. Brazil's Supreme Court has ruled in favor of sending new graft charges against President Michel Temer to the Lower House of Congress.
Last month, Temer's allies in Congress blocked the first corruption charge against the president, saving him from facing a possible Supreme Court trial.
In the new charges, Temer is accused of being the leader, since May 2016, of a criminal racket involving four former members of Congress from the president's own PMDB party, along with two of his current ministers, Eliseu Padilha and Moreira Franco.
He has also been charges with obstructing justice, relating to Temer's alleged encouragement of payments to buy the silence of Eduardo Cunha, the jailed former speaker of the Lower House.
Temer has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
The charges against Temer will only be considered by the Supreme Court if they are endorsed by the deputies with a qualified majority of two-thirds, represented by 342 votes of a possible 513 involved in the plenary.
An investigation has also been authorized into other separate allegations of corruption against Temer involving a presidential decree relating to Brazil’s ports.
Again, Temer denies any wrongdoing.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has ruled in favor of sending new graft charges against President Michel Temer to the Lower House of Congress.
Ten judges voted for, one against.
The Lower House must authorize any trial of a sitting president.
Last month, Temer’s allies in Congress blocked the first corruption charge against the president, saving him from facing a possible Supreme Court trial.
In the new charges, Temer is accused of being the leader, since May 2016, of a criminal racket involving four former members of Congress from the president’s own PMDB party, along with two of his current ministers, Eliseu Padilha and Moreira Franco.
The members of the…
