Berlusconi Celebrates Mussolini; Gal Pal Cashes In

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi commemorated the work of his predecessor, Prime Minister Benito Mussolini, in a ceremony at the Vatican yesterday. Mr. Berlusconi met with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone to mark the anniversary of the 1929 Lateran Treaty establishing 109-acre Vatican City within Rome. That’s the same Cardinal Bertone who urged “everyone, especially those who hold a position of public responsibility […] to commit themselves to a more robust morality, a sense of justice and legality.” The two officials may have shaken hands, and it is unclear whether the Cardinal wiped his off afterwards.

Berlusconi is Going Down. Here’s Why.

Italian media billionaire Silvio Berlusconi has been indicted by an Italian court and will go to trial in April. His case has attracted a bit of attention since: 1) the 74-year-old is accused of relations with an exotic teenage prostitute, and 2) Mr. Berlusconi is Italy’s Prime Minister.

A half-million Italian women recently protested Mr. Berlusconi’s patronage of teenage prostitutes, but another charge puts him in greater legal jeopardy. The young lady in question was taken into police custody for seizing money and jewels belonging to another. In an attempt to cover up his relationship with her, the Prime Minister sent his attractive dental hygienist/procuress/member of parliament to the police station to free the teen. Well, sure, anybody would.