Carlos Jordy: STF wants a scapegoat against Congress – 01/19/2024 – Power

Federal deputy Carlos Jordy (PL-RJ) says he sees the search and seizure operation against him as a way of turning him into a scapegoat and giving a message from the STF (Supreme Federal Court) to the National Congress.

Jordy is leader of the opposition in the Chamber and was the target of the Federal Police in the investigation investigating the coup acts of January 8, 2023.

In justifying the action, minister Alexandre de Moraes used messages from the deputy with Carlos Victor Carvalho, known as CVC, suspected of organizing roadblocks in the interior of Rio de Janeiro after Lula’s (PT) victory in the 2022 elections over Jair Bolsonaro (PL).

“They are trying to perform gymnastics, contortionism, make me a scapegoat, trying to associate me with January 8th,” he said in an interview with Sheet.

He is the first deputy targeted by Operation Lesa Pátria.

“They are carrying out evidentiary fishing, something completely illegal, and, from that, they are sending a message to Congress that, if they do this to the leader of the opposition, they can do it to anyone.”

The new phase of Lesa Pátria, launched on Thursday (18), was authorized by the STF, where the investigation is being processed under the report of Moraes, following a request from the PF and with a favorable opinion from the PGR (Attorney General’s Office).

Jordy says that Moraes’ authorization is a strategy for the January 8 investigation to remain in the STF.

By imputing a federal deputy, who has a special jurisdiction, in the investigations, according to him, the justification is created for coup protesters or financiers to also be under the supervision of the Supreme Court, and not the common justice system.

The deputy states that he spoke with colleagues, including the president of the Chamber, Arthur Lira (PP-AL), and that he expects coordinated action from the Legislature to advance agendas against what he calls the STF’s “superpowers”.

Still according to Jordy, the atmosphere within the opposition bench is indignant, and Lira told him that he was not warned that the operation would take place, with steps taken within the Chamber of Deputies.

Jordy states that he “didn’t even know that January 8th was going to happen”, that he thought the acts in barracks were “total nonsense” and that the roadblocks after Lula’s victory “wouldn’t lead to anything”.

Moraes authorized the searches and seizures against Jordy motivated by phone calls and messages from someone being investigated for organizing coup acts in Campos dos Goytacazes (RJ).

According to the PF, based on information obtained in previous phases of the operation, signs of “strong links” were discovered between the deputy councilor of Campos Carlos Victor de Carvalho and Jordy.

Carlos Victor organized at least 15 WhatsApp groups with messages of coup content, in addition to anti-democratic demonstrations.

According to the PF, there are indications that Jordy guided CVC and “had the power to order anti-democratic movements, whether through social media or stirring up militancy in the region.”

To do this, they cited a message from CVC to the deputy on November 1, 2022, when highway blockades were taking place throughout Brazil after Lula’s victory in the race for the Presidency.

“Good morning, my leader. What direction can you give me? You have the power to stop everything”, CVC said to Jordi.

The deputy replied: “Say brother, okay? Are you able to speak?”

CVC then said: “I can, brother. You can call me whenever you want.”

“These are messages that I didn’t even remember, totally distorted, a real exercise to accuse me of a crime that never existed. The CVC arrives and calls me ‘my leader’. How many people call me ‘my leader’?”, says the leader of the opposition to Sheet.

Jordy claims that he met CVC shortly before the elections, that he knew he was influential in right-wing groups and that they formed an alliance to get votes in Campos dos Goytacazes — but that they met in person, in the city, once or twice, and that they maintained virtual contact only.

The deputy also states that he does not remember the content of the call that followed the exchange of messages, but that he replied to everyone who asked about the subject that he thought such acts would lead to nothing.

Moraes cites another conversation in his decision.

On January 17, 2023, when CVC was at large, Jordy made telephone contact with the deputy councilor.

According to Jordy, the call was made by a number that was not the usual CVC number.

“He told me that he was, let’s say, on the run, he had left home, run away from home. And he asked me for help with a lawyer,” says the deputy.

CVC, according to Jordy, stated that he was being accused of participating in the coup acts, but that he was not in Brasília on January 8, 2023.

“Then I contacted his wife, or his wife contacted me and I appointed a lawyer”, adds the deputy.

Moraes maintains that Jordy should have contacted the authorities about the conversation, since CVC’s whereabouts were unknown.

“I asked [onde ele estava] and he didn’t want to talk”, says the deputy. “I didn’t report [a ligação] because I didn’t see the need to make any kind of communication like that and because the lawyer would contact the authorities.”

The PGR stated that the evidence indicates that Jordy, “in addition to guiding a significant group of people, had the power to order anti-democratic movements, whether through social media or by stirring up militancy in the region.”

In this Thursday’s operation, federal agents carried out search warrants in Rio de Janeiro (8) and the Federal District (2) against the parliamentarian and nine others being investigated. There was even action inside the deputy’s office in the Chamber.

This Thursday, Jordy gave a statement to the PF, in Rio, and stated that he was the victim of an “authoritarian measure, without foundation, without any evidence, which only aims to persecute, intimidate and create a narrative on the eve of a municipal election”.

PL colleagues and former president Bolsonaro’s children came to his defense, stating that Moraes’ measure was authoritarian and the result of political persecution. Bolsonaro parliamentarians fear that, with the seizure of the supporter’s cell phone, more of Bolsonaro’s allies will be implicated and could be targets of PF actions.