Supreme Court Justice suspends proceedings of anti-corruption bill
Supreme Court (STF) Justice Luiz Fux decided on Wednesday (Dec. 14) to suspend the proceedings of the bill with 10 measures to fight corruption, which was proposed by direct people's initiative, encouraged by the Public Prosecution Office. In the ruling, Fux considered that there was an error in proceedings and ordered the Senate to send the bill back to the lower house so that the deputies can vote the bill again.
Proceedings suspended
The justice's decision cancels the entire proceedings of the bill, including several alterations made to the original measures, like the inclusion of an amendment criminalizing judges and members of the Public Prosecution office for abuse of power.
The voting on the lower house was cast in the early hours of November 30. On the following day, the approval of the measures modified by the lawmakers was opposed by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot and by Supreme Court Chief Justice Cármen Lúcia.
According to Justice Luiz Fux's order, the bill shall had followed special proceedings because it had been proposed by direct people's initiative.
Abuse of power
In the ruling, Luiz Fux considered that the amendments, providing for crimes of abuse of power committed by judges and prosecutors, completely changed the bill proposed by direct people's initiative.
After being notified of the order, lower house Speaker Rodrigo Maia said the decision was an "undue interference from Justice Fux to the legislative branch."
For him, the justice's ruling questions changes to the original bill made by the deputies “as if we could not make amendments to the bill.” Maia mentioned another bill proposed by direct people's initiative, the so-called "Clean Record Law", which provides for the eligibility of candidates who have been convicted in court: "If Justice Fux's decision is right, it means that, based on the same arguments, the "Clean Record Law" is not valid, as it has been also proposed by direct people's initiative and we made amendments to it here.”
*With additional reporting by Luciano Nascimento
Translated by Amarílis Anchieta
Fonte: Supreme Court Justice suspends proceedings of anti-corruption bill
