Lower house rapporteur says charges against Temer admissible
“The evidence we have suffice for the charges to be accepted. […] The accusation is not fanciful. We must investigate what we have been given,” Zveiter said.
In a report drawn up as the first stage in the proceedings of a lower house committee on the corruption case against President Michel Temer, Deputy Sergio Zveiter deemed as admissible the charges filed against the president by Prosecutor-General Rodrigo Janot.
“The evidence we have suffice for the charges to be accepted. […] The accusation is not fanciful. We must investigate what we have been given,” Zveiter said.
The congress member, rapporteur in the committee, reiterated that the job of deputies is to decide whether or not the case is admissible, not to try the president himself. “Faced with suspicions and possible criminal activity, we must not silence them. This is merely the acceptance or refusal of the opening of a case,” he argued. It will be up for the Supreme Court to examine the content produced by the prosecution, he added.
After the report was read, Temer's defense presented its arguments in speaking using the same amount of time taken by Zveiter.
*Paulo Victor Chagas contributed to this article.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Lower house rapporteur says charges against Temer admissible
