Rachida Dati Says She is Victim of Political Plotters

The former French justice minister Rachida Dati has said she is the victim of “political plotters” after the state auditor rejected €190,000 of spending by her ministry under Nicolas Sarkozy’s rightwing government.
The decision by the Cour des Comptes, which audits state accounts, relates to when Dati was one of Sarkozy’s most high-profile ministers and hailed as the first Muslim woman to hold a major government post.
Around €9,000 of the rejected justice ministry spending went on “receptions and representation” and included “luxury clothing” as well as meals, drinks, pâtisserie, newspapers and pharmacy products. The newsweekly Le Point reported that the “luxury clothing” spend included Hermès scarves.
The auditors questioned the ministry’s accounting, rejecting the expenses on the basis that they were not backed up by adequate documents and justifications. It is the ministry accountant who is in the line of fire over the book-keeping and who, under French law, will have to pay back the money to the state.