French Presidential Candidate Fillon Charged In Fake Jobs Scandal

French presidential hopeful Francois Fillon has been charged with misuse of public funds related to a fake jobs scandal that has significantly hurt his election campaign, media reports said on Tuesday. His lawyer, Antonin Levy, reportedly confirmed that Fillon was given the charges this morning after a hearing was brought forward "so that it could take place in a calm manner." The conservative candidate was scheduled to be questioned by prosecutors on Wednesday as part of an investigation into whether he used public funds to pay his wife and children for phony jobs. Fillon has consistently denied any wrongdoing and refused to end his bid to become France's next president.