The extremely heavy fine relates to his contacts, as art school Camera Obscura's Board Chairman, with the Education Ministry, and his incorrect pay reporting to the Knesset.
The Ethics Committee of the Knesset this week decided to fine MK Dedi Zucker (Meretz) about NIS 50,000, by docking three of his monthly salaries. Zucker is being penalised on two counts. Firstly, for negotiating with the top brass of the Ministry of Education so as to obtain financial support for the Camera Obscura school of photography, through a non-profit society headed by him. Secondly, for not reporting to the Knesset the full amount of pay received by him from the NPS.
Having been found guilty of offences against the Immunity of Knesset Members Law, Zucker was penalised with exceptional severity, in terms of the size of his fine. At his request, the committee will permit him to pay the fine in instalments, to be offset from his monthly salary. Hitherto, fines levied on Knesset Members have amounted to a week’s pay at most.
The Ethics Committee, headed by MK Yehuda Lankri (Likud), reached its decision based on material forwarded to it by Attorney General Michael Ben-Yair, following a complaint lodged by Dr. Esther Pollack of Alon-Shvut. On being shown papers bearing his signature, MK Zucker admitted the charges. “I am sorry, I slipped up, this was a mistake”, said Zucker. “The law does not forbid me to head an NSP or to receive pay, but it does prohibit contacts with a government authority, and that was where I went wrong”.