Peter Feldmann has received his verdict. The verdict he said we should wait and see. It has become a guilty verdict. And if the former SPD mayor of Frankfurt had had his way, he would have continued in office throughout the criminal proceedings against him. If courageous city councilors in the Römer and later in Frankfurt hadn’t put an end to Feldmann’s ego trip, the city would have seen its mayor have been sentenced in office in a criminal trial. It’s unbelievable that he wanted to expect this from the citizens and the city.
The Frankfurt Regional Court is convinced that Feldmann was guilty of accepting an advantage in two cases. As a punishment, he should pay 120 daily rates of 175 euros each, i.e. a total of 21,000 euros. So he has a criminal record, with all the consequences. Feldmann, however, has remained true to himself during the process, as in the months before: he does not realize how low the hurdles are for him to be guilty of accepting an advantage as a public official. Of course he will now appeal.
He didn’t listen to anyone who meant well by him before, and not later either. In view of his reputation and also his career prospects, it would have been wise if he had resigned in good time and had agreed to pay the prosecutor money without admitting any guilt. Appropriate examples were pointed out to him, and he laughed. Later, when Feldmann wanted to see at the poker table whether the Frankfurters would be interested enough to vote out in sufficient numbers, he gambled again.
Feldmann wanted to keep maneuvering his way through, just as it had worked so wonderfully throughout his life. He wasn’t afraid of the court either until he stood in front of the stop sign today. While most others may have never set foot in a courtroom before, he was no stranger to this world from college days and later private life. He had no respect for it. Even his closing words were addressed more to the audience than to the court. Why have respect? Because he didn’t have that before his own office, which the Frankfurters had even given him twice full of hope. What a shame.