02.27.2012 06:47 PM

From the “They Doth Protest Too Much” file

Last week, as in this morning’s Hill Times (below), I decried the willingness of some Liberals I liked to use the “vikileaks30” crap. For my trouble, I was called every name in the book – by former and current Liberal staffers. When Postmedia had all but convicted the NDP of being behind the smear campaign, I found that a bit odd.

No longer. A Liberal did this, and hurt his leader and his party.

So, are we now to believe that this Ontario-based staffer got those divorce pleadings all by himself? That he traveled to Manitoba and back to get them, without anyone’s help?

I don’t think so. But I do think everyone else involved in this dumpster-diving should be fired, too.

25 Comments

  1. Philippe says:

    What a contrast eh? Rae personally apologizes to the Minister – accepting responsibility for a Liberal staffer’s actions. Harper throws one under the bus hoping the whole Robocall thing goes away.

    • bertie says:

      Yes what a contrast.PM Harper is not standing up in hysterics in the house spouting Nixon verses and mouthing the usual smear of the day.What a sick bunch you Liberals are.Accepting responsibility when he was forced to and then threw one of his own under the bus.

      • Ted B says:

        What hysterics? What smear?

        Rae has asked for a public investigation. Harper has refused. There is yet another Elections Canada investigation into Conservative tactics. There is yet another criminal investigation into Conservative tactics. These were not created by the Liberals and so it is extremely relevant and, in fact, their utmost duty as Parliamentarians to drill the government on its own conduct. This is, as every Conservative I’ve seen on TV has put it, a very serious issue.

        There can be nothing more important in Parliament than ensuring we have a fair and genuine and legal democracy. Not surprising that you think standing up for democracy is a smear.

        I recall at a similar point in history, when the sponsorship scandal was just a few articles by the so-called “leftwing/Liberal” media and Harper actually accused the Prime Minister of the day of being in bed with the mob and of having directly participated in criminal activities.

        Of course, Harper refused to repeat his accusations outside of the protection of the House of Commons. Rae has said inside the House the same thing he is saying outside of the House.

      • Philippe says:

        Lay off the Jack Daniels buddy.

  2. Jon Powers says:

    Dammit Kinsella, I hate it when you occupy the moral high ground. Good on you for your consistent stance on this type of crap. You should write a book about Canadian politics or something…

  3. J.A. says:

    I agreed with Warren’s original column about Vickileaks crossing the privacy line and hurting family members inappropriately. Now I am disappointed that a Lib staffer did this, because I remember Michael Ignatieff telling a rally in Winnipeg that nastiness against Conservatives was not in his playbook. He was very clear about that. He knew that there was anger here against the tricks being played against him and other Liberals.
    Section 91 of EC Act prohibits falsehoods against opposing candidates in an election. Now we also need a “between elections respectful workplace guideline” ! ? Any volunteers to write it?

  4. que sera sera says:

    While the political & ruling elites continue to argue the ethics of Canadians knowing the truth about their Cabinet Ministers, the rest of us outside those rarefied circles wonder why a staffer who speaks the truth about power is resigning while the Minister who Humps Teenage Babysitters isn’t.

  5. que sera sera says:

    I must admit I am amazed at the arrogant presumption that the LPC and its staff is responsible for keeping Cabinet Minister’s public records from the public.

    I was unaware when I bought a membership in this political party that the burden of maintaining the privacy of other politicians public records fell on the LPC.

    Now I know. I cannot accept that my political membership includes such an unspoken Old Boys Club obligation.

    Moving on politically………. Good luck, eh.

  6. JenS says:

    It’s possible he had a buddy in Manitoba go to the courthouse and get it and fax it to him or scan and email it, or even read the more salient parts over the phone. It’s also possible that that kind of document is something the other political parties would have on background, even if they never intended to use it. There are myriad ways that he could have received the info. But I tend to agree with WK that it likely goes beyond one guy.

    • Pat says:

      You missed the point – Gord is trying to find a way to blame the “liberal media” for this…

      • JenS says:

        My response was in part to Gord (yes, I am cognizant of what he was doing there) and partially in response to WK’s allegation people must have known. There are myriad ways the documents could have been procured; ultimately, it doesn’t much matter.

        • Pat says:

          Gord – but it would also lose that paper/editor/journalist all credibility.

        • Ted B says:

          How can you “leak” a public document?

          These kinds of documents – publicly disclosed, available and accessible to anyone and everyone – circulate in Ottawa all the time. All parties have dug up this kind of stuff on all others. You hear about so-and-so going through a divorce and you go check out the disclosures. Maybe there is some allegations of truly nefarious conduct, maybe not; you don’t know until you check.

