There has been a lot of public befuddlement -- including from Mike Duffy's lawyer -- as to why the senator has been charged with accepting a bribe, while Nigel Wright has been given a free ride. The official explanation seems to be that everything hangs on one word --"corruptly." To be convicted, Wright would have to have acted in a corrupt manner. It's a difficult standard of proof, because it assumes corrupt intention -- something which runs against the grain of Wright's public persona. He is seen as a man who sees, hears and does no evil.
Michael Spratt writes that the decision to not charge Wright may be tactical, not legal:
Duffy’s case is headed to trial; Wright will surely be a star witness. By choosing to not charge Wright, the case against Duffy is made stronger. If Wright and Duffy were jointly charged, Wright would not be a compellable witness for the Crown and essential evidence could be lost.
Further, if Wright and Duffy had been jointly charged, any statements made by Wright and adduced into evidence could not be used against Duffy.
Most important, by declining to lay charges against Wright the RCMP limits damage to his credibility — which can only increase his value as a witness.
Clearly, the powers that be are out to get Duffy. Given his past behaviour, it's hard to feel sympathy for the man. But one cannot escape the suspicion that the RCMP -- like the civil service and the military -- has been politicized by the Harper government.
Everything will hinge on Duffy's stash of emails -- which the Harper cabal will seek to declare inadmissible. I would be helpful, at this point, if the press could get their hands on some of those emails.
18 comments:
I think this fellow's speculation is facile. He falls into the trap of treating the cheque in isolation rather than as part of a larger transaction of genuine influence peddling to thwart the Senate investigation and report. In my view that's why Wright wasn't charged because the minute he is it would give rise to a conspiracy that would extend to several parties in the PMO, the Senate leadership, prominent Tory senators, the Conservative Party and, quite possibly, the prime minister. Taking Wright off the hook takes those other participants in this off the hook.
The reason those e-mails and other documents have yet to be revealed depends which side it is. Wright's position, I'm told, which will form the basis of the prosecution is that he was extorted by Duffy. That's certainly the narrative we've heard all along.
Other documents, yet to be made public, I'm told, contradict that narrative and show that Duffy at first rejected the deal. This seems to be borne out by the early confusion when Duffy said he was getting the money from The Royal Bank. Apparently he had made that arrangement to get a personal bank loan. Wright's money came in after the fact.
The focus of this deal was to keep a major scandal from erupting in the Tory Senate. The money, the subverting of the audit, the influence peddling to launder the Senate report - that was all to put a damper on a politically damaging problem.
Remember this. It all was supposed to work and would have except that Duffy, who had promised to shut up, foolishly e-mailed supposed confidantes with particulars of the deal. Without the leak of that e-mail to CTV, none of this would have happened.
Recall this too. Harper was a player from the outset. Remember when he vouchsafed for both Wallin and Duffy on their residency qualifications. Remember Harper saying he'd personally scrutinized Wallin's expenses and found them perfectly reasonable and in order. Harper got into this publicly from the outset. To buy his story that he was later removed from the Duffy deal beggars belief.
The strategy is classic Harper, Mound. In the Michael Sona case, for instance, the Harper team sought to make one person the focus and the target.
Like magicians, they create a diversion and direct the public's attention away from the machinery which is functioning in the background.
The fix is in.
Reminds me of BC Rail.
We must trust the police. The good news is that the people no longer fall for the con playbook. You can cheat your way to a win when its a close contest, but 2015 is going to be a landslide liberal win of historic proportion. And to do it Justice please Justin bring in Proportional Representation. Slay the dark Medieval night of first past the post.
It would be preferable if we could, Steve. But, because of what we know about the Harperites, a good deal of skepticism is in order.
These are folks who will bend or break the rules whenever they can.
Kim made reference to that in a comment on an earlier post, Hugh. You folks in B.C. have seen this movie before.
A sure sign that Harper is caught up in his own skulduggery is when he backpedals. We saw this early on with Cadman.
Another more recent example was the Bruce Carson scandal. Recall how Harper's narrative shifted on that one. At first he blamed the RCMP for not properly vetting Carson and bringing out the guy's significant criminal history. Then Harper blamed unspecified individuals within the PMO and Privy Council office. When that fell through Harper said he had known of part of Carson's criminal past, just not all of it and, if he had known, he would never have let Carson in the door. Harper said he thought he could 'rehabilitate' the old guy. That was a litany of lies.
I know prominent Ottawa Tories who had previous experience of Carson who went out of their way to warn Harper and the PMO that the guy was incorrigible and could never be trusted. They told Harper & Co. all the details of this guy. There was no need to vet him because good and loyal Tories already spilled the beans. Everything Harper said after the scandal broke was pure fabrication to cover his ass.
Carson pales in comparison to the political threat posed by the Senate expenses scandal. Yet here again Harper has established a record of inconsistent, contradictory and irreconcilable statements.
