National Post: Harper accuses Duffy of lying

[mentalfloss]

OTTAWA –* Prime Minister Stephen Harper Wednesday denied intimidating Sen. Mike Duffy, contrary to Duffy’s assertions to the Senate Tuesday that he had been forced to go along with a secret scheme to repay some of his Senate expenses.

Harper rose several times in the House of Commons to directly address Duffy’s assertions.

“When he (Duffy) asked, in fact, I told our entire caucus and staff that my view was that his expense claims were inappropriate and they should be repaid,” Harper said. “That particular time, Mr. Speaker, did I threaten him with expulsion? No.

“But when inappropriate expense claims are made, I expect a corrective action to be taken and if it is not taken, the person who does not take corrective action could not expect to continue to sit as a member of the Conservative party.”

The remarks were further than the prime minister has ever gone in discussing the Duffy affair. And they came as the Senate braced Wednesday to see what another embattled senator might say.

Sen. Pamela Wallin told the Senate Wednesday that charges against her by the Senate were “baseless and premature and likely beyond the scope of this chamber.”

“You can’t concoct false charges on a whim,” she said, calling actions against her “backroom politics of a most odious kind.”

Wallin took her seat in the chamber early in the afternoon, following remarks by Duffy and Sen. Patrick Brazeau. All three face the possibility of being suspended from the Senate without pay over their expense claims.

The opposition wasn’t waiting for her remarks, however.

“Stephen Harper is at the centre of this deep scandal, no one else,” said NDP leader Tom Mulcair after a meeting of his MPs in the morning. “He is the one link to all of the people involved here. He is a control freak. Every word that is attributed to him by other people now sounds true when you know how Stephen Harper operates.

“This is a profound scandal that directly implicates Stephen Harper. This is no longer a question of Nigel Wright or Mike Duffy. This is about Stephen Harper. He’s got to start telling the truth to the public.

The public has the right to know. He says he’s answered the question… He’s never answered any of these questions truthfully.”

Stephen Harper says Mike Duffy is lying about being forced into cash for repayment scheme

 

[bill barilko]

Lying in politics?

What next?

 

[Machjo]

At this point it's a he said he said situation. Unless I have some inside information, who am I to judge?

 

[mentalfloss]

Usually such a blunt remark about one of your own kind is a pretty bad sign.

 

[Cobalt_Kid]

So Mike's lying, maybe we should fire the guy that put him in the Senate in the first place.

Harper loves to shift any sort of responsibility off his shoulders onto anyone else available, it's how this spun into such a mess in the first place. Any way you look at it Harper is the guy ultimately responsible because he's been calling the shots for the last eight years.

This squeaky clean personal image that Harper is so a-n-a-l about maintaining is becoming a very sick joke on all of Canada.

 

[lone wolf]

Why would anyone believe someone with the power to get away with it wouldn't?

 

[Goober]

Usually such a blunt remark about one of your own kind is a pretty bad sign.

No evidence yet to tie to Harper. Duffy can say what he wants in the Senate- Privilege protects him.

And yeah, the Puffster, are you saying he is a credible person, respected by many, and that this is some sort of bad thing to be condemned by The Puffster.

Me I am waiting for the RCMP and who they charge.
That and the reports from the AG over the next year. 3 of them before the election in 15.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

“When he (Duffy) asked, in fact, I told our entire caucus and staff that my view was that his expense claims were inappropriate and they should be repaid,” Harper said. “That particular time, Mr. Speaker, did I threaten him with expulsion? No.

“But when inappropriate expense claims are made, I expect a corrective action to be taken and if it is not taken, the person who does not take corrective action could not expect to continue to sit as a member of the Conservative party.”

This sounds like a reasonable response. I can see how Duffy may have viewed it as intimidation.

 

[Goober]

Breaking News- The Puffster- if convicted could have company- Charges being laid.
Could be another customer for Corrections Canada.
RCMP allege former senator Mac Harb committed fraud - Politics - CBC News

The RCMP believe former senator Mac Harb committed fraud by filing inappropriate expense claims, according to documents filed in court Wednesday.

The allegation is contained in an affidavit sworn to have a justice of the peace sign a production order.

The RCMP is requesting statements of accounts and deposit transactions from two of Harb's bank accounts. Police want documentation on the two accounts, including names, dates of birth, address history, account status and account opening and closing history.

 

[SLM]

Breaking News- The Puffster- if convicted could have company- Charges being laid.
Could be another customer for Corrections Canada.
RCMP allege former senator Mac Harb committed fraud - Politics - CBC News

The RCMP believe former senator Mac Harb committed fraud by filing inappropriate expense claims, according to documents filed in court Wednesday.

