Old news first:

TOP PARIS OLYMPIC BID OFFICIAL IN FRAUD TRIAL

PARIS May 9, 2005 (AFP) - Guy Drut, a former French sports minister and 1976 Montreal Olympic 110 metre hurdles champion, went on trial Monday in one of France's biggest-ever political corruption trials.

A total of 47 defendants - including politicians, party officials and representatives of some of France's biggest building companies - are accused of fixing public works contracts in the Paris region to obtain illegal party funding.

Drut, 54, a member of parliament for the ruling UMP party of French president Jacques Chirac, is also a member of the Paris team which is the favourite ahead of London, New York, Madrid and Moscow to win the 2012 Games when International Olympic Committee (IOC) members vote in Singapore on July 6.

[M. Drut sniffed,] "If my presence could in any way hinder the Paris bid I'll take the steps which I deem to be necessary."

He is accused of picking up a EUR 3,000 per month (USD 3,847) salary for a non-existent job with a building company from 1990 to 1993. He faces five years in jail and a fine of EUR 375,000 (USD 481,000) plus being struck off public office. The scam was operated when Chirac was mayor of Paris and Drut, an IOC member since 1996, was a city councillor.

The firm ended his contract because he was never in his office more than two or three times a year. Drut has argued he was involved in public relations work for the firm.

"I worked for this company like a great number of sporting personalities had in the past," said Drut, adding that "every effort deserves a salary".

"My conscience is clear," said Drut.

We first encountered M. Drut at his sentencing following his conviction:

The former sports minister Guy Drut, 54, who now sits on the International Olympic Committee, was handed a 15-month suspended sentence and fined 50,000 euros for creating a bogus job as part of the scheme.

Not to worry, Guy.

CHIRAC ATTACKED FOR PARDONING DISGRACED MINISTER

PARIS May 26, 2006 (AFP) - French President Jacques Chirac stood accused Friday of running a "banana republic" after he granted an amnesty to disgraced International Olympic Committee (IOC) member and ex-sports minister Guy Drut.

"Jacques Chirac is acting like the prince of a banana republic,*" Green Party deputy Noël Mamère charged on France Inter radio, following the announcement late Thursday of Drut's amnesty for "services to the nation". He warned the president's move was certain to "fuel the French people's loathing towards their political leaders".

Meanwhile Socialist Party (PS) lawmaker Arnaud Montebourg accused Chirac on Europe 1 radio of "organising impunity for himself and his friends".

The 54-year-old Drut...welcomed the decision on Friday, saying he was "satisfied and relieved".

Not just relieved [Pause.] but satisfied. And satisfied first.

Chirac's office said the amnesty — granted under a 2002 law for Drut's services to the nation, "notably in the sporting domain" — would allow him to resume his seat at the IOC, "which is essential for France and the defence of its interests in the sporting world".

Pierre Lellouche, of the ruling UMP party, admitted on RTL radio there was a "risk" the move would be misunderstood, further damaging the election prospects of a centre-right already rocked by a complex dirty tricks scandal.

Yes, the French might mistake Jack's actions for something like buying M. Drut's silence.

* République bananière; also these epithets: "Privilège judiciaire" (judicial privilege), "dérive de l'Etat UMP" (drift of the UMP state), "énième désinvolture" chiraquienne (Chirac's umpteenth tactless act)

PFFT (What is this?): Acting within the law to confound the law 4 | Rayonnement français 0