Italian PM's aide in transsexual prostitute photo scandal

[thanos]

ROME – Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi's top aide said on Wednesday he would not resign over a damaging scandal in which he was photographed talking to a transsexual prostitute.

Silvio Sircana, promoted last month from being Prodi's personal spokesman to mouthpiece for the entire government, is the focus of a wider scandal in which paparazzi photographers are accused of blackmailing celebrities.

Wednesday's newspapers printed a blurred photograph of Sircana, who is married with two children, in his car talking to a scantily clad female-looking figure standing on a pavement.

Sircana, a deputy and long-time Prodi confidante, said he had been devastated by the photo and called his behaviour 'a moment of stupid curiosity' in a 'supposed transexual'.

But, despite criticism from the opposition, who are battling the government in a debate on family values, Sircana said he had Prodi's full support and would not resign.

'Why should I have resigned? For a non story?' he told daily La Stampa. 'You don't crucify someone for this type of foolishness. You don't pillory someone in the press for a small and stupid detour on a summer night.'

The image, taken last September and sold to a magazine which did not print it, was published after Sircana said he wanted it to be made public to clear the air.

The scandal comes as Prodi's government has backed a bill fiercely opposed by conservatives and the Catholic Church that would give legal recognition to unmarried and gay couples.

Prodi is already under fire. He had to resign briefly last month when he failed to get parliament support for his foreign policy and the scandal has added to barbs from the opposition.

'Maybe Sircana is the best spokesman for this shameful government,' said right-wing politician Alessandra Mussolini, adding that a string of recent incidents showed the government lacked moral fibre.

The scandal is also a part of a criminal probe into whether a photo agency used shots to extort money out of celebrities, although Sircana said he was never blackmailed over the picture.

Il Giornale newspaper, which is close to Berlusconi and was the first to report the picture's existence last week, said the government had tried to silence the media over the affair.

After Sircana was identified as a victim of the 'paparazzi- gate' scam, Italy's privacy regulator said reporters would face jail sentences if they published news which invades people's privacy, especially in the 'sexual matters.

[NYCe]

[Urian]

Their family values are:

-Woman in home without any right to choose about her life and the life of her childrens

-Man with the absolute power, even power to hurt the others.

-Rules, rules and more rules. Even stupid rules like "I don´t like what you are wearing", "I dislike your boyfriend/girlfriend" or "if you are a faggot you aren´t my son".

[ronaldo73]

He has wishes

[GroobySteven]

I think it's a far bigger scandal that an Italian minister is photographed driving a German car.
They've hanged people for less.

seanchai

[uzik]

Hi all, I'm from Italy, Milan exactly. This scandal seems to be a hard problem for actual goverment.

...but it's enough to take a look around every streets to realise that this political man is not a single case.

Take care.

[Alison Faraday]

Whatever happened to care in the community??

"I'm a politician, I'll do what I bloody like."

But of course they can't say that can they..

"We are embarking on a multi-million dollar expansion of the docklands area to increase prospects for ethnic minorities and under represented groups within the community."

"Over the next 5-years we will spend countless millions of your money pissing it up the wall and enjoying dinner parties, while we write to you telling you that you've painted your wall the wrong colour."

I fail to see what the issue is here? You're telling me that politicians (or aides) aren't allowed to talk to normal people? You mean that they make daily informed decisions basing them entirely on the views of people just like themselves??..

All this does is just to highlight how out of touch they (and governments) are from real everyday life. World's gone mad.

At least when the Americans do something they do it big. Look at Iraq, a complete and utter balls up. But they did in style. Did they do what the British did? And send in our cricket team? No of course they didn't. They thought big. That's the trouble with Europe, some piss pot groups of countries thinking they have something to shout about getting all high and mighty. When the truth is that they're just crap.

The thing with the Americans (and this is admiration) is that they do it with style. Look at Clinton, brilliant man. Lied his arse off and we knew he was doing it. Exactly the same as the rest of us. Top man. Everything they do, tops. Transsexual porn, the tops, very professional. UK porn, you'll be lucky to get a cup of tea.

Now Europe. Oh just don't get me going..

[uzik]

... You're telling me that politicians (or aides) aren't allowed to talk to normal people? You mean that they make daily informed decisions basing them entirely on the views of people just like themselves??..

...normal people?

[Alison Faraday]

...normal people?

You consider yourself normal? Let's just look at the psychological rhythm of that assumption. Actually, we'd better not.

[uzik]

You consider yourself normal? Let's just look at the psychological rhythm of that assumption. Actually, we'd better not.

Dear Alison, the metter is: a political should be an example for everybody even trought his private life, because people get vote to him.
Now, is it normal or correct that a political man "looks amusement" by the streets??