Chinaglia: "The conversation with Jefferson never happened."
Speaking to 247, the government leader in the Chamber of Deputies says he did not seek out the president of the PTB party in 2005 to ask for leniency regarding accusations of the so-called mensalão scandal; "that could be what he wanted, to make yet another accusation," says Arlindo; "his version is implausible."
247 – Then leader of the Lula government, the current leader of the Dilma government in the Chamber of Deputies, Arlindo Chinaglia, is impressed by the version of events given by Congressman Roberto Jefferson, who claims that he approached him in 2005 to ask him not to denounce the so-called mensalão scandal. "It's implausible, a lawyer's trick," Chinaglia told 247. "Clearly a statement made to fill space. But this will not affect the trial in any way."
The Workers' Party congressman argues that it wouldn't have made sense, at that time, to seek out Jeferson to make any kind of agreement. "It would only make things worse, giving him ammunition, which he would certainly use to escalate the accusations and create another scandal," Chinaglia reflects. "What he claims happened, didn't happen." He doesn't plan to take legal action against Jeferson. "Prolonging this might be what he wants; it's not worth it. We have a calm atmosphere that won't change," he says.