An investigation has been opened against the former presidential candidate Valérie Pécresse, also president of the Ile-de-France region, for “embezzlement of public funds”, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office, confirming information from BFM TV.
This investigation follows a report by the former national secretary of EELV Julien Bayou, after comments by the regional councilor Babette de Rozières, in her resignation letter addressed to the president of the Ile-de-France region, where she indicated that she had organized events in the interest of the presidential candidate: “Demonstrations that I organized in your interest (restaurants festival, seniors’ festival, bistros’ festival, inauguration of the 1st site of the gastronomy trail, the Hôtel de la Marine that I created in Ile-de-France, taste week with children from disadvantaged families etc.) […] to make you win the heart of the Ultramarines by adding this action to your credit. “The mix of genders between the regional president and the presidential candidate seems complete”, indicates Julien Bayou’s letter addressed to the Paris prosecutor’s office, which 20 minutes has procured.
“I never asked for any help from the region”
In this same letter, the ex-secretary of EELV recalls remarks by Babette de Rozières on March 8, indicating that she had not gone to an event that she had organized. “She did not go to the overseas gastronomy fair, when she was expected by all the presidents (…) when I had told her that it was important to come by to greet the overseas people”, had declared the chef and also television presenter.
Joined by 20 minutes, the head chef denies any mixing of genres. “I had organized a gastronomy fair overseas, I had made a day for her, she planted us by telling us that she had nothing to do with overseas. All the politicians have been in my living room, I have never asked for any help from the Region. It’s as if my restaurant Valérie [Pécresse] came in and people said it was the Region! I do not mix the Region with my business. »
Julien Bayou’s report also concerns remarks by the regional councilor relating to the regional elected official Patrick Karam. “Patrick has made all the Caribbean associations his business”, and further “”Patrick makes his little arrangements between friends, I give that one a subsidy, that one does not like his face, I do not give him not, ”says Julien Bayou’s letter to the public prosecutor.
“We are not aware of this procedure”, declared to AFP the entourage of Valérie Pécresse, who assured that “all the rules (had) been scrupulously respected”. “The Greens still use the same method of slanderous denunciation,” the same source added. “We are calm and trust justice”. According to BFM TV, the former right-wing candidate is considering filing a complaint.