Duffy said he had insisted he had done nothing wrong by claiming these expenses — and that members of the Prime Minister's Office agreed with him, but they wanted the controversy quashed.
He said he was begging Harper's top aide Ray Novak that he not be forced to admit a mistake and repay the expenses, just five minutes before he eventually went public.
"I'm not a cheat, I'm not a thief. I don't break the rules and I was not going to embrace this kind of process," he said.
"I was pleading with all these born-again Christians."
Well, that's it then. Why didn't you say so? "Not Guilty" by reason of Born Again Christianity.
In other testimony, Duffy gave a chilling account of his confrontation with Shifty Steve.
The P.E.I. senator said he also complained that the PMO said he didn't spend enough time in his province.
Duffy testified that Harper said, "Well, you only spend 66 days" there.
Duffy testified that he said that that was "a lie," that he spent more time in the province, and that he was also on the "rubber chicken circuit" on behalf of the prime minister.
Duffy said Harper just "looked at me with a blank look."
Mound, I believe Harper knew everything which took place. It looks that Duffy had the go-ahead from Harper. That does not vindicate Duffy. But should there not be some action against Harper?
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThere's probably nothing that Harper can be nailed on, LD. For Duffy, though, this goes to whether the had the requisite intent, the "guilty mind", without which he cannot be convicted. His position seems to be that a) the rules were ambiguous, b) I accepted the clarification I was given by Harper and other senior Tories, c) I did nothing wrong,knowingly.
Oh yeah, and don't forget - Duffy gets the benefit of the doubt. The Crown may have an uphill battle. It won't call Harper, LeBreton, Tkachuk, Stewart-Olsen as rebuttal witnesses so it'll have to rely on being able to take Duffy down in cross-examination. Should be interesting.
ReplyDeleteMound, did you see the news about Duffy, who testified that the Conservatives were involved in the Saanich-Gulf Islands 2008 robocall scandal?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/mike-duffy-conservaties-mp-win-robocalls-vancouver-1.3360120
http://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-fingers-pointed-in-b-c-robocalls-1.2132845
I wonder if this was Duffy's biggest bombshell. His decision to not publicly reveal what he knew about it until now, after the election, suggests to me that he was keeping this fact in reserve in order to fatally wound Harper, should his Conservatives have eked out a win.
Mound, thanks for the explanation. It is indeed going to be very interesting.
ReplyDeleteAbout the born agains: Is Duffy the only Canadian who has lost enough that he's not afraid ( any more ) to speak the truth.
ReplyDeleteThe photo of the all powerful Ceasar, reclining on his couch, giving the thumbs down to an underling speaks volumes.
Watching the trial it is amazing how terrified lil stevie was of Tom Mulcare . Back into the closet you coward >
ReplyDeleteI know a few born-again Christians who would be insulted by Duffy's comments today - and they're not all conservatives. Personally, I think this is the most bizarre thing Duff has said so far in his defense. Harper had to know something. The Aw Shucks claim doesn't work with me.
ReplyDeleteI think Mound the most revealing statement Harper made to Duffy when he told him to pay the money back, was when he said it's a matter of perception, my base will not understand.
ReplyDeleteI saw them walking in and out
ReplyDeleteOf the holy Langevin block
Their suits were clean
Their hair was tidy
Cause they was just doin' the work
Of God almighty
It was the born agains
Making amends
For God knows why
They was just makin' a sty
Hi Chris. Yeah, I've seen the story. Trying to get Elections Canada to act on this so far down the road is an unlikely prospect.
ReplyDeleteI agree that environmentalism is making inroads in the Born Again community, finally. Still it has a long way to go and there are old alliances that will have to be abandoned.
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ReplyDeleteMaybe it's just me but I found Duffy's statement that when he confronted Harper, the prime minister responded with a "blank stare." That's when Duffy ought to have known he had been tossed under the bus.
A mutual friend told me that, for months after Duffy's fall from grace, the Cavendish Cottager still clung to the illusion that Harper would eventually come through, make everything right and save Old Duff's bacon. I heard this a number of times enough that I know Duffy's evidence on this is completely honest. He just couldn't accept that the sociopath was, well, a sociopath.