French investigators interview Fillon children in job probe

PARIS – French investigators have interviewed two children of conservative presidential candidate Francois Fillon as part of an embezzlement probe into paid — but allegedly fake — political jobs they had working for their father.

Fillon’s lawyer, Antonin Levy, told a news conference on Thursday that his client already provided investigators “explanations” regarding the work his children did between 2005 and 2007.

Prosecutors are investigating the jobs that Fillon’s wife and two of their five children had working as his parliamentary aides. The preliminary probe involves suspicions of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds.

Employing relatives is not prohibited under conflict-of-interest laws in France. Fillon has said his wife and children were paid for actual work they performed.

Levy and Pierre Cornut-Gentille, the lawyer for Fillon’s wife, Penelope, called on the financial prosecutors to drop the case. The lawyers argue the investigation violate the separation of powers required under the French Constitution, a “preoccupying situation” before the April-May presidential election.

“The current investigation on the Fillon case is blatantly null and violating major principles of French law — French constitutional law on one side, and the French criminal law on the other side,” Levy said.

The two lawyers also said misappropriation of public funds was not applicable to lawmakers under the circumstances being investigated.

Fillon’s popularity has dropped following successive waves of revelations in the weekly Canard Enchaine newspaper. The newspaper said Fillon, who served as prime minister from 2007 to 2012, paid his wife 830,000 euros ($900,000) during the 15 years she worked on and off as his aide.

The candidate denies wrongdoing. He apologized Monday for employing Penelope, while noting that it is not illegal and he is not the only politician to have done so.

French politicians are allowed to hire family members as aides as long as they actually do the jobs for which they are paid.