Public Prosecutor's Office Investigates Olaf Scholz's State Secretary Wolfgang Schmidt

THE MIRROR Alwin Schröder 3 hours ago | It's all about a tweet because of the raid on the Federal Ministry of Finance: the public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation against Wolfgang Schmidt, the state secretary of Finance Minister Olaf Scholz. The publication of a photo on Twitter may have legal consequences for Wolfgang Schmidt (SPD). The Berlin public prosecutor's office is investigating the state secretary in the Ministry of Finance. A spokesman for the Berlin public prosecutor's office confirmed to SPIEGEL that a corresponding takeover request from Osnabrück was received on Tuesday and is now being examined. First the "Tagesspiegel" had reported about it. On Schmidts Twitter account had been published in part a court order about a search in the Ministry of Finance led by SPD Chancellor candidate Olaf Scholz. According to authorities, the tweet gives rise to initial suspicion of "prohibited communications about court proceedings." Such acts are prohibited under Section 353d of the Criminal Code. Schmidt had "presumably sent" the tweet with the document excerpt. Investigators had searched the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice, also led by the SPD, last Thursday in Berlin. The background was investigations by the Osnabrück public prosecutor's office against the money laundering central office of the customs (FIU). It is part of the Finance Ministry's portfolio. The FIU is accused of not forwarding suspicious money laundering reports from banks to investigating authorities. In the tweet, Schmidt had pointed to an alleged discrepancy between the court order and a press release from the Osnabrück public prosecutor's office, which he said cast doubt on the investigators' actions. For this purpose, both the press release and - in excerpts - the court order were shown. Schmidt wrote about this, also addressed to CDU chancellor candidate Armin Laschet: "And a few more facts, dear @ArminLaschet. The public prosecutor's office in Osnabrück has issued a press release that has rather little to do with the search warrant issued by the Osnabrück district court." Because of the searches, SPD candidate for chancellor Scholz had also come under pressure. "Mr. Scholz must urgently ensure full clarification and transparency in connection with the public prosecutor's investigations in his ministry," CDU Secretary-General Paul Ziemiak told SPIEGEL. Green Party leader Robert Habeck also demanded full clarification from Scholz. Earlier, CDU/CSU candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet had already voiced sharp criticism of his rival. After the searches became known, Scholz had criticized them as excessive.