Scholz had repeatedly declared his inability to recall specifics of his meeting with two Cum-Ex bankers. A document, presented by ” WamS ” and ” t-online “, now indicates that Scholz may have lied.
The document, dating back to 2020, is part of the preparation for a session of the Finance Committee. It was drafted by a senior staff member of the Federal Ministry of Finance and sent to the executive level – to whom exactly is unclear. The meeting took place on September 9, 2020, about two months after Scholz is alleged to have concealed his recollections of the meetings with bankers Christian Olearius and Max Warburg.
Fresh Cum-Ex document suggests Scholz recalled details
According to “t-online”, the document confirms that Scholz “repeatedly met with Christian Olearius and representatives of the Warburg Bank.” In the discussions, he “did not comment on the procedure or offer any actions.” Scholz “remained consistent in his approach for such discussions, listening to his interlocutor’s point of view and occasionally asking questions.” He “did not position himself more closely in the discussions and did not make any commitments or assessments on the matter.”
As evidence to support his own recollection of the conversation, Scholz also used a diary entry from Olearius. Scholz “did not provide any statements about his assessment of the situation.” Thus, “this is also clearly stated in Mr. Olearius’s publicly cited diary entries.”
Former Member of the Bundestag: Scholz implemented “last-minute” strategy change
Former Member of the Bundestag Fabio De Masi, who received the document from the Federal Ministry of Finance upon request, told “t-online” that Scholz made a “last-minute” “strategy change” before the committee session and suddenly introduced the “famous memory gap” during the third questioning in the Bundestag.
The meetings concerned the Cum-Ex transactions in which Olearius and Warburg received millions of euros as alleged tax refunds. Scholz is suspected of exerting influence on the Hamburg financial market as the mayor of Hamburg so that the bankers would not be held liable.