Even a reasonably skilled barrister could have a field day cross-examining this prime minister and utterly shredding his credibility.
As you say, Mound, this is a problem that goes all the way back to Cadman.
Perhaps the solution is to get Harper on the stand -- which will not be easy.
We shall discover whether Canada is a nation of laws or of men over the next couple of years.
But I don't think most Canadians know the difference or care.
Of course I'm smack in the middle of blue Ontario right now and finding a Canadian who knows shit from shinola is a losing proposition in full daylight.
Anyone who is seriously concerned about the civic health of the nation should be outraged by this, Dana. But we slumber on . . .
I'm guessing that the Duffy emails are out there somewhere. The Conservative's excuse that 'the dog ate my emails' just doesn't cut it anymore in the 21st century. Check out the International Standards Organization's ISO 27001 for more email server backup information.
I suspect they won't go away, Anon. But making them public may not be easy.
Wright did aid, abet, covered-up and paid the bill for a corrupt Senator, who was stealing our tax dollars. The PMO also sanitized Senators expense claims.
The UK seems Harper's favorite dumping ground for his degenerates. Gordon Campbell is already there and now, Harper has sent Wright there as well.
Duffy said, this will all be cleared up, in the trial. There is no way Harper can have Duffy charged and not Wright. Also I believe, they are good to go. All of Harper's henchmen will get away with their crimes. Brazeau and Harb will not.
I don't doubt for an instant that, Harper will win the next election. Harper is racking up, thousands upon thousands of ethnic votes and donations.
There are 413,000 Chinese in Vancouver alone. 45,000 thousand more Chinese want in. Perhaps if they get in? They will have to vote for Harper. Mind you, Harper has given China a great deal of Canada already.
There are the Jewish peoples votes. The Ukrainian votes, Chinese. Harper just gave BC's ship building contract to Poland. So, the Polish votes too and the people from India citizens.
Read of this. Canada is calling, under the *FEDERAL* scheme. info@ashaKiranlive.incanada. If this is true? Look at the Engineers, from India's perks
Canadian Dehua International. Former Chinese government official.
Oct 18/2012
thetyee.ca
A Canadian Engineer followed up his courtesy call, on his job application. The HR Person said, she had over 4,000 applications, for just that one job. How does Kenny compute that, to a shortage of labor? Shortage of labor in Canada, my @$$. That makes Jason Kenny, an out and out blatant liar.
Now Kenny is bringing in, foreign skilled labor. Kenny is every bit as evil, as Herr Harper and the rest of his cabal are.
Harper as a fascist sociopath, will likely use every underhanded tactic in the book, to get Duffy off his crimes too.
.. its possible we've moved well past the emails..
the stale but still smelly spoor of the boreal trashing Harper tribe, its related parasitic urban hive or eastern Ontario raving jackalpack
.. we have no shred of hope or trust in what emails remain, are untainted.. can be accepted in any chain of evidence.. can be indisputable..
.. when we needed exemplars, we got Del Mastro's bluster, needing illumination regarding the Harper/Duffy bribes we got Stevies never ending tale & always changing story - minus the flying dragon - enter the Ray Novak... curtains fall
.. its all some sick shallow wannabe Shakespearian delusion with literally thousands of 'Justice' lawyers minus Arthur Hamilton.. who's been stashed off planet or on ice at a zillion $ Muskoka cottage or Switzerland
Earth to Benjamin Perrin.. is there anybody out there? Can you hear me John Boy Baird? Yo? Joe Oliver, you smirking stockbroker.. Clement ?
The list of failed or flailing pretend Canadian public servants is simply astounding.. and now they blame 'the courts'.. as if they are dreaded anti-democracy Orks.. when every bit of evidence gleaned, requested, searched for.. denied.. points at them as perps, incompetents.. frauds .. complete & absolute liars ..
Uh Oh .. its time for Station ID.. and an attack ad or two or 3.. after which we return to re-runs of the Harper Years - 24 - 7 Episode Whatever .. ...
You foresee their defense, salamander. It will be all about bluster and it will have nothing to do with facts.
Let's hope that Bayne, Duffy's lawyer, will not be buffaloed by these masters of the foggy bottom.
And rumor has it, Anon, that -- should Harper leave -- Kenny will be waiting in the wings.
I am really interested in seeing how the Government is going to spin this idea that a bribe is not a bribe when given, only when accepted.
As for Kenny - I think even he knows that he can never be PM. An unmarried man whose sexuality has been continually called into question and yet continually condemns anyone who doesn't fit his picture of morality. A college dropout who essentially has never had a job. Too many skeletons in that closet I think.
And spin it they will, Kirby -- shamelessly. As for Kenny or any other successors, it's always been the Harper Party.
One can hope that -- for that very reason -- it will be a one shot wonder.
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