Jorge Seif Júnior (PL-SC)Pedro França / Senado Agency
Published 04/28/2024 07:24
The Superior Electoral Court (TSE) resumes next Tuesday, the 30th, the trial of the action that requests the revocation of the mandate and the ineligibility of Bolsonaro senator Jorge Seif Júnior (PL-SC). The trial will resume after being postponed due to the absence of the case’s rapporteur, Minister Floriano de Azevedo Marques. Elected in 2022, Seif is being investigated for alleged abuse of economic power in the campaign.
The appeal was proposed by the Bora Trabalho coalition (PSD, Patriota and União Brasil), against the decision of the Regional Electoral Court of Santa Catarina, which rejected the accusation of abuse of economic power practiced by Seif in the 2022 election. Businessman Luciano Hang, owner of the Havan retail chain, donated resources to the parliamentarian’s campaign without declaring the amounts in the reporting to the Electoral Court.
The appeal also lists three alleged illegalities that were allegedly committed by the then Senate candidate Jorge Seif. The first of these would have been the granting of use of a helicopter owned by Osni Cipriani for Seif’s travels to participate in election campaign events across the state. Such a practice would constitute an irregular donation.
The coalition’s investigative action also concerns the use of the material and personal structure of Lojas Havan in favor of the parliamentarian. Among the irregularities would be the use of air transport, the company’s official channels for broadcasting the electoral campaign, a recording room for live broadcasts, videos for social networks and the involvement of company employees in promoting the candidate’s campaign.
The trial also involves alleged financing of electoral propaganda by a union, through participation in the 21st Santa Catarina Footwear Industry Week, in the municipality of São João Batista (SC). The event would have been promoted by the local Footwear Industry Union.
In a video published on social media before the start of the trial at the TSE, Jorge Seif stated that he had “a very deep feeling that there is no other possible outcome other than maintaining this mandate that you gave me. “I speak with truth. I believe in institutions.” Luciano Hang denies having provided aircraft and collaborators to work on Seif’s campaign.
The Public Ministry agrees with the revocation, but suggests holding a supplementary election, which would be in accordance with an understanding established by the Federal Supreme Court (STF) in November 2023.
Next week, the case is scheduled for a TSE session starting at 7 pm. The trial began on April 4 and was suspended before the case’s rapporteur cast his vote.
