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With nearly 25% of the politicians under investigation for corruption, the proposed "clean record" law was a bold initiative. It would ban any politician with a previous conviction for crimes such as corruption and money laundering, from running for office.

It met fierce opposition from many politicians, especially those who would be directly affected by it.

This is a stunning victory for the people of Brazil. Strangely (sic!) this story has not appeared much in the English speaking media!

Avaaz joined the Brazilian people in their fight against corruption, and says:

Quote:

The "clean record" law was a bold proposal that banned any politician convicted of crimes like corruption and money laundering from running for office. With nearly 25% of the Congress under investigation for corruption, most said it would never pass. But after Avaaz launched the largest online campaign in Brazilian history, helping to build a petition of over 2 million signatures, 500,000 online actions, and tens of thousands of phone calls, we won!

Avaaz members fought corrupt congressmen daily as they tried every trick in the book to kill, delay, amend, and weaken the bill, and won the day every time. The bill passed Congress, and already over 330 candidates for office face disqualification!

One Brazilian member wrote to us when the law was passed, saying:

I have never been as proud of the Brazilian people as I am today! Congratulations to all that have signed. Today I feel like an actual citizen with political power. -- Silvia

Our strategy in Brazil was simple: make a solution so popular and visible that it can’t be opposed, and be so vigilant that we can’t be ignored.

This victory shows what our community can do - at a national level, in developing nations, and on the awful problem of corruption. Anywhere in the world, we can build legislative proposals to clean up corruption in government, back them up with massive citizen support, and fight legislators who try to block them.


article: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread597983/pg1

Anti-Corruption Law in Effect This Year

By Jaylan Boyle, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO – For the 1.6 million Brazilians who put their names to the “Ficha Limpa” (Clean Record) petition, the news last week was just what they had been waiting for: the Federal Election Board (“Tribunal Superior Eleitoral” – TSE) finally ruled that the newly passed law to help prevent corruption in government will be applicable in this year’s October general election.

Law 9840 prevents candidates who have been convicted of any one of a range of crimes, including electoral fraud, from running for public office. The law passed unanimously through the senate on May 19th, and was ratified by President Luis Inacio da Silva. Last week the law passed a final hurdle when by a vote of six to one the Federal Election Board, which is actually a court composed of judges that has enforceable power, upheld the applicability of the law to October’s elections. Had the law failed to make it past this panel, the act could have been significantly derailed, opening the door to further challenges from opposing parties.

Electoral fraud has persistently dogged Brazilian politics over the years, and public office has become something of a haven for those with criminal records (of which there are many), largely because the Brazilian constitution makes it extremely difficult to prosecute accused officials. Though there are frequent Parliamentary Investigation Commissions convened to look into infractions by officials, Brazilians remain cynical as to their efficacy, since prosecution, or even removal from office, rarely results.

full article: http://riotimesonline.com/news/rio-poli ... this-year/