Janones charges advisors salaries to cover campaign expenses

An audio attributed to federal deputy André Janones (Avante-MG) shows the parliamentarian demanding that advisors return part of their salaries. According to Janones, this is not a practice known as “rachadinha”, but a contribution from advisors so that he can recover part of his assets used to fund his campaign for mayor of Ituiutaba (MG), in 2016. The audio was published this Monday (27) by the newspaper Metropolises.

The meeting would have taken place inside the Chamber of Deputies, in the meeting room of Avante, Janones’ party. According to Metrópoles, Janones did not know he was being recorded.

The parliamentarian arrived at the Chamber in 2018 after receiving more than 178 thousand votes from miners. In 2022, Janones was re-elected with almost 239 thousand votes.

“Some people here, who I will talk to in private later, will receive a little extra salary. And they will help me pay the bills from my mayoral campaign […] Because I lost R$675 thousand in the campaign. ‘Ah, that’s payback and you’re calling it another name’. It is not. Because I return the salary, you send it to my account and I do what I want”, says Janones, guaranteeing that this is not corruption.

“My assets were all dilapidated. I lost a house worth R$380,000, a car, savings of R$200,000 and a pension of R$70 (thousand). I think it’s fair that these people also participate with me in rebuilding this. So, I don’t consider this corruption”, continues Janones.

During the electoral race for mayor of Ituiutaba, in 2016, Janones came in second place with 13 thousand votes.

“For example, Mário will earn R$10 thousand (per month). I will earn R$25 thousand net. But Mário, the R$ 10 thousand is his net. And I, of the R$ 25 thousand, R$ 15 thousand I will use for the debts that remained (SIC) from 2016. It’s not fair, understand?”, explains Janones, reinforcing that the revelation of the practice could put his mandate of federal deputy at risk, however, shows disregard for a possible dismissal.

“And if I have to be put against the wall, I’m not taking issue with this mandate. For me, resigning today would be such a natural thing. If a court decision comes tomorrow: ‘André lost his mandate’, do you know what it would be like if I didn’t feel a bit sad?” he said.

A People’s Gazette contacted the deputy’s office and is awaiting the parliamentarian’s position on the content of the audio released by the Metropolises this Monday (27).

Last month, the newspaper Metropolises released other audios also attributed to Janones in which the deputy screams uncontrollably and says that his cousin and political ally “wants to steal millions”.

Janones’ cousin was a candidate for councilor in the city of Ituiutaba (MG), in 2020, but was not elected. According to Janones, he wants to be mayor of the city.

Deputy is also accused by former advisors of moral harassment

Also last month, two former Janones employees accused the congressman of moral harassment. One of them had previously accused the deputy of splitting and racism.

The harassment complaint was revealed by the newspaper Power Diary, after the newspaper had access to prints of conversations sent by former advisors in which Janones insults and humiliates employees.

In prints of messages from a group attributed to the cabinet team, the Lulista deputy calls the employees “stupid”, “incompetent”, “human waste”, “worms” and other insults.

Janones defended the use of fake news against Bolsonaro in the elections

In 2022, André Janones gave up his pre-candidacy for the Presidency to become the main electoral campaigner for the then PT candidate, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The parliamentarian took over part of the campaign’s communication and was responsible for the aggressive tone adopted by PT members on social media.

The strategy consisted of the use of fake news and attacks against the candidate and then president, Jair Bolsonaro (PL). According to Janones, his “war tactics” were necessary to “save democracy”.

The parliamentarian even openly defended the dissemination of fake news to harm his opponent. The strategy even bothered allies.

Despite his commitment to the campaign and the expectation that Janones would take over the government’s Communications after the election, the deputy was passed over by the president.

Before becoming Lula’s ally, Janones was a staunch critic of PT corruption.