Senator Mike Duffy through a Nuclear at Prime Minister's Harper
Channel: GroundHog News
Date: 2013-10-23

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Duffy tells his story
Senator Mike Duffy took a direct shot at the Prime Minister's Office, drawing Stephen Harper closer into the spending scandal, Terry Milewski reports
Senator Mike Duffy finally had his say Tuesday, dropping a political bombshell before the entire Senate, by saying Prime Minister Stephen Harper told him to repay his claimed expense money, whether or not it was claimed inappropriately.

Before a stunned audience of senators and reporters in the Senate gallery, Duffy said Harper told him, in the presence of his then chief of staff Nigel Wright, it was the perception of the "base" that was important, not what Duffy said about his own innocence.

"The prime minister wasn't interested in explanations or the truth. 'It's not about what you did, it's about the perception of what you did that's been created in the media. The rules are inexplicable to our base''' Duffy said.

Harper has always maintained Duffy's expense troubles were handled by Nigel Wright, but Duffy's account puts Harper in the room.

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After Duffy's explosive speech, the prime minister's spokesman issued a release saying there was nothing new in it.

"It's on the public record. Following a caucus meeting Mr. Duffy approached the Prime Minister and raised his expenses. The Prime Minister made it clear that any inappropriate expenses should be repaid. That's it. That is the only time the Prime Minister discussed Mr. Duffy's expenses with him," Jason MacDonald wrote.

But speaking confidently in a strong voice, Duffy made it clear the meeting in question was between "just the three of us," and that it was Harper, not Wright, who provided the political solution that Duffy's expenses must be repaid.
Senator Mike Duffy leaves debate on his suspension

Media surround Senator Mike Duffy as he leaves Parliament Hill Tuesday evening after giving an explosive speech in the Senate in defence of his handling of the controversy around his expenses. The Senate was debating motions to suspend him and fellow Senators Patrick Brazeau and Pamela Wallin. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)

Despite that order from the prime minister, Duffy said he continued to protest that he had followed the rules when filling out his expenses. At that point, he related, the threats began.
He was told if he didn't comply, Conservative Senators David Tkachuk and Carolyn Stewart Olsen would issue a press release saying he was ineligible to sit in the Senate because he was not a true resident of P.E.I.

When Duffy complained he didn't even have the money to repay expenses, he related, "Nigel Wright said, 'Don't worry, I'll write the cheque.'"

The Senate was debating motions Tuesday brought by the Conservatives to suspend Duffy and fellow senators Pamela Wallin and Patrick Brazeau without pay in response to allegations involving their expense claims.

Duffy related, once the news of the cheque became known, the Prime Minister's Office reneged on its deal with him. "The PMO came back with a vengeance", he said, "the deal was off."

Duffy implicated the prime minister's current chief of staff, Ray Novak, saying Novak phoned him at his home in P.E.I. and said if he didn't resign from Conservative caucus, he would be thrown out.

Novak, Duffy said, threatened him further, telling him he would have to appear before the Senate ethics committee and would likely be expelled from the Senate.

The Government Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton was also on the call. "You've got to do this Mike, do what I'm telling you, quit the caucus within the next 90 minutes. It is the only way to save your paycheque," LeBreton said, according to Duffy.