PT criticizes Roquinho and calls for action from the Ethics Committee.
With 24 deputies, the party rejects the accusation that the Assembly is a "street market".
In a statement released today, the PT (Workers' Party) caucus in the São Paulo Legislative Assembly repudiated the statements made by state deputy Roque Barbiere (PTB) comparing the Assembly to a flea market. According to the 24 party members, by saying that "everyone sells (amendments) in their own way," Barbiere is generalizing the accusation about an alleged scheme to sell amendments. The PT members asked the Ethics Committee to summon Barbiere, the state Secretary of the Environment and licensed deputy Bruno Covas (PSDB), and state deputy Major Olímpio (PDT).
"The PT caucus in the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo vehemently repudiates the statements made by Deputy Roque Barbiere (PTB), published in the media, in which he equates the Legislative Branch to a street market," the statement begins.
The Workers' Party members also criticized the "lack of transparency in the release of the amendments" and said that they have been requesting a solution to the problem since 2006, but that the state government has been rejecting the demand. "Now, in light of the facts, the caucus reiterated the proposal in a request for the Ethics Council to ask the Civil House to provide a list of all amendments released since 2006, as well as their applicants and beneficiary cities," the statement said.
The deputies insist on opening a "Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry into the Sale of Amendments." "(The Commission of Inquiry) is urgently needed to clarify all the allegations presented by Deputy Roque Barbiere and could also summon state secretaries, mayors, and representatives of construction companies," the statement reinforces. In the case of Secretary Bruno Covas, his summons would serve to clarify the claims that a mayor offered him money for an amendment. Major Olímpio would testify about having heard from the president of an organization about the sale of amendments.
The opposition bloc has already collected 28 signatures to establish the commission, but needs the support of 32 deputies to move the request forward.