Police close probe into graft suspicions against opposition head
Labor chief Isaac Herzog did not know about allegedly illegal 2013 primary campaign donation, say investigators
Police investigators said Thursday they are closing a months-long probe into accusations of campaign finance fraud against opposition leader MK Isaac Herzog after finding no evidence that Herzog knew about a problematic donation made to his 2013 primary campaign.
According to a statement by police spokesperson Luba Samri, the National Fraud Unit has concluded the investigation ordered by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit, which became public nine months ago, will not recommend an indictment against the Labor leader.
Sources close to Herzog said he received the police statement on Thursday and is awaiting the final word from the attorney general that the case is closed.
The suspicions centered on an NIS 40,000 ($10,600) donation allegedly made to Herzog’s campaign by an unnamed businessman whose company stood to be affected by standing legislation in the Knesset. The donation, allegedly facilitated by senior Labor party campaign staffer Shimon Batat, helped pay for a negative ad campaign against Herzog’s challenger in the primary race, former party leader MK Shelly Yachimovich.
It was not reported in the mandatory filing made by the campaign — which was signed off by Herzog — to State Comptroller Yosef Shapira after the primary vote.
The donation itself remains the subject of a police investigation, but Herzog, the only public servant questioned in the case and the figure whose involvement led to suspicions of bribery, is no longer a suspect.
Investigators now believe he did not know about or facilitate the donation, Samri said.
A police statement noted that “the investigation failed to find sufficient evidence to prove criminality” on Herzog’s part, though there was “sufficient evidence” for a possible indictment of the businessman and Labor staffer over the failure to report the donation and illegal campaign fundraising suspicions.
Police handed their conclusions to the Tel Aviv Prosecutor’s Office, which is expected to give formal notice, together with Attorney General Mandelblit, that the case against Herzog is to be closed.