The allegation is contained in an affidavit sworn to have a justice of the peace sign a production order.

The RCMP is requesting statements of accounts and deposit transactions from two of Harb's bank accounts. Police want documentation on the two accounts, including names, dates of birth, address history, account status and account opening and closing history.

I shouldn't get my hopes up but I do hope that they actually receive severe penalties (if found guilty of course) and that it puts the fear of God into those whose questionable expenses are so severely out of whack.

 

[Goober]

I shouldn't get my hopes up but I do hope that they actually receive severe penalties (if found guilty of course) and that it puts the fear of God into those whose questionable expenses are so severely out of whack.

Going by precedent -That was for 10 K.
Raymond Lavigne, Former Liberal Senator, Hopes To Serve Remaining Jail Sentence At Home

OTTAWA — A former Liberal senator jailed for falsifying his travel claims and abusing his office will ask the Ontario Parole Board Tuesday for permission to serve the rest of his six-month sentence at home, The Huffington Post Canada has learned.

Raymond Lavigne was convicted of fraud and breach of trust two years ago and sentenced to six months in jail, six months of house arrest and was told to give $10,000 to charity — the amount he had inappropriately claimed from the Senate for nonexistent expenses. Ontario Superior Court Judge Robert Smith said Lavigne had abused his position by asking his research assistant to cut trees on his property during Senate working hours.

 

[coldstream]

It seems the only way into the Senate now is your ability to be a BAGMAN for political contributions for the party in power. The only sure way to lose your seat is to to show any kind of independent political will against the PMOs office of that party.

The Senate has become a joke. Filled with mediocrities and political hacks, like Duffy, Wallin and Brazeau.. who wax poetically against the infringement of their 'rights' to a lavish salary, privileges and pension ALL received through political patronage. Calling this a 'sober second thought' is laughable.

 

[Goober]

Well the story is taking a slight change.

Harper now says ‘very few’ Tories knew of $90,000 cheque to Duffy - The Globe and Mail

Stephen Harper insisted “very few” people in Conservative circles knew that chief aide Nigel Wright was personally bailing out Senator Mike Duffy when the PEI politician faced public pressure to reimburse taxpayers for questionable expense claims.

He’s pushing back against the suggestion that more than a dozen Conservatives were in on the scheme.

Media reports suggest as many as 13 Tory insiders knew of the financial assistance to Mr. Duffy – a number that raises questions about how so many people could be inside the loop without Mr. Harper being aware of what is happening.

Facing a third straight day of questions in the Commons from NDP Leader Thomas Mulcair, the Conservative prime minister tried to brush aside the impression that a great many Tories knew that Mr. Wright, Mr. Harper’s then-chief of staff, cut a $90,000 personal cheque to pay back Mr. Duffy’s housing claims.

“He alleges that many people knew about this. That is simply not correct,” Mr. Harper said. “This was Mr. Wright’s decision using his own resources and by his own admission, documented, he told very few people.

Mr. Mulcair, who led the charge against Mr. Harper in the Commons Thursday, pointed out Mr. Harper’s story has changed when it comes to how many Conservatives knew of the Wright gift.

The NDP chief pointed out that on June 5 Mr. Harper told the Commons nobody in the PMO had known of Mr. Wright’s largesse.

On June 5, Mr. Harper said in Question Period that: “It was was Mr. Wright who made the decision to take his personal funds and give those to Mr. Duffy so that Mr. Duffy could reimburse the taxpayers. Those were his decisions. They were not communicated to me or to members of my office.”

 

[captain morgan]

Big difference between hearing about a rumour and participating on the 'scheme'.

If Duffy is that confident about the situation and realities on this; maybe he should man-up and makes these statements outside Parliament where he can have his azz hauled into court on libel charges.

.. Yeah, me too, I doubt Duffy believes that story enough to take the risk

 

[Goober]

Big difference between hearing about a rumour and participating on the 'scheme'.

If Duffy is that confident about the situation and realities on this; maybe he should man-up and makes these statements outside Parliament where he can have his azz hauled into court on libel charges.

.. Yeah, me too, I doubt Duffy believes that story enough to take the risk

Duffy knows how the game is played- the longer the dance, the better for him.

 

[gerryh]

looks like the cons are starting to eat each other.

 

[CDNBear]

looks like the cons are starting to eat each other.

I hear they're crunchy and good with ketchup.

 

[SLM]

I hear they're crunchy and good with ketchup.

I'd rather eat the pink slime from McD's. Lol.

 

[CDNBear]

I'd rather eat the pink slime from McD's. Lol.

Either or, ketchup hides the nasty flavours, lol.

 

[SLM]

Either or, ketchup hides the nasty flavours, lol.

There's not enough ketchup in the world for Duffy! Lol.