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An Austrian judge at the center of a corruption scandal enveloping Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his center-right party has resigned following the publication of a series of text messages containing sexist and racist comments.
Wolfgang Brandstetter, a former justice minister sent by Kurz to the constitutional court in 2018, announced his decision on Thursday evening, saying he believed he could serve the court better by leaving it. Chief Justice Christoph Grabenwarter said he was “shocked and appalled” by the messages and hoped Brandstetter’s resignation would allow the court to end the case.
The texts, which were exchanged between Brandstetter and Christian Pilnacek, a senior Justice Ministry official, are full of derogatory comments, some with racial overtones, about female members of the Constitutional Court and corruption prosecutors suing Kurz’s government. . Equally alarming, the communications include attacks on Austrian justice that cast doubt on the commitment of senior officials to the very rule of law they have pledged to uphold.
The talks came to light as part of a large criminal investigation into suspicion of corruption within Kurz’s center-right People’s Party (VP). A number of senior officials, including Kurz himself, on suspicion of perjury, have come under scrutiny by prosecutors, but Brandstetter is the first to resign, a move that indicates the scandal is drawing closer in addition to the inner circle of chancellors.
Everyone investigated denies doing anything illegal.
During the investigation, investigators uncovered thousands of text message exchanges between senior government officials, pulling back the curtain on a patronage-based political machine that critics say is undermining the country’s democratic foundations, by in particular the rule of law and freedom of the press.
In one of the text exchanges revealed this week, Brandstetter and Pilnacek joked in October about the news that Cuba had acquired decommissioned Austrian garbage trucks.
Pilnacek suggested that it might be necessary to export the constitutional court to Cuba, adding that Cubans would be proud of our vice president.
Austrian Constitutional Court Vice-President Verena Madner is black.
Pilnacek went on to say that another female tribunal member, Claudia Kahr, would be a good garbage can.
The two men are among the country’s top judicial officials with immense power over judicial decisions. Pilnacek, who is under investigation for alleged perjury and other misconduct, was considered the most influential Justice Department official until his recent suspension in connection with the corruption investigation. He challenges his suspension and insists he did nothing wrong.
Despite the power he enjoyed, conversations suggest that Pilnacek had all but lost faith in the legal system in which he had spent his career working.
In December, after the court overturned a government headscarf ban and decided to allow assisted suicide, Pilnacek concluded that a justice system misplaced by the constitutional court could no longer be served.
He was also upset with the corruption prosecutor’s office, telling Brandstetter that “it was and is a problem.”
At the time, Pilnacek was seeking permission to access the Corruption Attorney’s email accounts, according to separate conversations he had with his subordinates. We do not know if he succeeded. This same office is now investigating both Pilnacek and Brandstetter.
Brandstetter, who in 2018 served as special advisor to EU Commissioner Vra Jourov on rule of law issues, also freely shared confidential information with Pilnacek about the courts pending internal rulings and deliberations, the latter of which are supposed to remain. secret for 30 years.
As part of their investigation, prosecutors are investigating whether Pilnacek warned Brandstetter in 2019 that authorities were about to search the premises of one of his prominent legal clients.
Both men deny any wrongdoing.
Indeed, the conversations between the two lawyers are full of boastful remarks that they would eventually prevail.
Or, as Brandstetter likes to sign in exchanges: Venceremos!
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