The leadership of Brazil’s Chamber of Deputies decided, Thursday, September 15, to grant a period of five sessions for the Disciplinary Board of the Chamber to hear the testimony of the 16 deputies named in the combined report of the Joint Parliamentary Investigative Commissions (CPMIs) on the Post Office and Vote Buying.
As a result, the processes to revoke the deputies’ mandates are temporarily suspended, and the motions will only be forwarded to the Ethics Council after the lawmakers have been heard by the Disciplinary Board.
The decision was taken at the official residence of the president of the Chamber, Severino Cavalcanti, by the full membership of the Executive Board, after analyzing the terms of the injunction conceded by the president of the Federal Supreme Court, Minister Nelson Jobim, to six deputies from the ruling PT party and the injunction conceded by minister Carlos Veloso to deputy José Dirceu, also from the PT.
With this decision, it will be up to Ciro Nogueira, second vice-president and disciplinary officer of the Chamber, to hear the testimony of the 16 legislators and submit an opinion to the Executive Board, before the motions are sent to the Ethics Council.
According to the general secretary of the Executive Board, Mozart Vianna, the Chamber will notify the deputies today that they will have five sessions to testify before the Disciplinary Board, or, if the disciplinary officer deems it appropriate, before an investigatory commission.
Agência Brasil