French government reports clear ex-minister of over-spending

Outgoing Ecology Minister Francois de Rugy is kissed by his wife Severine Servat de Rugy during the handover ceremony at the ecology ministry, Wednesday, July 17, 2019 in Paris. Francois de Rugy resigned Tuesday following media reports that he has been living a lavish lifestyle at taxpayer expense, including hosting lobster and Champagne soirees and ordering up exorbitant renovations of his ministerial apartment. (AP Photo/Kamil Zihnioglu)

PARIS — Two reports have cleared the former No. 2 in the French government of excessive spending a week after Francois de Rugy resigned as environment minister.

The reports by the prime minister’s office and France’s parliament were made public Tuesday and ordered after a week of French media reports with claims that Rugy used taxpayers’ money to pay for lobster and fine wine dinners, allegedly consumed with friends.

The report by the prime minister’s office focused on Rugy’s spending of 63,000 euros (about $70,000) to refurbish his official apartment. It concluded rules were “globally respected.”

A second report concerned a dozen dinners held when Rugy presided over parliament’s lower house. It said there were “no irregularities” but looked askance at three dinners viewed as over the top.

The Associated Press