Ali Baba and the forty-seven thieves
With a title like this, you know it has to do with this guy:


Of course.

In case you haven't read it yet, Chirac allies go on trial over 'bribes scandal'. Why The Telegraph's using scare quotes is beyond me since bribes there were and scandal it is, but to be fair, it wasn't Chirac alone (emphasis mine),

A total of 47 people, including politicians from across the political spectrum, are accused of rigging public works contracts in Paris in exchange for bribes running to tens of millions of pounds. At the heart of the inquiry is a former senior aide to Mr Chirac.
. . .
France has become accustomed to a steady flow of investigations over illicit party funding, but this is the first time that all the main political groups have been brought to book on what prosecutors describe as collective state racketeering.

This case doesn't touch on the questions raised by Chirac's excessive travel expenses and food bills while mayor of Paris.

The trial centres on a system alleged to have been initiated by the RPR - the party founded by Mr Chirac - in which firms were promised generous contracts in a vast project to revamp school canteens, but only in exchange for hefty kickbacks.

Over a 10-year period from 1988 to 1997, an estimated £50 million was allegedly pilfered from contracts worth £2.5 billion and redistributed to the RPR, its ally the Republican Party, and the Socialists, prosecutors will argue.

Since he's inmune from prosecution for as long as he stays in office, Jacques is probably counting on running for re-elections until the cows come home.

Or until the chickens come home to roost.

Also posted at Blogger News Network.