PARIS (AP) – French presidential hopeful Francois Fillon’s team says that he wants the investigation to advance as quickly as possible over whether his wife actually worked while being paid as his parliamentary aide.
Fillon’s campaign director, Patrick Stefanini, told reporters Tuesday that the candidate doesn’t want the investigation to “interfere with the democratic process.”
Fillon and his wife, Penelope, were questioned Monday in a preliminary embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds probe.
The investigation followed a report by Le Canard Enchaine newspaper that Fillon’s wife was paid about 500,000 euros ($537,000) for work she didn’t perform.
Fillon, the nominee of the conservative Republican party, said in a statement he and his wife “were able to provide elements useful for establishing the truth.”