German president faces new ordeal

BERLIN

German President Christian Wulff (R) and his former spokesman Olaf Glaeseker are seen in this photo. Glaeseker is under investigation on corruption allegations. AP photo

German prosecutors said they raided the president’s former spokesman’s office inside Berlin’s presidential palace as part of a corruption investigation.

Hanover Prosecutor Hans-Jürgen Lendeckel told the Sunday paper Bild am Sonntag the office inside Berlin’s presidential mansion was searched Jan. 26. A spokeswoman for President Christian Wulff confirmed the raid Jan. 29, according to an Associated Press report. Wulff dismissed longtime Spokesman Olaf Glaeseker just before last Christmas, as he himself faced pressure to explain a private loan he received from a wealthy friend’s wife when he governed Lower Saxony state. He did not explain the firing. Glaeseker is under investigation on corruption allegations in connection with the organization of business conferences.

Wulff is not targeted in the investigation but faces increasing political pressure. According to German magazine Der Spiegel, public prosecutors from Hanover, where Wulff was governor before he became president in 2010, asked police officials to raid the offices of Glaeseker, who is suspected of corruption and bribery during his time in the area. The offices of event manager Manfred Schmidt, who worked closely with the Governor’s Office during Wulff’s time there, were also searched.