This was the right call. The Conservatives needed to investigate as part of being the government -- we were totally right not to meet a private investigator who had stories to tell about someone across the aisle. Remember, the stories are still just that, stories. The truth will out eventually:
http://tinyurl.com/y7g53ey
The Liberals turned down an opportunity to meet with a private investigator who said he had information about Helena Guergis, before he relayed that same information to the Conservative party.
Private investigator Derek Snowdy told CTV News that he first sought to talk to the Liberals, but he was turned down by Peter Donolo, the chief of staff for Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff.
"Mr. Snowdy told me yesterday that he had offered to meet with Mr. Ignatieff to brief him on the allegations that he ended up giving to the Conservative party lawyer," said CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife, speaking to CTV News Channel from Ottawa on Thursday morning.
Snowdy attempted to set up a meeting with the Liberal leader's chief of staff, but "Mr. Donolo refused to meet with him," said Fife.
8 comments:
Liberals can praise themselves for taking the high road but politics is a blood sport. And Ignatieff isn't ready it. While it would have been inappropriate for Ignatieff himself to meet with the PI, someone should have to find out what was going on. Indeed, it would almost be the RESPONSIBILITY of an official opposition to seek out this information. In the end, it turns out that the information was substantial enough to not only lead to the downfall of a cabinet minister but even actually booting her out of caucus. Opportunity missed.
a commentor on Blogging Tories claims to know the PI,
and says Fife was notified telephone at 6:11 PM on Wednesday April 14th 2010.
Fife could verify that the commentor is legit.
commentor said
'...On the direction of my client I called Mr. Ignatieffs chief of staff at 3:58pm on Thursday the 8th of April. A man named Peter Donolo. I identified myself to the staff and told them who I was in relation to the story and that my client had directed me to brief Mr. Ignatieff...THE GUY REFUSED TO BE BRIEFED!!! They indicated that they had no interest in the matter. Then Iggy starts his BS with the PM about people have to know...he was offered first dibbs ahead of the PM by the client. He is such a scumbag IMHO
Please note that this was in advance of me speaking to the Conservative lawyers ''
http://pragmatictory.blogspot.com/2010/04/rosemarys-confusion-and-layton-pi.html
I'm surprised by your comments, Morton, especially since you're a lawyer. You mean if you were the Leader of the Opposition and a PI told you they had this type of information about a minister of the crown you would do nothing? What type of moral responsibility is that? If Ignatieff really wanted to take the high road he should have advised the PM he may have a problem and let him handle it. But to do nothing is not leadership. This is going to bite Iggy in the ass!
Fife sat on this since the 14th? Can there be any greater proof that Fife and his third-rate television news service are Tory shills? What a sad excuse for journalism.
Wilson,
For the love of God, I see you on every site.
Do us all a favour, express your opinion by all means, but please try to start making some sense.
Other than that, I suggest that you do not take anything a BT has to say seriously.
Even though I have seen your comments there Wilson, I feel that you are better than that.
I see you every where too anonymous commentor.
And everywhere I see you, your comment it about me....
MoS, this is the 15th,
if I'm not mistaken, these 'revelations' were on the evening news, last night, the 14th, same day he learned of them.
For once I find myself apologizing to Wilson but he's right. I was mistaken on the date.
That said, Iggy was absolutely right to put as much distance as possible between himself and this investigator.
Any reporter worth a dam learns very quickly to treat "volunteer informants" with extreme caution. In many cases they're either using you to get at someone else or they're manipulating you for even more ulterior reasons.
Some are very convincing, feeding you a base of very credible, verifiable information topped off with a big helping of disinformation. You go for it and it blows up in your face.
This is more than simply taking the high road, refreshing a concept as that is in modern politics. It's common sense prudence.
I think the Liberals are on the right side of this one.
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