According to Mitterlehner, Wöginger’s and Wess’ interpretation is “diametrically opposed to the course of the chat”. Three days before Mitterlehner’s meeting with Karmasin, Thomas Schmid tweeted on Kurz: “Good news from the front survey. Sophie, I don’t know if I was able to persuade.” “Can I talk to her,” replied Kurz. Schmid then said: “Yes, please! She is so pissed off about Mitterlehner because he stabbed her in the back. I’ve spoken to her for 3 hours now. And spindi (Mitterlehner’s predecessor Michael Spindelegger, note) is working on her.” And Schmid wrote further: “If you tell her that the world is not going to end now. And the Mitterlehner was just an ass, etc. That sure helps.” “I’ll make it,” answered Kurz.
The public prosecutor’s office for business and corruption is investigating, among others, against Karmasin, Kurz and “Austria” publisher Wolfgang Fellner for breach of trust, bribery and corruption. The allegation is that funds from the Ministry of Finance, i.e. tax money, were used to pay for manipulated surveys of an opinion research company in “Austria”, which were only of part-political interest.