 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
Jörg Tauss | |
|---|---|
 Jörg Tauss in 2005 | |
| Member of theBundestag | |
| In office 1994–2009 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1953-07-05)5 July 1953 (age 72) |
| Nationality |  Germany |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party (1971–2009) Pirate Party Germany (2009–2010) |
| Occupation | Insurance salesman |
| Website | www.tauss.de |
Jörg Tauss (born 5 July 1953) is aGerman politician and former member of theSocial Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). He was born inStuttgart. From 2000 to 2009, Tauss was the spokesperson of the Education and Research workgroup of the SPD in theBundestag. He also served within that time as regional party general secretary forBaden-Württemberg.
On 6 March 2009, his home and offices inBerlin andKarlsruhe were raided by theLKAs of both Berlin and Baden-Württemberg in a search forchild pornography which he had allegedly obtained on his mobile phone. Although he claimed that the raid and investigation were politically motivated, he resigned from all government posts on 7 March, and was stripped of hisparliamentary immunity on the same day. Prosecutors began the investigation after they had obtained access to phone numbers and addresses found on the mobile phone of aBremerhaven man who was suspected of participation in a child pornography ring. He stated on 11 March that he had purchased the material only for investigation purposes pertinent to his office. He reports that his research suggests that child pornography is typically distributed byMMS and traditional mail, so thatblocking websites is ineffective.
On 20 June 2009, Tauss announced he was leaving the SPD for thePirate Party Germany in protest against that party's support oflegislation that would block child pornography websites, which he said would set up a technical infrastructure ofcensorship without judicial review.[1][2][3] On 1 July, Tauss appealed the law because of formal reasons at theFederal Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe.[4] On 8 September 2009, he was stripped of his parliamentary immunity and the next day he was formally charged.[5] In May 2010 he got a suspended prison sentence of 15 months. The judge concluded that he had been active in the online child pornography scene for private reasons rather than out of political motives relating to his parliamentary work. However, the judge did not think his motivation had necessarily been sexual, it could have been sheer curiosity. 'This is a judgement which I cannot live with and do not want to live with,' Tauss said after the trial. He announced he would appeal the verdict,[6] which became final on 24 August 2010, as theFederal Court of Justice rejected his appeal as "manifestly unfounded" ("offensichtlich unbegründet").[7][8]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
