NICOLAS SARKOZY IS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL AGAIN - HOPING TO WIN LEADERSHIP OF HIS CONSERVATIVE PARTY AS A STEPPING STONE TO ANOTHER PRESIDENTIAL BID. BUT THE FORMER FRENCH PRESIDENT FACES NUMEROUS LEGAL CHALLENGES FOR CORRUPTION. SOT - Sarkozy on TF1 “I am profoundly shocked by what has happened.” SOME DETAILS ON MR. SARKOZY’S LEGAL BATTLES, NOW, ON THE NEW YORK TIMES MINUTE. // NATPOP - Sarkozy’s car, people scream: “Bravo, Nicolas, resist!” FIRST SARKOZY AND HIS LAWYER THIERRY HERZOG ARE FACING A FORMAL INVESTIGATION TOGETHER FOR ALLEGEDLY SEEKING INFORMATION FROM AN INFLUENTIAL APPEALS COURT JUDGE. WHAT WERE THEY AFTER? DETAILS ON THE OTHER INVESTIGATIONS LINKED TO SARKOZY. SOT: Manuel Valls, French Prime minister “It is important to remember the presumption of innocence, which applies to everyone.” Natpop 2007- campaign - ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OTHER LEGAL CHALLENGES SARKOZY FACES CONCERNS WHETHER HIS 2007 PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN RECEIVED ILLEGAL FUNDS FROM COLONEL MUAMMAR EL-QADDAFI OF LIBYA. Natpop - Qaddafi is greeting Sarkozy (trumpets playing) A THIRD IS WHETHER HIS POLITICAL PARTY, THE UNION FOR A POPULAR MOVEMENT, TRIED TO COVER UP OVERSPENDING DURING SARKOZY’S 2012 RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN. SOT: Marine Le Pen “I want all the French to realise that Mr. Nicolas)—- Sarkozy has cheated” IN ALL THE CASES - SOME OF WHICH DATE BACK AS FAR AS THE MID-NINETIES - SARKOZY HAS EITHER BEEN PERSONALLY ACCUSED OF INFLUENCE PEDDLING OR CALLED IN FOR QUESTIONING AS A SO-CALLED “ASSISTED WITNESS.” IN FRANCE, INFLUENCE PEDDLING IS PUNISHABLE BY FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND UP TO FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS. PLUS SARKOZY COULD BE BANNED FROM RUNNING FOR OR HOLDING OFFICE AGAIN. SOT: Sarkozy on television: And if I have made mistakes, I will face the consequences. I am not a man who flees his responsibilities. BUT IN FRENCH POLITICS ESPECIALLY, COMEBACKS ARE ALWAYS POSSIBLE. END IT