senator Duffy goes to court.

[tay]

Obviously, the revelation (link is external) that Mike Duffy saw his job in the Senate as including a role as a publicly-funded lobbyist for the climate denial movement raises a whole new set of questions about the Cons' misuse of public resources.


And if, say Enbridge is being at all honest in its own public spin (link is external), Stephen Harper was well aware of what was going on:

Duffy's conversations with Enbridge officials [between January and June 2012] aren't listed in the company's lobbying registrations. However, in an email to CBC News, Enbridge's vice-president of enterprise communications called those conversations "unsolicited."

"Senator Duffy made a number of unsolicited contacts to Enbridge representatives offering advice regarding Northern Gateway, as well as to recommend that Enbridge consider hiring his communications colleague, Bill Rodgers. I personally interviewed Mr. Rodgers but elected not to retain him," D'Arcy Levesque said through a spokesman.

"At no time did Enbridge solicit Senator Duffy's help to lobby the federal government. In the interest of clarity, we also took the extra step to notify the Prime Minister's Office at the time, that Senator Duffy did not represent Enbridge or our interests." That, of course, would be the same Prime Minister's Office which continued to defend Duffy at every turn for a year and a half afterward. So it's well worth asking what it did - and didn't do - to follow up if it had been warned far earlier that Duffy was misusing his position.

 

[captain morgan]

Smartest thing that Harper did was involve the RCMP at the outset... There have been no allegations made involving the PMO to date.

 

[personal touch]

Smartest thing that Harper did was involve the RCMP at the outset... There have been no allegations made involving the PMO to date.

The RCMP only come in on cue,these are the relevant words,"on cue".
The RCMP does not investigate the PMO;s office.

 

[Retired_Can_Soldier]

Smartest thing that Harper did was involve the RCMP at the outset... There have been no allegations made involving the PMO to date.

Don't be ridicuous! This is a Conservative coverup wrapped in an enigmatic police state conspiracy!

The RCMP only come in on cue,these are the relevant words,"on cue".
The RCMP does not investigate the PMO;s office.

 

[tay]

If you've been following the trial of Mike Duffy, you know that the prosecution is having trouble making its case that he broke the rules, because it seems the Senate didn't have any.


And that the judge is getting impatient. (link is external)

But as Michael Harris points out while the case against Duffy is in shambles. (link is external)


Three weeks into the trial, Judge Charles Vaillancourt spoke for a lot of Canadians when he stung the Crown with a comment about the administrative swampland of Senate expenses and the unfocussed case against Duffy. So far, the Crown’s evidence, (and there is a long way to go) about the rules applying to what senators are, and are not allowed to do, is as clear as mud.

 

[tay]

The oh so Conservative Senate is trying to prevent the audit into senators' residency qualifications from being exposed in court in the Duffy bribery/corruption trial.

What's that? There are more Mike Duffy's in the Senate? Perhaps even including the Harper henchwoman sent to tar and feather Duffy and drive him out of the Red Chamber?

Duffy's lawyer Donald Bayne and Crown prosecutor Mark Holmes briefly discussed the fact that a lawyer for the Senate is claiming parliamentary privilege to keep the audit from becoming public.

Neither Bayne nor the Crown have seen the audit, but it was referred to during a 2013 police interview with Gary O'Brien, who was then clerk of the Senate.

"Before Christmas 2012, the internal economy committee requested that senators provide four specific documents to support their residency locations," reads the report of the interview.

"Using those indicators, an internal audit would be done by (administrator) Jill Anne Joseph, on all senators."

In February 2013, the committee put out a brief report saying that only two additional senators initially raised flags during the audit — Liberal Sen. Rod Zimmer and Conservative Sen. Dennis Patterson.

"Both explained to the complete satisfaction of the interviewers that their travel claims were in order," the report said.

Now, what if someone steering that very internal economy committee, the same individual already identified as one of two Conservative senators who initially intervened to launder the Duffy expenses audit on instructions from the PMO, was actually in the very same position as Duffy, if not worse, on the residency issue?


Would the honourable senator from New Brunswick please stand up?






Senate moves to block release of residency report from Duffy trial




Senate moves to block release of residency report from Duffy trial | CTV News

 

[Sal]

If you've been following the trial of Mike Duffy, you know that the prosecution is having trouble making its case that he broke the rules, because it seems the Senate didn't have any.


And that the judge is getting impatient. (link is external)

But as Michael Harris points out while the case against Duffy is in shambles. (link is external)


Three weeks into the trial, Judge Charles Vaillancourt spoke for a lot of Canadians when he stung the Crown with a comment about the administrative swampland of Senate expenses and the unfocussed case against Duffy. So far, the Crown’s evidence, (and there is a long way to go) about the rules applying to what senators are, and are not allowed to do, is as clear as mud.

bastards, the whole crew of them

this whole thing is going to collapse and we the people are going to continue to take it up the butt

cause ya know, we're so polite and all

 

[personal touch]

whoring a judge must make a judge cranky,he must feel slimy,we should feel sorry for this poor Judge that he must sit through stinky affairs,and more so to look at the information as creditable.This must be a low for the Judge,then again I am not sure of the history,he certainly deserves to be appointed to highter positions when this scandal is all over,possibly the Supreme Court.
It must be horrible when a Judge's character is *****d.

