The fiscalia general del estado, the Public Prosecutor, says that there is “sufficient evidence” for the Supreme Court to open an official investigation into the nefarious doings of the soon to be ex-Minister of Development, government spokesman and number 2 of the PSOE party, José Blanco, and has submitted an official request for the S.C. to appoint a Judge to lead an investigation.
You will remember that a chap who ended up in court on a number of charges recently turned Kings Evidence and handed over a number of, ah hem, incriminating records to the Judge, showing that he and his mates had been paying large kickbacks to Blanco in exchange for lucrative government contracts.
The Police later admitted that they’d been looking closely at some of his activities, and El Mundo claims to have a gas station CCTV recording showing Blanco’s cousin getting out of Blanco’s ministerial car, receiving a large suitcase from said chappie (Jorge Dorribo), before getting back into the car and being driven off. Etc, etc. The judge in charge of the builders case has declared sumario de secreto on the whole thing, and sent it to the Supreme Court, saying simply that this was too big for her. Dorribo, who has handed over quite a few records, including SMS messages, emails and other paperwork -some seized previously by police, which may be why they had been looking into Blanco’s case- claims the suitcase contained 200,000€ in cash and was only one payment of many.
Anyway… Blanco, who announced his retirement from politics last week in order to spend more time with his money, hasn’t completely left politics – he remains an MP for Lugo (his hometown) and as such only the Supreme Court, penal division, can order an investigation.
The case, if anyone is interested, in known as caso campeón – Spain always has to give these investigations codenames.
The ruling court of the penal division is expected to rule on the request later this week. El Mundo points out that such a request is almost always granted.