Dirty politics.....

With all the talk about Hilary and Obama, it would be easy to think they were the only two politicians worth the newsprint.

But it's all happening in my little corner of the world. The newly re-elected incumbent mayor of Carcassone, Gérard Larrat, has been accused of electoral fraud by the losing socialist candidate, Jean-Claude Pérez.

After losing the election by 56 votes, Jean-Claude Pérez's campaign council opened up an investigation into the false procuration of votes by Gérard Larrat. The accusations range from using false voting addresses, bribing local voters with promises of jobs, and putting pressure on other voters by threatening them with losing their jobs, or in one case, their housing.

Gérard Larrat could face up to 2 years in prison and a 35,000 euro fine. But I'm sure he won't. This is purely political dramatics, fresh on the heels of Pérez himself being accused of using public funds to finance his campaign, and the smelly sock debacle of the municipal Perpignan elections.

Surely nothing this underhanded would ever happen in American politics? I'm starting to think that politicians can't be trusted......