The Criminal Chamber of the National Court has ordered the interrogation of the former general secretary of the PP María Dolores de Cospedal in the case of espionage against Javier Gómez de Liaño during his time as Luis Bárcenas’ lawyer.
In one of the many branches of the Villarejo case -this is separate piece number 36- the judge Manuel García-Castellón investigates the former treasurer’s lawyer had asked to summon Cospedal to clarify what he knew about this alleged espionage. The proposal was to summon her as a witness, although with the warning that her situation could be changed to the one under investigation in light of her responses, which could incriminate her.
The Chamber summarizes the purpose of the ongoing investigation as follows: “An alleged commission by people linked to the Popular Party of services aimed at obtaining information related to Luis Bárcenas, accused in a criminal procedure, and his defense lawyer in that procedure, the Mr. Gómez de Liaño, that could be used to pressure both and prevent them from disseminating compromising data for that party.”
The basis of the separate piece is a telephone conversation between three investigators in which the assignment to pressure Liaño is mentioned. The existence of the operation, similar to that of caso Kitchenwould also be supported by the notes seized from retired commissioner José Manuel Villarejo.
The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office had opposed Cospedal’s summons, but the court that reviews the judge’s decisions has agreed with Gómez de Liaño against the judge’s thesis that Cospedal would only be a reference witness in the matter.