Ethics Committee applies new censure to Palocci
This measure is merely a stain on the former Chief of Staff's record, for having omitted earnings from consulting work. In practice, it does not prevent him from being appointed to a public office.
247 – The former Chief of Staff has once again received an "ethical censure" for omitting earnings from the period when he provided consulting services before assuming the ministry. Antonio Palocci (PT-SP) increased his net worth 20 times between 2006 and 2010. This measure, however, does not prevent him from being appointed to public office.
Read Kelly Matos' article in Folha:
The Public Ethics Commission of the Presidency of the Republic decided yesterday to apply a new "ethical censure" to former Chief of Staff Antonio Palocci (PT-SP) and to close the analysis of his consulting services.
According to the commission's president, Sepúlveda Pertence, the censure was applied due to Palocci's lack of explanation regarding his activities.
In May 2011, Folha revealed that he had increased his net worth 20 times between 2006 and 2010. During that period, he worked as a private consultant.
At the time, Palocci cited confidentiality as the reason for not revealing his client list. The potential conflict of interest between his private activities and his...
His duties in the Civil House, which involved powers over all areas of government, forced his downfall in June 2011.
The application of "ethical censure" does not imply any practical restriction against Palocci. It will only leave a formal record that he had ethical problems while in office. But he can still, for example, be appointed to a public position.
In November 2011, the Ethics Committee had already decided to apply an ethical censure to the former minister for renting a property in São Paulo registered in the name of a company controlled by a front man.
However, the Code of Conduct for Senior Federal Officials states that censure is a measure applicable to officials who have already left office, when there is a violation of the standards stipulated by the code.
Folha also revealed, in October 2011, that the Ethics Committee omitted the opening of an investigation against Palocci. This fact only became known after the release of the minutes of the meeting, held in June, which decided on the investigation.
Former Finance Minister in Lula's government, Palocci oversaw Dilma's campaign fundraising and was the most powerful minister in the government. He was responsible for coordinating between the presidential palace and its base.
Palocci's asset growth is being investigated in a civil inquiry initiated by the Federal Prosecutor's Office in the Federal District.
Also yesterday, the commission shelved the process to investigate possible misconduct by Minister Ideli Salvatti (Institutional Relations) in the case of the purchase of boats by the Ministry of Fisheries, a department she headed in 2011.
The council members also decided not to investigate the Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, who was mentioned in conversations between members of Carlinhos Cachoeira's group.