Sarkozy Lawyer's office searched in scandal probe
Judges investigating a smear scandal that targeted French president-elect Nicolas Sarkozy searched the offices of one of his lawyers today.
They also tried to search offices of a leading satirical weekly but were blocked by the journalists, judicial officials said.
The so-called Clearstream affair centred on damaging but false allegations that Mr Sarkozy had secret bank accounts.
It turned into a major political scandal last year, implicating members of President Jacques Chirac’s conservative government and shaking the ruling elite. Mr Sarkozy takes over from Mr Chirac next week. Mr Sarkozy has filed suit in a broad investigation into the affair.
Judges Thomas Cassuto and Francoise Desset are investigating accusations that judicial secrets were violated in the original probe.
Today, Desset and a judicial expert briefly searched the office of Sarkozy lawyer Thierry Herzog, a judicial official said.
Desset was seeking to verify the lawyer’s fax machine to see if it had been the source of documents sent to the Canard Enchaine satirical and investigative weekly.
