As former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert awaits sentencing, the state has announced it is seeking community service and waves the ‘moral turpitude’ clause which is expected in the case.
Olmert’s attorney on Tuesday 17 Elul 5772 announced that his client voluntarily waves all the perks he receives as a former prime minister, which includes a vehicle, driver, office, staff and more. This was done in the hope of showing the state that for the former prime minister, it is not about money. That is to say, if slapped with the moral turpitude conviction, Olmert would have lost those perks. Therefore, he preempted and forfeited these benefits in the hope of not being hit with the moral turpitude conviction.
The real reason is simple. Like former Shas Minister Aryeh Deri, if convicted with moral turpitude, one is barred from the political arena for seven years. Olmert does not need the car, driver, office or staff, but he wishes to maintain an open door to return to the political arena, some say to run against Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in the next general elections. A moral turpitude conviction would bring Olmert’s political career to an abrupt halt.
The state prosecutor on Wednesday, 18 Elul is quoted as saying to the court that since Olmert has already forfeited the benefits voluntarily, he sees no reason to pursue the moral turpitude conviction. Opponents of this reasoning insist the state has lost “any sense of legal morality”, insisting that a former prime minister was convicted and it goes without saying the moral turpitude clause must be part of this conviction.
The Jerusalem District Court may decide to slap the moral turpitude conviction on the former prime minister nonetheless.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
As opposed to Aryeh Deri, who wasn’t accused of enriching himself at public expense, but was accused of illegally increasing funding for Torah institutions.
Get real! The Medinah is treff. It is rotten to the core. We have no business trying to ally ourselves with it.
WAIVES!!
DISCLOSUREto akuperma and his self-righteous ilk:
The Israeli government contributes $1 million a month to Mir Yeshiva’s budget, or $12 million a year out of the yeshiva’s $36 million annual budget. Last year due to the way Pesach came, the yeshiva’s $1 million monthly allowance was scheduled to arrive only after Yom Tov. Government officials advanced the payment ahead of the schedule knowing full well how badly the money was needed for Yom Tov preparations. In short, akuperma and his ilk have the nerve and stupidity to kibbitz from cozy Brooklyn and Monsey, but those in the trenches know better.
Who is he waving it at?