Likud Slams Police Over Election Probe, Cites Uninvestigated Complaints
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
The Likud party is furious with the police for allegedly failing to investigate over 1,200 election complaints, including allegations of vote buying. The party claims police are trying to bury evidence by joining an election committee. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated that initial evidence does not suggest election results were impacted, but a joint Shin Bet-police investigation team has been formed.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Likud claims police are burying evidence and ignoring 1,281 election complaints.
- The party alleges dozens of cases of vote buying in the Arab sector were not investigated.
- Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated initial evidence doesn't impact election results.
- A joint Shin Bet and police investigation team has been established.
- The investigation is focused on potential violations of the party funding law.
The Likud party expressed outrage following a police assessment that suggests potential violations of the party funding law, while finding no suspicion of other offenses related to the recent elections. The party claims the police are attempting to bury evidence by joining an election committee instead of thoroughly investigating their numerous complaints. Sagi Keizler, director of the Likud's election purity staff, stated that the party submitted 1,281 detailed complaints, including dozens alleging vote buying in the Arab sector, none of which have been investigated. Keizler asserted that over 1,200 polling station committee members are ready to provide testimony and urged the police to begin their investigation.
This comes after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated that the initial evidence presented to her concerns only isolated incidents and is insufficient to impact the election results. She emphasized that criminal offenses related to election integrity are severe and anti-democratic, and that investigations will be opened wherever reasonable suspicion arises, regardless of political or ethnic affiliation. Baharav-Miara confirmed that a special investigation team, comprising members from the Shin Bet, the Police's Investigation and Intelligence Division, and the State Prosecutor's Office, has been established with the approval of Election Committee Chairman Noam Sohlberg. She expressed confidence in the joint team's ability to handle the current events professionally.