          People knew Toews was a law-breaking adulterer who had cheated on his wife with a staffer and babysitter. It is natural for opp research to want to confirm she was of age – if she wasn’t then that is a big story – and if in the proceedings anything more about his election law breaking came out – none did.

          Any MP going through a divorce or other legal proceeding can expect their documents to be reviewed by opposing parties.

          I don’t have a problem with the checking. This could have gotten into Carroll’s hands easily from any number of sources since it is all public.

          I have a problem with the publishing of the information Carroll published.

  7. Rob H. says:

    Politics is a bloody sport, but sometimes, when a party member or a party supporter takes the high ground (Ray and Kinsella) they should be admired, not criticized.

    I’m a Conservative who has roundly criticized Mssrs. Rae and Kinsella, but on this day, they get my admiration. Much of the crap that gives rise to Vikileaks and Robo-dialing arises from the misguided partsanship that eventually turns into Watergate, or, worse.

    Self-criticism makes a party stronger in the long run.. Well done.

  8. dave says:

    2 ways that i like what Rae did with the public apology today:

    It was the right thing to do;

    It clears away the vickileaks thing so that media and such can now concentrate on the robocalls thing…which has much more staying power and importance.

  9. JH says:

    I’ve agreed with WK all along and am glad to see him and those of us like him vindicated. I think as well that Mr. Rae did the best he could under trying circumstances. Now I wonder will Justin Trudeau and others like him, who contributed to this will be as classy as their leader and unreservedly apologize. Somehow I doubt it.

  10. CQ says:

    It’s next day. Has Viki lad been rehired yet, independently of course, by a separate yet interconnected old boys club company / agency?

    • Dan F says:

      No, you’re thinking of the Conservative staffer Michael Sona, who, after *stealing a ballot box* in Guelph, was hired as an assistant to Conservative MP Eve Adams (mostly so he could be conveniently thrown under the bus later when they needed someone to blame for the Election Fraud Scandal.

  11. m5slib says:

    Warren,

    I have a sincere question. I remember wondering if you were crazy when this whole thing was being blamed on the NDP, and you were pointing out Liberal staffers. Obviously, you were correct. The other thought that popped into my head when I thought (based on media reports) that this was done by the NDPis that they were perhaps becoming more agile and contemporary in their methods. I’m not sure where I settled on the whole breaching ministers’ private lives issue, but I thought at least they were doing a good job of setting the public discourse. Of course, there’s your valid mud slinging argument.

    Anyway, now that I found out that it was a Liberal staffer, I’m both disappointed and encouraged. Disappointed because our party did something underhanded, but encouraged because we kind of successfully framed and issue. Furthermore, I don’t think anyone will care that much about the staffers who did this. The damage was done to Toews, and there was a little Liberal collateral damage.

    Not that I want to promote what the Cons are doing, but they’ve been quite adept at sacrificing themselves to inflict greater damage on their opponents… I’m thinking along the lines of the pooping puffin (or whatever it was called). So after that long preamble, I guess my question is whether you think this is an example of the Liberals being more agile and combattive vis a vis the current political climate? I say that in the guise of Ignatieff and Dion not wanting to go dirty.

  12. kenzo's says:

    Gordie, Gordie, Gordie…..a note to you and all the rest of your desperate Con friends this morning. You can, and no doubt will, do your level best to stretch this Vikileak thing out. The reprehensible culprits and their behaviour (I’ve always stood with Warren and D Gardner et al on this) have been exposed, and our leader has stood on his feet, stared his political opponent in the eye, and earnestly and meaningfully apologized. A very strong signal has been sent to the troops about this reprehensible (though not illegal,) behaviour.

    Now of course, you and your chums will feel it necessary to be polluting these airwaves with nonsense. We know you will attempt to clusterfuck and obfuscate what is going to be a far larger story going forward. One that involves election fraud and breaches of the criminal code that could likely lead to jail time. This scandal will grow, and you know it.

    so this fine morning, why don’t you spare us all the cliche of your reactive behaviour and stale talking points and set about cleaning up your own rather filthy looking house. Thank you in advance.

  13. kenzo's says:

    From a fellow Liberal, a full and hearty agreement with Warren on this too- every last person involved with this, even tangentially, should be gone. This should perhaps include a knuckle wrapping for J Trudeau and any other of our caucus who promoted it (ie, revoke critic roles for a few months, etc.). Let’s be diligent and thorough, send the right signal, then get the hell down to work. We’ve got us some interesting times dead ahead…

  14. Terry Maloney says:

    Warren, I’m of two minds about all this, but it hardly matters.

    Anonymous aren’t playing by anyone’s rules but their own …

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=4l7HhsDHsw4

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-sb0-QF0ew8

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=OyOQFYeBIho

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