Former Minister Damien Abad (Solidarity and Disabled People), the subject of an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s office for attempted rape, judged Monday “preferable, in the face of the despicable slanders of which he is the target”, to be able to “defend himself without impeding the action of the government”.
“I will defend myself relentlessly”
“I will defend myself relentlessly until justice confirms my innocence,” he said during the transfer of power from the new minister, Jean-Christophe Combe, director general of the Red Cross. “I would like to warmly thank the President of the Republic for the confidence he has shown in me from the start”, also declared Damien Abad, adding that he had “again discussed at length yesterday with him”.
“It seemed preferable in the face of the despicable slanders of which I am the target, orchestrated in a well-chosen calendar, that I could defend myself without hindering the action of the government”, he declared during a short speech, assuring to leave the ministry “with great regret”.
“An injustice done to one is a threat to all”
“I will fight against this disastrous movement which relegates the presumption of innocence to the rank of unimportant old stuff and which makes slander a formidable political weapon in the hands of malevolent spirits”, he assured. “Everyone should measure the incredible violence for a human being, a family, relatives, such cleverly orchestrated practices and too often without media discernment,” said the former minister.
“As Montesquieu says, ‘an injustice done to one is a threat to all'”, he concluded.
The executive was facing growing pressure to dismiss Damien Abad from the government, who came from the ranks of LR and was the subject of an investigation by the Paris prosecutor’s office after the complaint of a woman for facts dating back to the first half of 2010 and a third testimony against him Monday morning on BFMTV