Journalist Yoav Yitzchak, who has doggedly pursued the criminal suspicions against Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for years, has now unleashed another one. Yitzchak claims Olmert received an unauthorized $300,000 when he was Trade Minister.
The investigative journalist says the police are now focusing their criminal investigation of the Prime Minister on new suspicions that Olmert received 300,000 dollars during the years 2002-2005, when he served as Minister of Industry and Trade under Ariel Sharon. These monies have nothing to do with Morris Talansky, newly famous for having given envelopes of cash to Olmert.
Yitzchak, editor of the Hebrew-language news site NFC (News First Class), says that while the police seek to collect evidence from Talansky, they are simultaneously investigating the $300K suspicions - a potentially even bigger scandal. The money was allegedly given in-between campaign elections, thus that "even if Olmert states that the money was to cover election campaign deficits, this will not help purify him from the suspicion of accepting a bribe," Yitzchak writes. He provided no further details on the new suspicions.
Prosecution Wants to Hear Talansky's Testimony
The Prosecution has asked that it be allowed to collect evidence from Talansky next Sunday, even before Olmert is officially charged with a crime. Olmert's lawyers have asked the Supreme Court to reject this request. A hearing will be held on the matter tomorrow (Monday).
The Prosecution's position is twofold: The testimony is critical in order to ascertain guilt, and there is reason to believe that if a trial is in fact held, Talansky - a resident of the United States - will not return to Israelr to testify, given his past warm relations with Olmert.
Though it is likely that the envelopes Talansky gave Olmert and/or his representatives were not filled with Talansky's own money, Olmert was apparently not permitted to receive such large sums without reporting them. Nor is it clear how Olmert actually spent the money; he has said that his lawyer Uri Messer was responsible for receiving and using it. Messer has been rumored to be considering testifying for the prosecution.
In the meantime, the police have asked to question Olmert under caution for a second time regarding the latest suspicions - but Olmert has refused. Olmert says he is waiting to hear how the Supreme Court will rule on his appeal regarding Talansky's testimony.
Several Knesset Members have called for Olmert to resign or suspend himself, given the frequency and intensity of police investigations against him. These include the Bank Leumi privatization scandal, the Investment Center case, his purchase of a luxury apartment on Cremeiux St., and more.