_a.jpg "צילום: ירון ברנר")
Peres in trouble?
צילום: ירון ברנר
Peres suspected of wrongdoing
State comptroller looking into suspicions that MK Shimon Peres received illegal donations
Knesset Member Shimon Peres is suspected of violating the law through possibly illegal donations he received during the Labor party's primaries campaign about six months ago, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday.
State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss has confirmed he has been looking into the affair in recent months and his office said the findings show Attorney General Menachem Mazuz should be examining the suspicions.
The full report on the matter is expected to be released in about three weeks and address the USD 320,000 Peres received from a group of billionaires during his primaries campaign.
After examining relevant documents, the state comptroller said Peres' conduct raises suspicions not only about political fundraising laws but also about violating laws regulating gifts received by politicians.
Lindenstrauss has decided to hand over the investigation material to Mazuz and has already informed Peres and his attorneys of his decision. However, the state comptroller granted Peres one week to convince him the suspicions are false.
Earlier, Peres' attorneys rejected all suspicions against the longtime Knesset member. The lawyers said the funds in question were collected at a time when the limits set out by the law did not apply. According to the attorneys, Peres acted on the advice of a lawyer and received a permit from a Labor party committee to receive the funds.
