Chirac Ally Goes on Trial Over Elections
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
A close ally of President Chirac of France went on trial in Paris yesterday, charged with fixing elections at a time when Mr. Chirac was mayor of Paris, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported. A former district mayor, Jacques Dominati, stands accused of putting more than 300 nonresidents onto the electoral roll to vote for him in exchange for favors. In the election, Mr. Dominati won by just 20 votes.
Among the defendants are Mr. Dominati’s two sons and a great-nephew of the French leader Charles de Gaulle.
The trial is the latest legal embarrassment for Mr. Chirac, the BBC reported. This week his political opponents criticized the appointment of his former legal adviser, Laurent Le Mesle, as chief prosecutor in Paris, which some have said is a move intended to head off trouble when his immunity from prosecution runs out at the end of his presidential term in May.
In July, 38 people were given suspended prison sentences and heavy fines for being involved in a housing racket at Paris City Hall when Mr. Chirac was mayor. Mr. Chirac has denied any wrongdoing.
