Zanin concludes articulation in the Senate without meeting Moro – 06/20/2023 – Politics

Appointed by President Lula (PT) to the STF (Federal Supreme Court), lawyer Cristiano Zanin concluded his journey through the Federal Senate without meeting with Senator and former judge Sergio Moro (União Brasil-PR).

Moro and Zanin starred in clashes when the lawyer defended Lula in Operation Lava Jato proceedings.

On the eve of the Saturday meeting at the CCJ (Constitution and Justice Commission), which will be held this Wednesday (21), Zanin spoke by telephone with the rapporteur for his nomination and vice president of the Senate, Veneziano Vital do Rêgo (MDB-PB).

The lawyer told allies that he intended to reduce the pace of meetings this Tuesday (20). He was advised to spare his voice, as the Sabbath could drag on all day — among senators, estimates for that step hover around six hours.

To be approved, the future minister of the Supreme Court needs the vote of at least 41 of the 81 senators. To speed up the nomination, the president of the Senate, Rodrigo Pacheco (PSD-MG), committed to the government to put Zanin’s name to a vote in the plenary right after the CCJ’s analysis.

“Expectation well underway for approval [do nome de Zanin]”, said Pacheco as he left the Senate this Tuesday. He confirmed that this Wednesday’s plenary session should analyze Zanin’s nomination and the fiscal framework.

The assessment among base senators is that Lula’s lawyer should get around 60 votes — 19 more than necessary. Jair Bolsonaro’s PL, for example, decided to release senators to vote the way they want.

Since his name was announced, Zanin has knocked on the door of almost every Senate office, met with evangelical leaders and attended dinners.

The lawyer drew public praise from Bolsonarist senators, such as former minister Damares Alves (Republicanos-DF), and heard promises of votes. Zanin’s allies have the support, for example, of Bolsonaro’s former Secretary of Fisheries, Jorge Seif (PL-SC), and the leader of the Republicans, Mecias de Jesus (RR).

On June 13, Zanin spoke to 20 senators in a single day — including the women’s bench, the PSD and Senator Hiran Gonçalves (PP-RR), close to the mayor, Arthur Lira (PP-AL).

Zanin remained silent when asked if he intended to speak with Moro. On the subject, the former judge said that the question should be directed to the nominee for the Supreme Court.

Allies of the lawyer told the Sheet that it was not in the plans to seek an interlocution with Moro, since the base calculations indicate that the senator should not be relevant to the definition of the result.

The opposition claims that Zanin’s nomination violates the principle of impersonality, but it is the prerogative of the President of the Republic. On the other hand, Lula’s base says they did not oppose ministers André Mendonça and Kassio Nunes Marques, appointed to the Supreme by Bolsonaro.

If approved, Zanin will fill the vacancy with Minister Ricardo Lewandowski’s retirement. Since he left the court in early April, the Supreme Court has 10 members instead of 11.

One of the government’s concerns is to prevent the President of the Republic from being blamed for an eventual tie in the STF in sensitive judgments. The expectation at the STF is that Zanin will only take office in August, in the first week after the recess.