France: Marine Le Pen Stands Trial on Embezzlement Charges
France: Marine Le Pen MisuseStands ofTrial Fundson TrialEmbezzlement BeginsCharges
The Facts
Right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen, alongside more than 20 members of her National Rally (RN) party, began trial Monday over allegations of creating "fake jobs" to illegally take EU Parliament funds and use it for party operations.
Prosecutors allege that between 2004 and 2016, RN hired several parliamentary assistants — who are paid with EU funds — and that the staff only worked for the party, thus committing misappropriation of funds laws.
The Spin
Le Pen and her far-right party members spent years cheating Europe's parliamentary stystem out of millions of dollars. After years of investigation, authorities have released incriminating documents and testimony, most notably correspondance between party leaders regarding how to illegally save money. In the face of mounting evidence, Le Pen faces years of prison and heafty fines.
The only reason Le Pen is being prosecuted is to keep her and her increasingly popular views on immigration away from the halls of power. As is the case with Donald Trump in America, France's left-wing establishment is using the justice system to chargedrum itsup politicalbogus opponentcharges onagainst a technicalitywoman tothey keepsee heras outa ofpolitical officethreat. If anyone is committing a crime, it's the government using the court system as a political tool.