The story was broken this morning by Army Radio's Amit Segal (son of Arutz-7 Radio's News Department founder Haggai Segal). Chazan and another Likud MK, Michael Gorolovsky, were both accused of voting in place of an absent party colleague MK in a Knesset vote in early 2003. Gorolovsky confessed, but said that he was not aware of the significance of his act at the time - only a few months after having become a Knesset Member. The Knesset distanced him from Knesset votes and debates for six months, but his Parliamentary immunity was never removed and he was not indicted.
MK Chazan, on the other hand, agreed at the time to have his parliamentary immunity removed, and his trial for conspiracy to commit a crime is currently underway.
Segal asked Chazan today if he had entered the Knesset storeroom and taken something from there. Chazan said he had asked permission to take the voting machines for the purposes of his trial, but that he was turned down. Asked if he had entered the room, Chazan said, "I didn't take anything."
Segal: "But the question is whether you were in the stockroom or not."
Chazan: "I'm telling you that I didn't take it, don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Segal: "I understand that, but the question is whether you were in the stockroom or not."
Chazan: "I'm telling you as clearly as possible that I didn't take it, I wasn't there, I don't know what you want."
However, to Chazan's consternation, a hidden Knesset camera caught him not only entering the storeroom, but also coming out with equipment in his hands. The Knesset Spokesperson said today that Chazan had gone to the stockroom accompanied by a Knesset guard, but remained there alone - and that afterwards four small voting machines were found missing. All four machines were from Chazan's row in the Knesset plenum.
Segal later reported that at approximately 11:15 this morning, some three hours after his conversation with him, Chazan presented the four voting machines to a Knesset officer.
Opposition leader Tommy Lapid (Shinui) said this morning that he would not consider joining the Likud government, partly because "every morning we wake up to hear a new item of corruption in the Likud."
MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said in response, "The Likud is split between Sharon and the rebels, but it turns out that the corruption unites all of them." Chazan was one of the leaders of the group that opposed the disengagement.
As the above story was developing, the Tel Aviv Magisrates Court convicted another Likud MK, Omri Sharon - the Prime Minister's son - of violating campaign laws and perjury. As per a drawn out plea bargain agreement, Sharon confessed to the above crimes, and is expected to face a prison sentence.
MK Chazan, on the other hand, agreed at the time to have his parliamentary immunity removed, and his trial for conspiracy to commit a crime is currently underway.
Segal asked Chazan today if he had entered the Knesset storeroom and taken something from there. Chazan said he had asked permission to take the voting machines for the purposes of his trial, but that he was turned down. Asked if he had entered the room, Chazan said, "I didn't take anything."
Segal: "But the question is whether you were in the stockroom or not."
Chazan: "I'm telling you that I didn't take it, don't you understand what I'm saying?"
Segal: "I understand that, but the question is whether you were in the stockroom or not."
Chazan: "I'm telling you as clearly as possible that I didn't take it, I wasn't there, I don't know what you want."
However, to Chazan's consternation, a hidden Knesset camera caught him not only entering the storeroom, but also coming out with equipment in his hands. The Knesset Spokesperson said today that Chazan had gone to the stockroom accompanied by a Knesset guard, but remained there alone - and that afterwards four small voting machines were found missing. All four machines were from Chazan's row in the Knesset plenum.
Segal later reported that at approximately 11:15 this morning, some three hours after his conversation with him, Chazan presented the four voting machines to a Knesset officer.
Opposition leader Tommy Lapid (Shinui) said this morning that he would not consider joining the Likud government, partly because "every morning we wake up to hear a new item of corruption in the Likud."
MK Ran Cohen (Meretz) said in response, "The Likud is split between Sharon and the rebels, but it turns out that the corruption unites all of them." Chazan was one of the leaders of the group that opposed the disengagement.
As the above story was developing, the Tel Aviv Magisrates Court convicted another Likud MK, Omri Sharon - the Prime Minister's son - of violating campaign laws and perjury. As per a drawn out plea bargain agreement, Sharon confessed to the above crimes, and is expected to face a prison sentence.