Rio de Janeiro (CNN)The corruption investigation that's spread like wildfire through Brazil's most powerful political circles claimed another casualty Thursday with the suspension of the top lawmaker behind the drive to impeach the President.
Supreme Court Justice Teori Zavascki suspended Eduardo Cunha, speaker of the lower house of Congress, from all congressional duties for allegedly obstructing corruption investigations and intimidating lawmakers. The move comes weeks after Cunha led a charge to impeach President Dilma Rousseff in the Chamber of Deputies.
Dilma Rousseff: I will fight to survive impeachment 10:48
A sworn rival of Rousseff's, Cunha spearheaded efforts to launch an impeachment motion against the President over allegations she manipulated the federal budget to hide a shortfall ahead of the 2014 elections. The Chamber of Deputies moved to impeach Rousseff in a two-thirds vote April 17.
Zavascki made the temporary ruling on Cunha on Thursday morning, according to the court's website, and the matter will be addressed further during a full session later Thursday.
The decision comes after the Brazilian prosecutor general accused Cunha of trying to interfere with investigations into a massive kickback scheme at the state-run oil company Petrobras.
Cunha has been formally accused of bribery and money laundering as part of the "Car Wash" probe but has fought to hang onto his congressional seat. He denies the allegations.
Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Brazilian lawmakers shouted, scuffled and even sang as they debated whether to impeach President Dilma Rousseff on Sunday. Over a period of six hours they eventually voted 367-137 to impeach the president.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Deputies of the Lower House of Congress exchange words during the vote. After the success of the motion to impeach, it will be considered by the parliament's upper house.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
A total of 367 lawmakers in the lower house voted to impeach Rousseff, the country's first female president, by more than the two-thirds majority required by law.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
The impeachment motion will next go to the country's Senate. If a majority approves it, Rousseff will have to step down for 180 days to defend herself in an impeachment trial.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Pro-impeachment supporters watch a live television broadcast as Lower House Speaker Eduardo Cunha, himself under corruption investigation, speaks as deputies prepare to cast their votes in the impeachment process.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
As lawmakers spoke their minds on the floor of Congress, throngs of demonstrators waited for word of the results.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Protesters opposed to the impeachment react as they watch the voting session on television in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
A pro-impeachment supporter kisses a Brazilian flag while watching a live television broadcast moments after lower house deputies vote to approve the motion to continue the impeachment process.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Brazilian flags hang from apartments during demonstrations on the day of voting.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Pro-impeachment supporters celebrate after politicians vote to approve the motion to impeach Rousseff. The motion will now be brought before the Senate, the Brazilian congress' upper house.
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Photos: Protests in impeachment battle against President Dilma Rousseff
Protesters in Sao Paolo, opposed to the impeachment, watch the voting session on television en masse.
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The motion to impeach Rousseff will be voted on in the Senate next week. It is widely expected to be approved, which will mean the President will have to step down for up to 180 days to defend herself in an impeachment trial.
Vice President Michel Temer would then become interim president. And Cunha, as head of the lower house of Congress, would have been second in line.
The President and her supporters have called the impeachment proceedings an institutional coup d'etat by lawmakers accused of far more serious crimes who are seeking revenge.
