Clearing Mike Duffy

"We are confident that when the full story is told, as it will be, and shown to be supported by many forms of evidence, it will be clear that Senator Duffy is innocent of any criminal wrongdoing."
"I am sure I am not the only Canadian who will now wonder openly how what was not a crime or a bribe when Nigel Wright paid it on his own initiative, became mysteriously a crime or a bribe when received by Senator Duffy."
Donald Bayne, lawyer, defending Senator Mike Duffy

"Since the start of this investigation in 2013, a team of investigators from our Sensitive and International Investigations Section pored over four years' worth of expense claims, bank statements, phone records and thousands of emails. They interviewed numerous witnesses from British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Prince Edward Island."
"As I stated earlier, this investigation started as a referral into expense claims. Since then, investigators followed numerous leads and today's charges are the result of a careful examination of the facts."
"This morning, the RCMP has laid a total of 31 charges against Mr. Duffy relating to the avenues I have outlined."
Gille Michaud, commanding officer, RCMP National Division

Reuters/REUTERS - Senator Mike Duffy arrives at the Senate on Parliament Hill in Ottawa in this October 28, 2013 file photo

Fraud totalling $200,000, viewed by Senator Duffy as his entitlements, but by the investigators as criminal wrong-doing. RCMP officer Michaud stressed in his statement that the charges brought against Senator Duffy represent the "result of a careful examination of the facts". Facts are immutable, they point out episodes that have occurred, and the whys and wherefores of their having occurred. They represent an unpleasant reality often enough.

The investigation focused on Mr. Duffy's housing claims; his having claimed a cottage on PEI as his principal residence, his long-time home in Ottawa his secondary residence; his travel claims for what on occasion seem to have been partisan work or private trips he embarked upon; along with his having generously dispensed a sum of $65,000 to a personal friend for consulting, a contract which appears never to have been actually carried out.

And then, of course, there is the $90,000 cheque which was forced upon the unhappily unwilling senator by Prime Minister Stephen Harper's wealthy former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, a dastardly act geared to undermine the principled impecunious senator's pride in his sense of proportionality and entitlement and honour. While Mr. Duffy faces the possibility of two to 14 years in prison should he be found guilty of breach of trust and bribery, Mr. Wright is home free.

How utterly atrocious. Leaving the despicable Mr. Wright to testify against the maligned, put-upon, gracious and affable Mr. Duffy. And the Prime Minister to stew in a pot of concern over how the renewed spotlight on Senate rules and regulations, the inappropriate appointment of appealing seeming candidates to the Senate and the consequences of favouring people with a low standard of self-rule will redound upon his chances for re-election.

Senator Duffy's unfortunate reading of the Senate entitlement rules to the point of immodestly gaining for himself a questionable $200,000 in 'benefits', imperilling the future re-election of a superlative prime minister. Tch!