 

[tay]

04/29/2015




Judge Charles Vaillancourt has adjourned the Duffy trial to Monday to allow counsel to sharpen their swords for the battle over whether some awkward Senate reports should be admitted into evidence. The message is clear - the Tory dominated Senate would rather not have the public poking and prodding into what they've been up to.


The way they see it, what we don't know can't hurt them.





I'm left with the impression that defence counsel, Don Bayne, is using the prosecution witnesses against both the Crown and the government of Stephen Harper.

Bayne also seems to be building a foundation that may make it possible to get Harper under oath. The prime minister supposedly assured Duffy he qualified to represent PEI in the Senate. It was "all good". Just get those campaign cheques pouring in and so the Cavendish Cottager did.

Mr. Bayne has also done a pretty good job on Crown witness Nicole Proulx, the former head of Senate finance. On behalf of the prosecution she's accusing Duffy of having breached rules that she "understands" came out of a committee at some point. Rules by hearsay?

What are your impressions of the trial? How do you see Duffy coming through this?

Here's a rumour to whet your interest. There's word in Ottawa that Nigel Wright may not be returning to town because the Crown could drop the bribery charge altogether which, by sheer coincidence, would take Wright, Ben Perrin and Stephen Harper off the hook. Just a rumour.





4/30/15




The CBC is running a story about an 'anonymous Conservative source' who claimed it was untrue, as Mike Duffy's lawyer claims, that Duffy never expressed any doubts to Harper about being appointed senator for PEI.



From Chris Conway:

"An anonymous Conservative disputes something Duffy apparently discussed with Harper. Either that anonymous Conservative was very close to Harper at all times when Duffy was talking to Harper OR Harper told a minion to deny the allegation."






From My Milkshake


So the PM's office is now interfering with the case "anonymously." If you've got so little respect for the judicial process then why not just go on the record if you want to argue with Duffy?






Mike Duffy never raised eligibility with PM, Conservative source says - Politics - CBC News

 

[Walter]

04/29/2015
Judge Charles Vaillancourt has adjourned the Duffy trial to Monday to allow counsel to sharpen their swords for the battle over whether some awkward Senate reports should be admitted into evidence. The message is clear - the Tory dominated Senate would rather not have the public poking and prodding into what they've been up to.

The way they see it, what we don't know can't hurt them.

I'm left with the impression that defence counsel, Don Bayne, is using the prosecution witnesses against both the Crown and the government of Stephen Harper.

Bayne also seems to be building a foundation that may make it possible to get Harper under oath. The prime minister supposedly assured Duffy he qualified to represent PEI in the Senate. It was "all good". Just get those campaign cheques pouring in and so the Cavendish Cottager did.
Mr. Bayne has also done a pretty good job on Crown witness Nicole Proulx, the former head of Senate finance. On behalf of the prosecution she's accusing Duffy of having breached rules that she "understands" came out of a committee at some point. Rules by hearsay?

What are your impressions of the trial? How do you see Duffy coming through this?

Here's a rumour to whet your interest. There's word in Ottawa that Nigel Wright may not be returning to town because the Crown could drop the bribery charge altogether which, by sheer coincidence, would take Wright, Ben Perrin and Stephen Harper off the hook. Just a rumour.

4/30/15

The CBC is running a story about an 'anonymous Conservative source' who claimed it was untrue, as Mike Duffy's lawyer claims, that Duffy never expressed any doubts to Harper about being appointed senator for PEI.

From Chris Conway:

"An anonymous Conservative disputes something Duffy apparently discussed with Harper. Either that anonymous Conservative was very close to Harper at all times when Duffy was talking to Harper OR Harper told a minion to deny the allegation."

From My Milkshake

So the PM's office is now interfering with the case "anonymously." If you've got so little respect for the judicial process then why not just go on the record if you want to argue with Duffy?

Mike Duffy never raised eligibility with PM, Conservative source says - Politics - CBC News

See how much shorter it is.

 

[personal touch]

lots of he said,she said,
for your information,Nigel Wright never left Ottawa,don't pick on him,he is just an inoccent victim of circumstances,I bet he feels worse then the Judge.

 

[tay]

The Prime Minister’s Office played a key role in changing the findings of a 2013 audit into Mike Duffy’s living expenses, as part of a strategy to keep the now-suspended senator quiet as the PMO tried to find a solution to questions over the controversial claims, RCMP officers allege in new court documents.


The Senate administration had hired the auditing firm Deloitte to look into the expense claims of senators Patrick Brazeau and Mac Harb, as well as those of Mr. Duffy. But the PMO and senior Conservative officials defended Mr. Duffy in the early stages of the controversy, in order to keep him quiet.


“A purpose of this is to put Mike in a different bucket and to prevent him from going squirrely in a bunch of weekend panel shows,” former PMO chief of staff Nigel Wright said in an e-mail to colleagues on Feb. 7, 2013.


