Rachida Dati threatens journalist Patrick Cohen of prosecution during an interview on France 5

“Personal accused against journalists are not acceptable,” reacted France Télévisions to AFP, after this sequence on “C to you”.

Interviewed on Wednesday June 18 on France 5 on his troubles with justice and accusations brought against him, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati replied by threatening her interviewer, Patrick Cohen, to trigger an investigation against him for accusations of harassment reported in the press. “Personal implications against journalists are not acceptable”, reacted France Télévisions after this sequence on “C à vous”.

Rachida Dati, under investigation as part of the Carlos Ghosn case for passive corruption, was asked about accusations recently carried by the magazine “Investigation supplement”. According to the latter, Rachida Dati perceived 299 000 fees from GDF Suez when it was a deputy European, without declaring its origin in the European Parliament.

The minister again challenged these facts, and counterattack, referring to an article in Mediapart, published in February, about tensions dating back to France Inter. She also mentioned the management of Patrick Cohen when he directed the morning.

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“Mr. Cohen, have you harassed your employees? Is it true Mr. Cohen?”questioned the minister. “You could also fall under this offense (harassment). It would be enough that I do an article 40 to denounce following this mediapart paper. I can seize the court (…) I can do it”she threatened. Article 40 obliges any constituted or official authority to denounce to the prosecutor the crimes of which he would have knowledge in the exercise of his functions.

The minister also questioned the presenter, Anne-Elisabeth Lemoine:“In the same way, we said that” it’s “the atmosphere is appalling, that you cry all day, that all world is implicated “. “No, that’s wrong”the journalist replied. “It is not very brilliant what you do Madame Dati. It’s dishonorable”said Patrick Cohen.

The tension had already mounted on the set between Rachida Dati and its interviewers about the reform of the public audiovisual which it carries and which aims to bring Radio France and France Télévisions closer. “France Télévisions provides all its support to the teams of ‘C to you’ and to all of its journalists, who will continue to serenely exercise their profession in complete freedom”reacted the group in a press release.