Sarkozy denies 2007 illegal campaign funding

An investigation into alleged illegal financing of Sarkozys 2007 campaign by LOreal heiress Liliane Bettencourt is gathering momentum alongside campaigning for the current two-round presidential election in April and May.But the right-winger on Tuesday again denied any wrong-doing, saying that in 2007 his campaign funding was contested by no-one.The campaign funding commission certified the accounts and said there isnt a centime whose origin is in doubt, there isnt an expense for which one doesnt know where payment comes from, he told Canal television.Sarkozy said he was not surprised by the resurgence of the illegal funding claims, adding that in the run-up to an election a few stink bombs were always thrown.This drew outrage from Socialist candidate Francois Hollandes camp.To say that these are stink bombs is an insult to the justicial system, said Jean-Marc Ayrault, a top Hollande advisor and leader of the Socialist parliamentary group.Green candidate and former prosecutor Eva Joly last week called for Sarkozy to give up his immunity (as head of state) and go and explain himself.Investigating magistrate Jean-Michel Gentil has cited two dubious withdrawals of 400,000 euros each from Swiss bank accounts by an intermediary to Bettencourts close aide Patrice de Maistre.On March 23 Gentil, charged de Maistre with several alleged crimes and ordered him detained.The first withdrawal was made on February 5, 2007, two days before a meeting between de Maistre and Eric Woerth, who was at the time treasurer of Sarkozys first successful campaign.Woerth later became labour minister but resigned in 2010 as the campaign financing probe gathered pace. In 2011 police carried out searches of his home and of the ruling UMP partys office in connection with the case.Bettencourts accountant, Claire Thibout, has testified to having been asked a number of times in 2007 to provide batches of 150,000 euros to Woerth.The second questionable withdrawal was made on April 26, 2007 -- four days after the first round of the presidential election and over a week ahead of the second round on May 6 that Sarkozy went on to win.--AFP