the Constitution and Justice Committee (CCJ) of the Chamber of Deputies tried once again this Friday to notify the congressman about the impeachment process initiated by the committee. Scheduled for 10 am, this was the fourth unsuccessful attempt to locate the congressman.

Representatives from the commission will make another attempt to notify Donadon, now at his official residence in Brasília. If he cannot be found to sign the document, the commission will publish a notification notice in the Official Gazette of the Chamber of Deputies and the Official Gazette of the Union.

If the publication comes out on Monday (1st), from the following day, Tuesday (2), Donadon will have a period of five ordinary deliberative sessions of the Chamber to present his defense in the CCJ, so that the rapporteur of the process, Sergio Zveiter (PSD-RJ), can prepare the opinion that will be voted on by the commission and then by the plenary of the Chamber.

Deliberative sessions generally take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For Donadon to lose his mandate, at least 257 votes in favor of impeachment are needed in a secret ballot. Even before the conclusion of the process, Congressman Natan Donadon could be arrested and imprisoned as a federal deputy. 

With Brazil Agency