CDU-Leading Candidate - Parliamentary committees want information about Redmann's alcohol ride
The alcohol ride on an E-Scooter in Potsdam casts a shadow over CDU Spitzenkandidate Jan Redmann's election campaign about two months before the Brandenburg state election. After a police control, he publicly acknowledged his mistake the following afternoon and announced a transparent handling of the matter. His alcohol level was 1.3 promille, and he intends to make the blood test result public as well.
The opposition in the parliament, as well as the coalition partners SPD and Greens, have open questions regarding the handling of the police control information regarding Redmann. The Interior and Justice Ministry will take a stance in a committee special session today. Additionally, an investigation is being conducted due to the suspicion that confidential information was leaked.
The Left faction harbors suspicions
In the committee session, the focus is on the handling of so-called WE-reports from the police, which are confidential reports on important events that the Interior Ministry is required to inform confidentially. How did the Ministry handle the internal police report about Redmann's alcohol ride? Did anyone exert influence? The Left faction suspects that the Chancellery, for example, was informed later than usual, so that Redmann would have a window of time to publicly explain himself. The CDU considers the special session to be exaggerated.
Redmann was controlled in the evening of July 11th. According to the police, the Interior Ministry was informed telephonically about the alcohol ride the following morning. To protect Redmann's personal rights, a written notification was only electronically transmitted later. At that time, the CDU state and faction leader had already informed the public and admitted the error.
LKA files complaint for suspicion of breach of official secrecy
According to the Interior Ministry, there is a suspicion that confidential information was leaked in connection with Redmann's alcohol ride. A spokesperson for the ministry informed the dpa on Tuesday that the State Criminal Police Office (LKA) had taken up an official complaint due to the suspicion of breach of official secrecy and special confidentiality duties. It concerns the suspicion that confidential police reports - i.e., reports on important events - were passed on to unauthorized third parties. Previously, the "Tagesspiegel" reported on this. WE-reports are, according to the Interior Ministry, generally classified as confidential information.
It was not intended that other state institutions of the state government would receive additional WE-reports, as WE-reports only went to the Interior Ministry as the highest authority. "The only exception is the Minister-President personally, to whom all electronically incoming WE-reports are automatically forwarded." This exception regulation was set by the Interior Minister at the request of the Minister-President. A government spokesperson told the "Tagesspiegel" still: "Of course, we do not pass on any WE-reports to unauthorized third parties."
- The alcohol incident involving SPD's potential candidate, Jan Redmann, during a campaign event in Potsdam two months before the Brandenburg state election, has raised concerns.
- The SPD and Greens, as coalition partners, have expressed concerns about the handling of Redmann's police control information.
- The Special session in the State Parliament's committee focuses on understanding how the Interior Ministry handled the confidential police report about Redmann's alcohol ride.
- The Left faction suspects that the Chancellery was informed later than usual, giving Redmann an opportunity to address the issue publicly before the police report was made public.
- The CDU, on the other hand, considers the special session on Redmann's alcohol ride as an exaggeration.
- The LKA has filed a complaint for breach of official secrecy and special confidentiality duties, suspecting that confidential police reports were leaked regarding Redmann's case.
- The Interior Ministry clarified that only the Minister-President receives all electronically incoming WE-reports, with the exception being some instances at the request of the Minister-President.
