Well
the auditors are done with at least three of our Senators. They met with two of them and the third, Mike
Duffy was apparently far too busy to meet with them or even bother to send them
the paperwork they requested.
Maybe
their request was too confusing. However
Duffy did let them know as they were wrapping things up that he was open to a
meeting. The Senate subcommittee decided
they didn’t need Mike anyhow. The
auditors had pieced together his attendance and where he was by using his cell
phone records and the records from his Government Issue Amex Card.
I
saw the news gathering on TV. It was
Conservative Senate Leader Marjory LaBreton came out to make her statement to
the media. She seemed a bit disappointed
that the Liberal side of the Senate weren’t ready to put this all behind them
and wanted more time to consider the matter.
Ms. LaBreton seems to feel that if the money is repaid then there is no
harm and no fouls.
Some
of the media pushed her on that, pointing out that if they were over claiming on
their expenses they wouldn’t have their jobs very long. She seemed noncommittal when asked about
whether the RCMP would be called. If the
police want to investigate it’s their call, not the Senate’s it seems.
So
what have we got? Conservative Senator Mike
Duffy says he was confused and paid the money back, even the per diems he received
when he was in Florida and not eligible for.
He blames a temp in his office, but he signed for it. Apparently Mike doesn’t bother to read things
that are put in front of him to sign.
Former
Conservative and now independent Senator Brazeau isn’t saying anything. He’s in enough trouble as it is, he’s
probably smart for keeping his mouth shut.
Former
Liberal and now independent Senator Mac Harb is going to fight this. He thinks he has done nothing wrong. I disagree, but at least he’s standing behind
what he did, and if he loses his case then he’ll pay back the money with even
more interest. That is if
he loses.
The
bottom line is that out of 105 Senators 101 appear to be following the rules, well
at least they’re not being investigated.
The auditors and the subcommittee are done with three of them and we’re still
waiting to hear on Senator Pamela Wallin.
But
just when you think things can’t get any weirder… the reports on Brazeau and Harb
say the rules about residency are unambiguous but that section gets left out of
the report on Duffy. How odd the only
one who claims he was confused is not told how clear the rules are. You’d think that would be the other way
around, wouldn’t you?
Look,
if you or I were to pull these kinds of games on our employers, we’d be on the
street looking for a new job if we were lucky… we might just as likely be charged
with fraud. I don’t care if they are
greedy or just thick, ignorance of the law is no excuse. Taking money you are not entitled to is a
crime for citizens and it should be for Senators too.
When
I was watching the press conference with Marjory LaBreton, I heard her say one
thing that I have to agree with… there
is no honour in the Senate.
Imagine
that, I’m agreeing with a Conservative…
…and
I’m usually the one defending the Senate…
I
need a beer.
Cheers!
BC
This
just in… Liberal Senator James Cowan is saying that the RCMP is indeed
interested in examining the expenses of three Senators. Is this the same RCMP the Senate was chastising
this past week? It could get interesting…
BC
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