Apostolic: magistrate or fighter?
The political controversies over Salvini and Apostolico are a theater of the absurd. Here because. Paola Sacchi's note
While the left-wing opposition and nearby media are hunting down the person who shot the video posted by Matteo Salvini, a second one arrives from the LaPresse news agency, on the presence, this time according to the images a little more participatory , of judge Iolanda Apostolico at the 2018 demonstration for the disembarkation of migrants from the Diciotti ship. The new video clashes with that sort of surreal new paper "trial" of Salvini, in which some newspapers seem to be involved. A logic according to which the video, whoever shot it and whoever posted it, would be guilty. The real point, which should be at the center of the debate, i.e. the all-Italian anomaly of a "fighting judiciary", as Sabino Cassese himself, former judge of the Constitutional Court, stigmatized, seems to be treated as an accident, to be archived as soon as possible. Because, precisely, the theme is always Salvini. And in the end Apostolico's mistake seems to be treated in reckless analyzes as a kind of venial sin compared to that of the leader of the League, guilty of having dared to post for "electoral purposes" and since he is on trial precisely on the issues of immigration that video. In short, welcome to the theater of the absurd, where politicians should not be politicians, not defend themselves in trials that interfere with political decisions and if by chance it is the magistrates who do politics, well that would be another chapter. But after the new video, this time from an important press agency, the controversy becomes a little difficult to divert entirely to the perennial anti-Salvinism of the order, complete with evocation of the "Beast" of the former social manager Luca Morisi, however hit by a legal case that ended in nothing, which however put his truly private life in the pillory.
The League returns to the charge with a new and very harsh statement: “ Lapresse 's exclusive video is shocking and sweeps away the ridiculous official defenses and the comical attempts to shift attention from an obvious and very serious fact: a judge in the streets against law enforcement". The note continues: "In the new images, Dr. Apostolico does not defend insulted women and men in uniform, she raises her voice and her arm, she remains silent in the face of unspeakable shouts and words." Finally, the League's hope that "all institutions will unanimously and quickly intervene in the face of this obscene page of our democracy".
A flurry of declarations follows, in support of the line of the leader of the League, deputy prime minister and minister of Infrastructure and Transport, from the party's general staff: from the deputy secretary Andrea Crippa to the senator and economist Claudio Borghi, Stefano Candiani, historic exponent of the Northern League's Ghota , to the former magistrate and deputy Simonetta Matone, to the MEPs Susanna Ceccardi, Tuscany coordinator, and Isabella Tovaglieri, to Stefano Cecchetti coordinator of the Lombard League. The chorus is unanimous: "There are no more excuses, he resigns." Democratic Magistracy, the left-wing association of the robes, attacks "a reckless violation of the private life" of the Apostolic judge. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni: “Dossierage? It was a public demonstration, the dossier is made on occult things, but if one is there…".
The government majority rallies around Salvini and his denunciation. The group leader of FdI in the Chamber, Tommaso Foti: "After the second video on the 2018 demonstration on the Catania pier, in which the magistrate Iolanda Apostolico can clearly be seen railing against the police, there are very few words to say". According to Foti, this way "the robe gets muddy", therefore, "the judge would do well to apologize and the entire judiciary to distance itself from inappropriate conduct at all times". For Antonio Tajani, leader of FI, deputy prime minister and foreign minister "we must also appear above the parties, not just be so, those who have an institutional role must first of all respect the institution" Tajani underlines: "A magistrate must demonstrate that he is independent : I don't think it's a positive thing for him to participate in a demonstration where people rail against the police and then decide on topics that are relevant to that demonstration." Attention is now focused on the moves of the Keeper of the Seals Carlo Nordio, who had already said: no dossier, and naturally towards the CSM, of which the president is the Head of State, Sergio Mattarella. Vice President Fabio Pinelli, speaking a few days ago to the Criminal Chambers Union, said: “Magistrates must be continent even in private. Let them not invade the field of politics." He was speaking in general, but the case of the Apostolic Judge, who disapplied the Cutro decree for some migrants, and over which the CSM split, was already under the spotlight.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/mondo/apostolico-magistrato-o-combattente/ on Sun, 08 Oct 2023 06:36:52 +0000.