The disappointments are linked for Jean-Christophe Lagarde (UDI).
Defeated in the legislative elections after four consecutive terms of deputy then targeted by a complaint from a journalist from Le Point for "breach of trust" following the publication of a false article implicating Raquel Garrido, his faller in the June elections, the former mayor of Drancy (Seine-Saint-Denis) is also preparing to appear in court for a case of alleged fictitious employment.
On October 3, the president of the centrist party must be tried before the Paris Criminal Court alongside Monique Escolier-Lavail.
The latter is none other than the mother of his wife Aude Lagarde (UDI), born Lavail, who succeeded him at city hall in 2017, when the law on the non-cumulation of mandates came into force.
Jean-Christophe Lagarde, 54, will have to answer for embezzlement of public funds, while his mother-in-law will appear for concealment of embezzlement of public funds, the National Financial Prosecutor's Office (PNF) told AFP on Thursday.
"I will finally have access to independent judges", reacts Jean-Christophe Lagarde
The facts concern the employment by the first of the second as a parliamentary assistant.
According to Liberation, Monique Escolier-Lavail was employed at the National Assembly for just over a year, between May 2009 and August 2010.
"We formally contest the suspicions expressed against Jean-Christophe Lagarde by the national financial prosecutor's office, after an investigation which was neither impartial nor contradictory, reacted Me Yvon Goutal, the council of the president of the 'UDI.
Unlike other national politicians, Jean-Christophe Lagarde could not benefit from an investigating judge whose mission is to investigate for and against.
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The lawyer stresses that "the evolution of the procedure will finally give us access to magistrates before whom we can prove the innocence of my client".
"I will finally have access to independent judges", adds Jean-Christophe Lagarde, who also denies being the source of the false information published by "Le Point" about the elected Insoumise who succeeded him at the Palace -Bourbon.
Searches of the couple's home were carried out in February 2019
It was following a complaint from Hacène Chibane, an opposition municipal councilor in Drancy, that the PNF opened an investigation in October 2017. The elected official wondered about the activity of parliamentary assistant of 'Aude Lagarde between 2002 and 2014. The latter resigned from her post in the National Assembly after Jacky Majda, a Parisian centrist activist, accused the deputy of employing her illegally.
“For a certain period, Aude Lagarde was deputy mayor, vice-president of the regional council, vice-president of the urban community and parliamentary attaché, observed Hacène Chibane.
Can we perform all these missions full-time?
My answer is no.
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In February 2019, searches were carried out at the home of Aude and Jean-Christophe Lagarde as part of a preliminary investigation by the PNF.
But the current mayor of Drancy is not concerned by the hearing to be held on October 3 in Paris.
