Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was accused of involvement in a political patronage campaign in a previous government post.
Israel’s Channel 10 television revealed Wednesday that it had obtained a secret memorandum issued by Olmert’s office in 2005, when he was industry and trade minister, that appears to enumerate 115 favors requested by senior members of the Likud Party that were granted by Olmert’s staff.
Olmert, who at the time was a candidate for the Likud leadership but since has defected to the Kadima Party, denied wrongdoing. His aides said in response to the Channel 10 report that the prime minister has no recollection of the memorandum, and that he has always acted in accordance with Israeli laws limiting the means through which politicians can enlist support from party activists.
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