Mr. Wright’s e-mail, which went to PMO colleagues Chris Woodcock, Ray Novak, Andrew MacDougall and Joanne McNamara, added: “Mike is very pleased with this so it will give us a little bit of time if [Conservative senator David Tkachuk] can pull it off.”


In an e-mail on the same day, Chris Montgomery, a staffer in Conservative senator Marjory LeBreton’s office, told Mr. Wright a plan to get outside legal advice on Mr. Duffy’s residency issues was designed to “protect senator Duffy.”


The newly released documents reinforce the notion the PMO and the Conservative Party initially went to great lengths to contain the political damage flowing from expenses claimed by Mr. Duffy after his 2008 appointment to the Senate.


A long-time resident of Ottawa, Mr. Duffy declared his primary residence was his PEI cottage, which allowed him to claim expenses for being on “travel status” when he worked in the Senate. Faced with a public furore, he said on February 22, 2013, that he would reimburse the expenses.


However, Mr. Duffy became persona non grata in Conservative circles when it was learned that Mr. Wright had ultimately paid back the controversial expenses, totalling $90,000, on his behalf.


Mr. O’Brien said the portions of the report that were deleted referred to Mr. Duffy’s travels between Ottawa and PEI and his “continued presence in Ottawa,” which raised questions about the legitimacy of his expense claims.


“That was a confidential report, I’m surprised it was shared so widely,” Mr. O’Brien added about the PMO’s involvement in the matter.
Ms. Joseph told the RCMP she was surprised to discover that key findings of the report were amended without her knowledge or that of Liberal senator George Furey, who was also part of the sub-committee. “I just found that odd, that it would take place outside of the normal process,” she said.


She was particularly displeased by the role played by Ms. Stewart Olsen in the matter.


“Here she was a member of the audit subcommittee, but her objective was not to get to the truth of the matters and deal with them the way I wanted to deal with them,” Ms. Joseph said. “Her consideration seemed to be more like, what’s the media going to do with this information?”


Efforts to obtain comment from Ms. Stewart Olsen, Mr. Tkachuk and the PMO were unsuccessful. Mr. Wright’s lawyer has said his client will not comment until he testifies at Mr. Duffy’s trial.


more




PMO urged changes to Duffy audit, RCMP officers say - The Globe and Mail

 

[Walter]

All the Dippers and Libs are pretty pissed there ain't nuthin in this trial but fluff.

 

[Sal]

All the Dippers and Libs are pretty pissed there ain't nuthin in this trial but fluff.

that's funny because I can't imagine you would be in the same room as many or any Lib, I however am and I haven't heard a single person say that this trial is fluff Lib or otherwise and I haven't heard a single person say they are pissed.

 

[Walter]

that's funny because I can't imagine you would be in the same room as many or any Lib, I however am and I haven't heard a single person say that this trial is fluff Lib or otherwise and I haven't heard a single person say they are pissed.

Don't gotta be in a room full of Libs, just gotta read widely.

 

[personal touch]

does anyone know who Mr. Duffy's audience's were,he was flying around doing speeches for the Conservative party,what or who was his audience?this is on the books is it not?were the listeners students,ceos,women, journalists etc?Myself i could not imagine listening to Mr. Duffy for more then 15 minutes,so having interest who the targeted audience was is of great significance in understanding his relationship with the PMO and Conservative party.
having an inisght into Senator Duffy's engagement would also give great insights to Conservative Party strategies and tatics in targeting certain audiences,this is a good thing to know.
does anyone know the answer or better yet a hard copy of Mr. Duffy's engagements?what was he paid for different engagements?are some captive audiences worth more then others?help me out.

 

[tay]

All the Dippers and Libs are pretty pissed there ain't nuthin in this trial but fluff.

And that's the point.


As much as Harper would like to point to Duffy as almost the worst Senator the case against Duffy is looking meager.


And all should be pissed that the Senate has not been eliminated.........

 

[Walter]

And that's the point.
As much as Harper would like to point to Duffy as almost the worst Senator the case against Duffy is looking meager.
And all should be pissed that the Senate has not been eliminated.........

Agreed and fify.

 

[petros]

Dyke Muffy​

 

[Sal]

Don't gotta be in a room full of Libs, just gotta read widely.

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaha....here's a thought Walter, if you just read widely and wet yourself when people say what you've already decided is correct, you're bound to be wrong.

carry that one step further and you will have an epiphany of sorts

And that's the point.


As much as Harper would like to point to Duffy as almost the worst Senator the case against Duffy is looking meager.


And all should be pissed that the Senate has not been eliminated.........

meh, tightie righties think their side has been sainted...can't you see the glow ?...they have swallowed so much koolaide that they think sugar is good for them

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaha....here's a thought Walter, if you just read widely and wet yourself when people say what you've already decided is correct, you're bound to be wrong.

carry that one step further and you will have an epiphany of sorts


meh, tightie righties think their side has been sainted...can't you see the glow ?...they have swallowed so much koolaide that they think sugar is good for them

Walter my friend, I love it when I leave you speechless...you just can't see clearly...someday you will get it