Tories battered Evidence mounts of vote scheme |
OTTAWA -- Conservative Party brass spun into damage control mode yesterday as new documents reveal a mounting log of interviews, e-mails and invoices to support allegations the party overspent by more than $1 million in the last federal campaign through a so-called "in-and-out scheme."
Documents used to execute an RCMP-aided search warrant at Tory party headquarters last week were unsealed by a Toronto court Friday night but weren't released until today. Conservative officials released documents to some media outlets, including the 68-page affidavit from Ronald Lamothe, an assistant chief investigator in the Office of the Commissioner of Canada Elections.
In the statement, Lamothe said that he has "reasonable grounds" to believe the party exceeded its election spending limit and that candidates "improperly" claimed expenses.
'CONSISTENT PATTERN'
"I have noted a consistent pattern created by the Conservative Party of Canada or the Conservative Fund Canada to deposit funds into the accounts of various campaigns, only to have the same or similar amounts transferred, always under the control of the Conservative Party or the Conservative Fund Canada, back to the Conservative Fund Canada, the chief agent of the Conservative Party of Canada," he stated.
According to documents, Lamothe had sought to have the information to obtain the search warrant remain sealed because he thought making it public would hurt the probe.
The Conservative Party insisted everything was above board, and called the raid "retaliation" for the civil suit launched by the party.
"We are engaged in a legal dispute on what constitutes a national campaign and a local campaign. Period," an unnamed official said.
But Liberal MP Ralph Goodale said the Conservatives are spinning damage control in the face of mounting evidence.
"The argument they're trotting out are the same ones they've tried to bluff people with for the last year," he said. "This is not a trivial, little administrative matter."
67 CANDIDATES
Lamothe's investigation stems from a May 17, 2007, referral from the political financing, audit and corporate services section of Elections Canada, which asked to probe whether the Conservative Party incurred election expenses for media advertising claimed by candidates.
The alleged scheme enabled the party to spend $1 million over the limit and allowed 67 candidates to increase their reported election expenses with expenses they did not incur or pay for and claim a rebate, according to the documents. The spending cap for the Conservatives in the last election was $18.3 million.
According to an interview summary with Quebec Tory candidate Jean Landry, he was told by province's party organizer Pierre Coulombe that $30,000 would be deposited in his campaign account. Coulombe told him the party would count on an $18,000 return on it because Elections Canada would give him a 60% reimbursement when it was claimed as an election expense, according to the documents.
Another organizer provided "verbal instructions" on how the "infusion of funds" should be reported in his campaign return, the statements said.
Elections Canada vs Free Speech
Yesterday in a National Post column I suggested revenge was behind that Elections Canada "raid" on Tory Party headquarters.
Today, in the same paper and on the same page, David Frum suggests a more sinister motivation.
Frum argues the raid may have revealed the agency's "deep, sustained and highly ideological hostility to ordinary rights of free speech."
Elections Canada, he writes, is choosing to interpret its mandate in a way that is "indifferent to core freedoms".
I wholeheartedly concur with this analysis.
In all my dealings with Elections Canada bureaucrats (and I had a lot) they never gave the slightest inkling that they understood the importance of free expression. In fact, if anything they saw free speech as nothing but a nuisance.
And when it came to enforcing things like election gag laws, they displayed the close-minded-zealotry of the Spanish Inquisition.
And yes Elections Canada does have an ideological bias. Check this Globe and Mail column I wrote a few years ago for more on this.
How do we defang this monster?
Frum has the answer: "Stop gagging speech. Stop telling the public and the candidates what they can and cannot say."
6 comments:
The point is, they broke the law. They tried to get around the law by scheming with fraudulent invoices, and to see you try to defend that, is sickening.
Shame on you, for trying to gloss over a government breaking the law.
Exactly what laws has it been proven they broke????? Do you know the meaning of "probe?" Oh! I am sorry; I forgot that you don't need proof to make accusations in order to boost your self esteem.
I would shout Same On You be in order to do so I would have to figure how to elevate you from pathetic.
Follow up.....(CTV NEWS REPORT)
Tories 'cheated' IFwarrant claims true: opposition
Opposition parties are accusing the Tories of cheating to win the last federal election, IF allegations by Elections Canada turn out to be true.
The operative word is IF!
it seems I have struck a chord. You can hang on to your 'if'. I'll give you that. It must be upsetting to watch your hero Harper get nailed like this.But look at you so quick to defend, when even YOU don't know anything either!
Yes they are still allegations. Much like the allegations that sullied Ralph Goodale during the last election, and pretty much won Harper his slim minority. Was anyone worried about the 'if' then? I don't think you, or any other conservative supporter were too worried about the 'if', nor a good individual's reputation.
I bet good ol Stevie would have fired up some serious legal sueing if it were him in Ralph's shoes...
Oh wait...
Sorry old fellow you have to understand it's a bit of a chuckle given Harper's honesty openness, and transparency platform. If it were Dion, I'd be er, harping on him too. But that's the difference between you and me.
I thank Gawd that there is a difference.....unlike you I don't hold Harper up as MY HERO. The only chord struck is similar to the one they used to use on The Gong Show and I have over and over struck the gong but you seem to be so brainwashed that you aren't getting the message.
Instead of wasting people's time with your continual bashing why not post something resembling the content. Read the into....
Quote:It appears you might have broken regulations under the Elections Act and worst of all you did it using your own money rather than taxpayer $$$.Unquote
.....most people would have said I was being sarcastic or being facetious and they would be on the right track but in reality I was baiting the hook and everyone can see the bait was taken.
ha ha. I just got this sent to my email inbox.
you doth protesteth too much...
;)
Post a Comment