Sarkozy Lawyer Calls Charges Against Ex-President ‘Scandalous’

Sarkozy Lawyer Calls Charges Against Ex-President ‘Scandalous’

PARIS (AP) — A lawyer for Nicolas Sarkozy slammed an investigation into the campaign finances of former French president, saying he is being treated “scandalously.”

Thierry Herzog says Friday that Sarkozy remains “combative” but still considers that he “has been treated scandalously.”

Herzog’s comments on French radio RTL come a day after a judge filed preliminary charges against Sarkozy, formally placing him under investigation over allegations he illegally took donations from France’s richest woman on the way to his 2007 election victory.

Sarkozy is charged with “abuse of someone in an impaired state” in the case involving L’Oreal cosmetics heiress Liliane Bettencourt, who is now 90.

The charges carry a maximum penalty of 3 years imprisonment and a 375,000 euro ($484,000) fine.


Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Top Stories From TPM

Ohio Republicans Push Law To Penalize Colleges For Helping Students Vote

Wow, This is Pretty Epic

Longest-Serving Openly Gay Lawmaker In The U.S. Can Now Marry Her Parter In Minnesota

Eric Holder To Darrell Issa: Your Conduct Is 'Unacceptable' And 'Shameful'

Florida Man Shoots Himself While Bowling

House GOP To Hold Yet Another Obamacare Repeal Vote

Disqus Conversations

Click here to read the Disqus Commenting FAQ.

Editor & Publisher

Josh Marshall

Managing Editor

David Kurtz

Associate Editor

Nick Martin

Assistant Editor

Igor Bobic

Reporters

Brian Beutler

Sahil Kapur

Eric Lach

Hunter Walker

Frontpage Editor

Zoë Schlanger

News Writers

Tom Kludt

Video Editor

Michael Lester

General Manager & General Counsel

Millet Israeli

VP, Ad Sales

Bruce Ellerstein

Associate Publisher

Kyle Leighton

Assistant To The Publisher

Joe Ragazzo

Designer/Developer

Matthew Wozniak

Design Associate

Christopher O’Driscoll