1. Entitled to press release when absented himself
B"H
When President Katsav absented himself without charges being filed, he entitled himself to a press release. He was being forced out without a single charge being filed and that is deserving of a response. It is not just the press that is entitled to free speech, and he had been incapacitated by Mazuz's announcements to the press. He also has free speech rights when incapacitated by Manzuz through press releases.
It is fully reasonable for YNET if the paper wants to complain about a speech to link the full speech text. I see no such link here.
Whether a secret vote or not, to have a government empowered to undermine the institution of the Presidency without filing a single substantiated charge in the press is definately a major problem.
As for it obstructing justice, the investigation had come to the conclusion that Mazuz was to file charges was what was leaked, pending the hearing. The investigation's evidence had been collected and that phase was complete.
It is not fair to the institution of the Presidency to endlessly prepare charges, make announcements, and then not actually persue these charges without ever setting expectations on when the President will be able to defend the institution and himself from those charges. Was it Wednesday the day of the hearing? When exactly was Katazav supposed to defend himself from charges he considered spurious? And what business does Kadima have to leak details to the press if it wants no other information leaked also?
And putting Shimon Peres in the President's seat really undermines separation of powers foundations to the Presidency versus the Government, where the President has the power to pardon for the goverment's mistakes. If both are from the same party, there is no such check or balance; it is all in the hands of the party leader. That is the outcome of an open ballot and what drives the measue: one Kadima President and one Kadima government. For that, there is resistance. Stop covering with some talk of "members are simply ashamed of their candidates" when it is more members not wanting the wrath of Kadima.
Once all institutions are in the hands of a single party, than it is a totalitarian regime and everything becomes secret for lack of checks and balances. That is where the oposition is coming, to that form of government.
Quote:
"The guild, it seems, is not prepared, as of today, to make the change from a secret vote to an open ballot. The majority of its members are simply ashamed of their candidates."
