Chirac Lauds A Schmuck
From the San Francisco Chronicle (AP):
President Jacques Chirac paid tribute Monday to a former prime minister convicted in a party financing scandal, calling him a "politician of exceptional quality."
"I have friendship, esteem and respect for Alain Juppe," Chirac said. "France needs men of his quality."
The president spoke at the City Hall of this Mediterranean port city after Mayor Jean-Claude Gaudin praised Juppe's "honesty" and "integrity."
Juppe, 58, received an 18-month suspended prison sentence Friday for his role in a party funding scheme while he served as finance director at Paris City Hall during Chirac's 18-year tenure as mayor, from 1977-1995.
City funds were used to pay personnel of Chirac's Rally for the Republic party, now known as the Union for a Popular Movement. Fake city jobs were created to cover up the source of funding.
The conviction meant that Juppe was automatically banned from holding office for 10 years -- a crushing sentence for the man expected to succeed Chirac. The next presidential election is in 2007.
Juppe, who served as prime minister from 1995 to 1997 and is considered one of France's brightest political stars, heads Chirac's party. He also is a lawmaker and mayor of Bordeaux.
Matt's Chat
What did they know and when did they know it! HALLIBURTON! Lie after lie after lie after lie. This was cooked up in Marseille. We demand an investigation.Wait a minute...oh...it is France, not the evil Bush administration. Who cares?
Mark's Remarks
Wow, Chirac cooking up fake jobs and such...Are you sure it is not all Halliburton? Are you sure it really was not cooked up in Texas?
This just goes to show that Chirac is like his old friend slick Willie Clinton. They both were in politics for themselves, to skim some money (Whitewater, Travelgate) and perks and also to get some play. Also, they took money from enemies of freedom (Clinton-North Korea, China; Chirac and co.-Saddam Hussein) for their campaigns and engaged in shady deals. It just goes to show you how much integrity is valued by the French. Miserable frog leadership.
