Remember a few months ago, when a CP story alleged some Liberal MPs were doing some leadership organizing from their Parliamentary offices?
Supporters of at least eight of the 11 leadership candidates have used MPs' offices on Parliament Hill to distribute partisan campaign material, according to e-mails obtained by The Canadian Press.
During parliamentary business hours, offices have churned out invitations on campaign letterhead to meet candidates, attend leadership launches, or get together with campaign staff.
As the article indicated, such behaviour is verboten, and must be declared as an expense to Elections Canada. While sending e-mails from the office may seem like small potatoes, rules are rules.
Of course, our conservative blogging friends went crazy at another example of evil Liberano behaviour. "More Liberal Sleaze and Corruption" said Conservative Beacon. "Don't worry, they'll pay it back" said a sarcastic Dust my Broom. Even Andrew Coyne got into the act, calling it an example of "the new-look, cleaned-up Liberal party working hard to regain your trust" with just a hint of sarcasm himself.
And many of their commenters go further. "Ah, good old fashioned Liberal values. I love the smell of scandal in the morning," said one. "The Liberal Party is digging its own grave, once again. Excellent," said another.
Wrote one commenter, called GWGM:
"Someone should tell them they're no longer 'entitled' to pull this crap. The best part of seeing these guys continue to stick to the Librano playbook is that it demonstrates that the people who continue to run this party are just not very smart. I can see them running these scams and schemes when they were in power and everyone was turning a blind eye. But now that they know the spotlight on and everyone is on the lookout for these, um, shenanigans.... they just keep on doing it. Librano corruption and stupidity... the gifts that keep on giving."
I wonder if GWGM and his friends will be as vocal now that there's evidence the Conservatives have gone even further, and are selling CPC memberships from their taxyaper funded offices? Or are the Conservatives 'entitled to pull this crap?'
From Factivism via Cowboys for Social Responsibility comes this news: Live in Okanagan-Shuswap and want to help local Conservative MP Colin Mayes in his nomination fight by buying a CPC membership? No problem, just stop by his taxpayer-funded constituency office, bring $10 and they'd be happy to sell you a membership. (Bolding mine.)
jhlyseng@shaw.cawrote:
Greetings all,
It's such a short time to help Colin win the nomination. Here is how you can do this. If you DO NOT have a Conservative Membership, please go to Colin's office at #206-3203-30 Str. (this is a couple doors down from the Access Centre, across from the library). This membership has to be purchased by this Sat. Aug. 12th; cost $10.00 (You have to be a member in order to vote).
A nomination meeting could be held as early as Sept. 4th. Please watch the papers for further information or call Heather 542-0497 or email jhlyseng@shaw.ca
I trust you don't mind my contacting you as we do need Christian men and women working on our behalf and I personally feel that Colin does this well. He is a godly man. It would be appreciated if you would spread the word to others as well.
Thank you and Blessings from Heather
Using his taxpayer funded office for political organizing? Say it ain't so, Colin! (You may remember Colin was the one that wanted to jail reporters.)
Now I said at the time that I don't support Liberal MPs doing leadership organizing from their taxpayer funded offices. I also don't support Conservative MPs waging nomination fights and selling memberships out of their taxpayer funded offices.
Both are wrong. Being the ideologically consistent folks that they are, putting principle over politics, I'm certain the conservative blogsphere is about to erupt in condemnation of Mr. Mayes' behaviour, writing about Conservative sleaze and corruption,, calling for an investigation, and so on.
Otherwise, it's just another case of the Conservatives proving "Our Principles Don't Apply to Us."
Thursday, August 10, 2006
Our principles don't apply to us, constituency office edition
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3 comments:
Good on you, Jeff
I'll second the kudos for being willing to acknowledge that the same principle should apply both ways. Though it's worth noting that the Lib posters at CFSR also seem thoroughly eager to declare the Cons' actions to be the end of the world with no attention paid to the Libs' use of the same tactics.
John Duncan was always using the Householders to campaign ( although he didn't sell memberships through that MO).
The first of the Catherine Bell NDP letters have now arrived in constituents mailboxes. as you may recall Jack Layton used the House of Commons frank to send out strategic NDP campaign material to their NDP target ridings.
Once upon a time I lived and campaigned in a Liberal held riding, and it was indeed verboten to use the Frank or the Constituency office for liberal literature or liberal meetings.
Is it a new generation of political behaviour that has lead MP's to committing white collar crime, or am I just a tad old fashioned.
Hey, what's with Wijad Khan selling his soul or is that also the new generation of politics in the 21st century?
When was the definition of Honourable changed. (Sp)
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