Inquiry Asks for Ouster of 71 Brazilian Congressmen

Brazilian Senator Amir Lando, reporter of the congressional inquiry that investigated the sale of overpriced ambulances, to Brazilian municipalities, with the help of amendments passed by federal legislators, is recommending that 71 house representative be expelled from Congress.

Lando is expected to present his report today asking that the process to oust the transgressing congressmen be started immediately. The ambulances scheme was dubbed the Sanguessugas Scandal by the Brazilian press and seems to have involved roughly 20% of the Lower House members.

Planam, the company that planned the whole scheme, handed out at least US$ 5.9 million to representatives who helped to sell the overpriced ambulances. Luiz Antonio Trevisan Vedoin, one of the owners of Planam, says that he spent US$ 2.4 million that were paid to 80 representatives and 3 senators. Mayors from the cities where the ambulances were sent got another US$ 460,000 in kickbacks.

The congressional enquiry committee’s list contains 90 names. All of them have been accused of improper conduct and of receiving kickbacks from Planam.

Group 1 contains representatives against who there is enough evidence of wrongdoing.  The names are followed by their party’s name and the state they represent:

Adelor Vieira (PMDB-Santa Catarina)
Agnaldo Muniz (PP-Rondônia)
Alceste Almeida (PTB-Roraima)
Almeida de Jesus (PL-Ceará)
Almerinda de Carvalho (PMDB-Rio de Janeiro)
Almir Moura (PFL-Rio de Janeiro)
Amauri Gasques (PL-São Paulo)
Benedito Dias (PP-Amapá)
Benjamin Maranhão (PMDB-Paraí­ba)
Cabo Júlio (PMDB-Minas Gerais)
Carlos Dunga (PTB-Paraí­ba)
Carlos Nader (PL-Rio de Janeiro)
Celcita Pinheiro (PFL-Mato Grosso)
César Bandeira (PFL-Maranhão)
Cleonâncio Fonseca (PP-Sergipe)
Cleuber Carneiro (PTB-Minas Gerais)
Coriolano Sales (PFL-Bahia)
Coronel Alves (PL-Amapá)
Edir Oliveira (PTB-Rio Grande do Sul)
Edna Macedo (PTB-São Paulo)
Eduardo Seabra (PTB-Amapá)
Elaine Costa (PTB-Rio de Janeiro)
Enivaldo Ribeiro (PP-Paraí­ba)
í‰rico Ribeiro (PP-Rio Grande do Sul)
Fernando Gonçalves (PTB-Rio de Janeiro)
Heleno Silva (PL-Ceará)
Ildeu Araújo (PP-São Paulo)
Irapuan Teixeira (PP-São Paulo)
Iris Simões (PTB-Paraná)
Isaí­as Silvestre (PSB-Minas Gerais)
João Batista (PP-São Paulo)
João Caldas (PL-Alagoas)
João Correia (PMDB-Acre)
João Grandão (PT-Mato Grosso do Sul)
João Magalhães (PMDB-Minas Gerais)
João Mendes de Jesus (PSB-Rio de Janeiro)
Jonival Lucas Junior (PTB-Bahia)
Jorge Pinheiro (PL-Distrito Federal)
José Divino (PRB-Rio de Janeiro)
José Militão (PTB-Minas Gerais)
Josué Bengston (PTB-Pará)
Junior Betão (PL-Acre)
Lino Rossi (PP-Mato Grosso)
Marcondes Gadelha (PSB-Paraí­ba)
Marcos Abramo(PP-São Paulo)
Marcos de Jesus (PFL-Pernambuco)
Maurí­cio Rabelo (PL-Tocantins)
Neuton Lima (PTB-São Paulo)
Nilton Capixaba (PTB-Rondônia)
Osmânio Pereira (PTB-Minas Gerais)
Pastor Amarildo (PSC-Tocantins)
Paulo Baltazar (PSB-Rio de Janeiro)
Paulo Feijó (PSDB-Rio de Janeiro)
Paulo Gouveia (PL-Rio Grande do Sul)
Pedro Henry (PP-Mato Grosso)
Raimundo Santos (PL-Pará)
Reginaldo Germano(PP-Bahia)
Reinaldo Betão (PL-Rio de Janeiro)
Reinaldo Gripp (PL-Rio de Janeiro)
Ricardo Rique (PL-Paraí­ba)
Ricarte de Freitas (PTB-Mato Grosso)
Robério Nunes (PFL-Bahia)
Sen. Magno Malta (PL-Espí­rito Santo)
Sen. Ney Suassuna (PMDB-Paraí­ba)
Sen. Serys Slhessarenko (PT-Mato Grosso)
Teté Bezerra (PMDB-Mato Grosso)
Vanderlei Assis (PP-São Paulo)
Vieira Reis (PRB-Rio de Janeiro)
Wanderval Santos (PL-São Paulo)
Wellington Fagundes (PL-Mato Grosso)
Wellington Roberto (PL-Paraí­ba)

Group 2 includes 14 congressmen against whom there are no conclusive evidence:

Benedito de Lira (PP-Alagoas)
Dr. Heleno (PSC-Rio de Janeiro)
Eduardo Gomes (PSDB-Tocantins)
Feu Rosa (PP-Espí­rito Santo)
Gilberto Nascimento (PMDB-São Paulo)
Laura Carneiro (PFL-Rio de Janeiro)
Marcelino Fraga (PMDB-Espí­rito Santo)
Mario Negromonte (PP-Bahia)
Nélio Dias (PP-Rio Grande do Norte)
Nilton Baiano (PP-Espí­rito Santo)
Paulo Magalhães (PFL-Bahia)
Ribamar Alves (PSB-Maranhão)
Saraiva Felipe (PMDB-Minas Gerais)
Zelinda Novaes (PFL-Bahia)

Group 3 contains 5 names. There is evidence against these representatives, but they were cleared by Luiz Antônio Vedoin, owner of the Ambulance’s company Planam, and main witness against all the other congressmen involved in the Ambulances Mafia:

Fernando Estima (PPS-São Paulo)
Helenildo Ribeiro (PSDB-Alagoas)
Itamar Serpa (PSDB-Rio de Janeiro)
Jefferson Campos (PTB-São Paulo)
Josias Quintal (PSB-Rio de Janeiro)

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