大家网[媒体英语] Sarkozy questioned over donations 萨科齐卷入非法献金丑闻受质询
Summary
23 November 2012
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been questioned over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman. It is the first time that Sarkozy has been questioned since losing presidential immunity. He denies any wrongdoing.
法国前总统尼古拉斯·萨科奇因在2007年大选之际涉嫌非法接受法国女富豪捐助而接受问询。这是他离任总统后首次接受问询。萨科奇否认所有指控。
Reporter: Christian Fraser
Report
He was the mayor of the wealthiest suburb in Paris. It gave him access to the country's richest woman. And, over the years, Mr Sarkozy had forged a close friendship with Liliane Bettencourt. He was, said staff, a regular visitor to the family home in Neuilly.
But the allegation is that in the final few months of the 2007 election, Mr Sarkozy took advantage of the ageing L'Orealheiress, persuading her to part with huge amounts of money to help bankroll his bid for the presidency. An accountant who worked for Ms Bettencourt claims tens of thousands of euros were handed over to his campaign manager Eric Woerth; and, on a separate occasion, Mr Sarkozy came in person, she said, to "receive his envelope" stuffed with cash.
The former President has repeatedly denied the allegations, but, on the orders of the judge, his office and home were raidedin July. Today, one poll suggested the majority of French people would prefer Mr Sarkozy to return and lead his fracturedparty. Certainly, he harbours those ambitions, but his chances of a return could yet be poisoned by the inquiry he's facing.
Vocabulary
suburb：an area on the edge of a large town where people live
forged a close friendship：form or make a close friendship
took advantage of：used for personal benefit, especially something or someone in a weaker position
heiress：a woman who will receive a money, property or a title when the person who owns it dies
bankroll：support financially; provide the money for
handed over：given
stuffed：completely filled
raided：entered (a property) by force
fractured：broken
harbours those ambitions：thinks about or holds those ambitions, usually for a long time
23 November 2012
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been questioned over claims his 2007 election campaign received illegal donations from France's richest woman. It is the first time that Sarkozy has been questioned since losing presidential immunity. He denies any wrongdoing.
法国前总统尼古拉斯·萨科奇因在2007年大选之际涉嫌非法接受法国女富豪捐助而接受问询。这是他离任总统后首次接受问询。萨科奇否认所有指控。
Reporter: Christian Fraser
Report
He was the mayor of the wealthiest suburb in Paris. It gave him access to the country's richest woman. And, over the years, Mr Sarkozy had forged a close friendship with Liliane Bettencourt. He was, said staff, a regular visitor to the family home in Neuilly.
But the allegation is that in the final few months of the 2007 election, Mr Sarkozy took advantage of the ageing L'Orealheiress, persuading her to part with huge amounts of money to help bankroll his bid for the presidency. An accountant who worked for Ms Bettencourt claims tens of thousands of euros were handed over to his campaign manager Eric Woerth; and, on a separate occasion, Mr Sarkozy came in person, she said, to "receive his envelope" stuffed with cash.
The former President has repeatedly denied the allegations, but, on the orders of the judge, his office and home were raidedin July. Today, one poll suggested the majority of French people would prefer Mr Sarkozy to return and lead his fracturedparty. Certainly, he harbours those ambitions, but his chances of a return could yet be poisoned by the inquiry he's facing.
Vocabulary
suburb：an area on the edge of a large town where people live
forged a close friendship：form or make a close friendship
took advantage of：used for personal benefit, especially something or someone in a weaker position
heiress：a woman who will receive a money, property or a title when the person who owns it dies
bankroll：support financially; provide the money for
handed over：given
stuffed：completely filled
raided：entered (a property) by force
fractured：broken
harbours those ambitions：thinks about or holds those ambitions, usually for a long time
