Anyone who committed a crime with moral turpitude should never be allowed to run for elected office, MK Miki Rosenthal (Zionist Union) said, submitting a bill to that effect Monday. Rosenthal pointed to the likelihood that Shas chairman MK Arye Deri, who went to prison in 2000 for accepting bribes, will be a minister and to the conviction of former Bat Yam mayor Shlomi Lahiani on corruption charges. 'We have enough examples and proof that there is a need for serious, uncompromising legislation. Every week another mayor, minister and even a former prime minister is caught taking advantage of his power for corruption,' the Zionist Union MK said. According to Rosenthal, elected officials face a lot of temptations, and anyone who gave in to them should never be allowed to return to public life. Under the current law, someone who was convicted of a crime with moral turpitude cannot return to politics for seven years after completing his or her sentence.
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)