BRASILIA : Paying the Piper
An investigative panel probing corruption in the Brazilian legislature is scheduled to release its final report Saturday, and at least two dozen lawmakers are facing near certain expulsion from congress.
The report concludes a nearly four-month investigation into a huge kickback and influence-peddling scheme in which ranking members of the congressional budget committee allegedly pocketed millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money in exchange for writing budget items favoring pet projects for select politicians and businesses.
The panel is expected to recommend censure or expulsion of up to 30 legislators, who may later face criminal charges. A separate investigation into alleged misdeeds by construction companies is also scheduled to get underway in the next few months.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
