It is a "
manipulation
" to "
spoil [his] campaign
".
Invited on France 3 this Sunday, Jean-Luc Mélenchon spoke on the indictment of deputy La France rebellious Bastien Lachaud, in an investigation into the accounts of the party's campaign in 2017.
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Read also 2017 campaign accounts: LFI deputy Bastien Lachaud indicted for fraud
"
This is a very typical example of the rotten methods which are used against us (....) Bastien Lachaud earned 1900 euros, there is not a euro of rab in his personal accounts and the association of which he was the employee made 6,000 euros in profits for a campaign budget of 11 million,
”said the boss of the Insoumis.
According to him, "
we see that it is a manipulation and that it is done so that we can show the photo of Bastien who is my friend
".
"Absurd accusations"
Bastien Lachaud would even be "
one of the deputies who works the most in the Defense Committee
" in the Assembly, ultimately "
dirty because it is made for that
". "
So we tell you: 'swindle, false, blah blah blah'. There's (a list) long like that, guy, he goes with that, he's dressed for winter. And that's how they're going to spoil my campaign for me
, ”blasted Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Former employee and treasurer of the Ere du Peuple association, Bastien Lachaud was indicted on September 22.
The elected official is targeted, in particular, for suspicion of fraud.
The investigating judge in charge of the case considers that it should have been remunerated by the candidate's campaign or the party.
For its part, La France insoumise quickly denounced "
absurd accusations
" and an "
empty investigation, artificially kept alive
".
Read also Mélenchon-Zemmour Debate: "I gave courage to millions of people," said the candidate Insoumis
In the spring, the first proceedings had taken place in this judicial information opened in November 2018 on the use of public funds by Jean-Luc Mélenchon during his electoral campaign: the association l'Ere du peuple, intended to "
serve as technical support and logistics
”to the candidate, and his financial agent, were indicted respectively on March 29 and April 29, but only for“
illicit loan of labor
”.
Read also 2017 campaign accounts: an association close to Mélenchon and his financial representative indicted
The National Campaign Accounts Commission (CNCCFP) noted a difference of 152,688 euros between the salaries paid and the amounts invoiced to the agent.
Responsible for validating the reimbursement of candidates' expenses with public money, the commission refused to reimburse the margin made by the People's Era and had reported the facts to justice.