NRW Election Chess Game III: Ruettgers' Rook In Action -

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSSELDORF 000016 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV GM SUBJECT: NRW Election Chess Game III: Ruettgers' Rook In Action - Krautscheid Rejects Any Accusation of Corruptibility REF: DUSSELDORF 12; DUSSELDORF 14 Strong denial of corruptibility by NRW state government -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶1. (U) Andreas Krautscheid, the new Secretary General of the North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) Christian Democrats (CDU),testified February 25, in his capacity as Minister for European and Federal Affairs, to a special session of the State Parliament's Main Committee. Krautscheid strongly rejected accusations of corruptibility, voiced by the opposition against Minister-President (M-P) Juergen Ruettgers in connection with the so-called CDU "sponsoring affair", which broke over the weekend (reftel A). Krautscheid stated firmly, "During the past years there have never been any special appointments paid for by sponsors (of the CDU), either with the Minister-President or with any other member of the NRW state government." (Note: Krautscheid will relinquish his ministerial functions the week of March 1. End note.) An "unacceptable offer" and an "organizational failure" at CDU headquarters -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) Krautscheid did not mince words, denouncing the letter to potential sponsors, that originated with an employee at NRW CDU headquarters, and which triggered the scandal as "unacceptable, immoral and violating all political rules of conduct." At the same time, he stressed that neither Ruettgers nor then-NRW CDU Secretary-General Hendrik Wuest knew anything about this offer. This showed an "organizational failure" at CDU headquarters, for which Wuest took responsibility and resigned. Opposition tries to sow doubts about Ruettgers' credibility -------------- -------------- -------------- ¶3. (U) SPD opposition members raised doubts about the credibility of Ruettgers' assertion that he knew nothing about these fund raising practices, referring to a leaked e-mail of 2006 from CDU party headquarters to one of Ruettgers' advisors at the State Chancellery, which, according to the opposition, suggested that Ruettgers was informed. Krautscheid refuted these accusations as baseless. The e-mail had nothing to do with sponsoring and fund raising and was clearly sent in a different, completely innocent context. He countered this opposition attack by pointing out that he could easily present documents showing that during the former SPD government there were the same - if not even closer - connections between party headquarters and the State Chancellery. Comment -------------- ¶4. (SBU) On day 5 of the NRW election chess game in the wake of the CDU sponsoring scandal, Ruettgers' rook Krautscheid has entered the game decisively, in a move clearly designed to put the CDU back on the offensive. True to his reputation as a forceful and eloquent politician, Krautscheid gave a convincing performance at the February 25 hearing. Opposition hopes to drive the CDU and Ruettgers further into a corner - with the ultimate goal of forcing Ruettgers to resign before the May 9 state election - did not pan out. However, the game has only just begun, and the SPD opposition is likely readying its next gambit for the Dortmund election campaign convention this coming weekend. End comment. DUSSELDORF 00000016 002 OF 002 ¶5. (U) This message was coordinated with Embassy Berlin. WEINER