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Brazil's Ethics Council Draws Lots to Start Processes Against Congressmen |
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Written by Marcela Rebelo
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Wednesday, 19 October 2005 |
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The Council of Ethics and Parliamentary Decorum of the Chamber of Deputies concluded the process of drawing lots to choose rapporteurs for the 11 disciplinary processes initiated on Monday, October 17.
The cases are against the federal deputies mentioned in the combined preliminary report of the joint parliamentary investigation commissions (CPMIs) on the Post Office and Vote Buying.
They are all accused of receiving money from the scheme manipulated by the advertising executive, Marcos Valério de Souza.
The list of the accused contains the names of five Workers' Party (PT) deputies, including the former president of the Chamber, João Paulo Cunha; four from the Progressive Party (PP); one from the Liberal Party (PL) - these three parties belong to the government's parliamentary support base -; and one from the opposition Liberal Front Party (PFL).
The president of the Ethics Council, deputy Ricardo Izar (PTB party - São Paulo), said he decided to draw lots in order to stave off pressures. "The moment I announced the drawing of lots, the pressures ceased."
Of the 13 deputies named in the CPMIs list, which was later forwarded to the Council by the presiding body of the Chamber, deputies João Borba (PMDB - Paraná) and Paulo Rocha (PT - Pará) renounced their mandates prior to the opening of the expulsion processes. On Monday, the two filed their renunciations just before 6 PM, the deadline determined by the Ethics Council.
The members of the Council are meeting today to read the opinion submitted by deputy Júlio Delgado (PSB - Minas Gerais), rapporteur of the case against deputy José Dirceu (PT - São Paulo) for breach of parliamentary decorum.
Agência Brasil
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