The presidential campaign of Valérie Pécresse targeted by a second investigation

2023-07-28 12:23:29

A preliminary investigation, relating to suspicions of abuse of social good around commissions intended for the rental of a seat for the presidential campaign of Valérie Pécresse, was opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office, announced this Friday July 28 , confirming information from Mediapart. According to the news site, the investigation concerns “Rental conditions for one of Ms. Pécresse’s two campaign seats and the services of the consulting firm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL)”Who “billed at the end of 2021 62,400 euros in fees for the search and negotiation of premises”.

“Following the report of the National Commission for Campaign Accounts and Political Funding (CNCCFP) relating to Ms. Pécresse’s campaign accounts, a preliminary investigation into the heads of breach of trust and concealment of breach of trust was entrusted to the regional directorate of the judicial police (DRPJ)”confirmed the public prosecutor. “Investigations are ongoing”he specified.

In its decision of December 14, 2022 relating to Ms. Pécresse’s campaign account, published in Official newspaper at the end of January 2023the CNCCFP wondered about the reality and scope “limited” JLL services.

The questions are heightened by the fact that these premises belonged to a lessor, Comet Group, which had already contracted with the consulting firm Lysios Public Affairs, one of whose partners, Patrick Stefanini, was campaign director for Valérie Pécresse.

Already a first investigation into suspicions of embezzlement of public funds

This second investigation, opened on an unknown date after a report from the CNCCFP, is in addition to another, relating since September 2022 to suspicions of embezzlement of public funds during this same campaign. This report, this time from Julien Bayou, of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV), had been described as “slanderous denunciation” by the entourage of Valérie Pécresse.

The report of the resigning national secretary of EELV, sent to the public prosecutor’s office on April 19, and of which Agence France-Presse became aware, also targeted the offenses of illegal financing of electoral campaigns, illegal financing of political parties, abuse of corporate assets. and/or illegal taking of interests.

Read also: Article reserved for our subscribers Valérie Pécresse, life after the defeat in the presidential election

The Republican candidate, Valérie Pécresse, spent 14.3 million euros for a single ballot, but without reaching the 5% mark, which would have allowed her to obtain reimbursement of her campaign expenses. After her defeat, she appealed for donations to fill a hole of 5 million euros.

The World with AFP