[Domestic Policy] Bipartisan Corruption Hesse 2019-01-28

The public prosecutor's office Wiesbaden filed against the Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden Sven Gerich (SPD) after it became known that Gerich (SPD) has received bribery from Ralph Schüler (CDU) for a director's position at the Wiesbaden supply and transport holding. The case vividly shows double standards and the cross-party nature of corruption in politics.

Gerich (SPD) was previously criticised because of his friendship with the entrepreneur Roland Kuffler. On holiday trips in 2015, 2016 and 2017 Gerich (SPD) was invited into private homes and to the Wiesn-Einzug at the Munich Oktoberfest by Kuffler. Kuffler is the senior of the Kuffler Group which operates more than 40 restaurants in Germany and also in Wiesbaden. Striking is that Gerich (SPD) rejected even then all allegations. [1]

Ich habe mir nichts vorzuwerfen, das sind Besuche unter Freunden.

I have done nothing wrong these were visits among friends.

Sven Gerich (SPD) Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden [1]

Thereafter the CDU politician Ralph Schüler has filed a voluntary complaint against himself at the public prosecutor's office Wiesbaden he was dismissed as managing director of the Wiesbaden supply and transport holding due to conflicts of interest in December 2018 without notice. Schüler (CDU) stated that he had paid for restaurant visits and hotel accommodation for Gerich (SPD) on a trip to Andalusia (Spain) in 2014. Schüler (CDU) was dismissed without notice after it turned out that he has embezzled at least 90,000 euros. Sensational is that one week before the trip Schüler (CDU) of Wiesbadener Magistrate under Gerich (SPD) was appointed managing director of the Wiesbadener supply and transport holding. And four weeks after the trip the supervisory board accepted the contract with Schüler (CDU) with Gerich (SPD) as chairman of the supervisory board. [2] [3] [4] [5]

At this time Gerich (SPD) still planned to compete again as Lord Mayor in Wiesbaden and the SPD wanted to nominate him again. After Schüler (CDU) had asked Gerich (SPD) to resign in an open letter Gerich (SPD) said on January 24, 2019 that he would no longer compete as Lord Mayor. However Gerich (SPD) continues to reject the accusation of corruption and thus validates the current policy disenchantment. Gerich (SPD) plante zu diesem Zeitpunkt trotzdem in Wiesbaden als Oberbürgermeister noch einmal anzutreten und die SPD wollte ihn erneut nominieren. Nachdem Schüler (CDU) in einem Offenen Brief Gerich (SPD) zum Rücktritt aufgefordert hatte erklärte dieser am 24. Januar 2019 nicht mehr nicht antreten zu wollen. Gerich (SPD) weist den Vorwurf der Korruption jedoch weiterhin zurück und bestätigt damit beispielhaft die aktuelle Politikverdrossenheit. [5] [6] [7]

Ich war zu keiner Zeit korrumpierbar oder bestechlich.

I have never been corruptible or bribable.

Sven Gerich (SPD) Lord Mayor of Wiesbaden [7]

[1] KORRUPTIONSVERDACHT IN WIESBADEN - OB Sven Gerich in Bedrängnis 2018-05-24
https://www.fr.de/rhein-main/wiesbaden/oktoberfest-ere26014/sven-gerich-bedraengnis-10978747.html
[2] Ralph Schüler als städtischer Geschäftsführer freigestellt
https://www.wiesbadener-kurier.de/lokales/wiesbaden/nachrichten-wiesbaden/ralph-schuler-als-stadtischer-geschaftsfuhrer-freigestellt_19826126
[3] Staatsanwaltschaft prüft Ermittlungen - Spanienreise bringt Wiesbadener OB Gerich in Erklärungsnot 2019-01-10
https://www.hessenschau.de/politik/staatsanwaltschaft-prueft-ermittlungen-spanienreise-mit-cdu-mann-bringt-wiesbadener-ob-gerich-in-erklaerungsnot,spanienreise-gerich-102.html
[4] Anfangsverdacht der Bestechung - Staatsanwaltschaft ermittelt gegen Wiesbadens OB Gerich 2019-01-18
https://www.hessenschau.de/politik/staatsanwaltschaft-ermittelt-gegen-wiesbadens-ob-gerich,ermittlungen-gegen-gerich-100.html
[5] KORRUPTIONSVERDACHT: Wiesbadener Rathauschef zunehmend in Bedrängnis 2019-01-22
https://www.faz.net/aktuell/rhein-main/wiesbadener-oberbuergermeister-sven-gerich-geraet-in-bedraengnis-16000819.html
[6] Schlammschlacht - Offener Brief: CDU-Mann fordert Rücktritt von Wiesbadener OB 2019-01-23
https://www.hessenschau.de/politik/offener-brief-cdu-mann-fordert-ruecktritt-von-wiesbadener-ob,offener-brief-schueler-gerich-100.html
[7] Konsequenzen aus Schlammschlacht - Wiesbadener OB Gerich verzichtet auf erneute Kandidatur 2019-01-24
https://www.hessenschau.de/politik/wiesbadener-ob-gerich-verzichtet-nach-schlammschlacht-auf-erneute-kandidatur,gerich-ruecktritt-100.html