Today could be the day – after much shuffling of feet and wailing it looks like there might be a decision. ANd its going to cause problems.
The lawyers of Silvio started by saying the the Severini law – which says that someone definitively sentenced cannot hold public office – was unconstitutional and non retroactive. The problem is Berlo and his cronies voted for it only a year ago. They say it cant be used for crimes committed before it was introduced – the lawyers say its all about teh sentence, which came afterwards. ANd its not unconstitutional .. So the second attempt is
Appeal to Strasbourg – For Silvio who has always had the utmost contempt for European institutions, this must be a bit of a embarrassment, but never one to let the possibility of getting off a hook get in the way of a blush, off he went. This time, the appeal is that being banned from holding public office is against his human rights, as everyone can be elected to parliament and he is the head of a political party. Obviously prisoners cant vote or be elected, nor mad people, but Berlusconi, having been found guilty 4 times for the same crime is now saying he cant be banned from public office cos ‘his people’ want him there. You should think about these things before you put your fingers in the till Silvio….
Anyway, because he’s sent his minions off to Brussels and Luxembourg the arguement is that they shouldnt have a vote until the matter is settled. Except that the court of human rights will take a good few years to decide on the subject – and the rest of Italy want a decision so they ‘re going to vote today.
So teh screams and wails and general lamentations turn into threats of serious bullies. Apparently if the great and good vote for Silvios ‘decadence’ ie being banned – it will be a political vote. If they dont it will be a moral vote. Which is about as twisted as you can get. Being very very very very GUILTY the senate must decide if Berlo is an embarassment and not nice enough to hold his seat – being guilty 4 times is enough, and they must – according to the sentence passed down by the court of appeal, – vote him out. This for Berlo is a political communist vote. What they should be doing is ignore the entire judicial system, pocket the money he offers them and let him stay. This time it wont happen unless there’s a last minute fudge.
And this is the big scare – if he gets voted out ofthe senate he’s just a mortal once more and the rumour mill has the judges in Naples ready to arrest him for bribing senators – and in that case he looks rather guilty – which would mean a life time ban on public office and house arrest….. neither are the glittering end to a shiny career which Berlo was hoping for. So… he will make the government fall by ordering his lackies to resign en masse. You cant deny his sense of brinksmanship. He could of course just chuck a few chemical weapons about like other minority leaders ..
