OTTAWA — An Elections Canada investigator has begun contacting contributors to Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro’s 2008 election campaign to inquire about alleged reimbursements paid by a company owned by the MP’s cousin.
Investigator Ronald Lamothe this week telephoned several donors who had each given $1,000 to Del Mastro’s campaign or riding association during the election.
But according to a lawyer who represents a group of donors, Lamothe didn’t get very far.
“My people are not talking to them,” said Allan Kaufman. “They’re like a clam.”
Kaufman had previously offered his clients’ testimony to Elections Canada in exchange for immunity from prosecution. The agency’s legal counsel rebuffed the offer, saying that only federal prosecutors could offer immunity.
Without a guarantee they won’t be prosecuted, Kaufman says, his clients will remain silent.
“We just want our people to be protected and we’ll tell Elections Canada whatever they want to know,” he said.
“They’re going to have trouble getting a conviction without what I call the little people talking.”
Lamothe’s calls come six weeks after the Citizen and Postmedia News first reported on allegations that some donors received $1,050 in reimbursements from Deltro Electric Ltd., a small Mississauga contractor owned by David Del Mastro.
Records filed with Elections Canada show that 19 people with links to Deltro gave $1,000 each to either the Del Mastro campaign or the Peterborough Conservative riding association.
David Del Mastro has denied he paid any reimbursements and said he only asked people to donate voluntarily. Allegations to the contrary were likely coming from a disgruntled former employee, he said.
One former Deltro employee gave a sworn statement to the Citizen describing how David Del Mastro asked employees to recruit friends or family into the alleged scheme. The Citizen later obtained copies of two Deltro cheques in the amount of $1,050 each, payable to people who soon after made $1,000 donations.
Kaufman said he suspects Elections Canada may be trying to build a case without his clients’ help, possibly by first obtaining a court order for Deltro’s banking records. There is no indication, however, that the agency has taken that step.
The New Democratic Party says Elections Canada doesn’t have the mandate to investigate the Deltro allegations and has asked Justice Minister Rob Nicholson to call in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the director of public prosecutions.
Nicholson’s office says the DPP operates independently and if anyone has information about wrongdoing, they can contact a law enforcement agency directly.
Dean Del Mastro, who serves as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and has been his party’s pointman defending the robocalls scandal, is under a separate investigation by Elections Canada. He allegedly breached the spending limit on the same 2008 campaign and attempting to conceal the expense, according to a sworn statement filed by Thomas Ritchie, another Elections Canada investigator.
Del Mastro has denied he broke spending rules and claims he will be exonerated of all allegations.
His lawyer said last month that Del Mastro had agreed to give a “cautioned” statement to Elections Canada — meaning that it could be used against the MP in legal proceedings. Del Mastro had previously declined to speak under caution and complained that he hadn’t been given a chance to speak to Elections Canada on a less-formal basis.
It is unclear, however, if Del Mastro has been interviewed or if he will be. Elections Canada will not even confirm the investigation and neither Del Mastro nor his lawyer, Jeff Ayotte, have responded to repeated emails and phone calls requesting comment.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: GLEN MCGREGOR AND STEPHEN MAHER
Investigator Ronald Lamothe this week telephoned several donors who had each given $1,000 to Del Mastro’s campaign or riding association during the election.
But according to a lawyer who represents a group of donors, Lamothe didn’t get very far.
“My people are not talking to them,” said Allan Kaufman. “They’re like a clam.”
Kaufman had previously offered his clients’ testimony to Elections Canada in exchange for immunity from prosecution. The agency’s legal counsel rebuffed the offer, saying that only federal prosecutors could offer immunity.
Without a guarantee they won’t be prosecuted, Kaufman says, his clients will remain silent.
“We just want our people to be protected and we’ll tell Elections Canada whatever they want to know,” he said.
“They’re going to have trouble getting a conviction without what I call the little people talking.”
Lamothe’s calls come six weeks after the Citizen and Postmedia News first reported on allegations that some donors received $1,050 in reimbursements from Deltro Electric Ltd., a small Mississauga contractor owned by David Del Mastro.
Records filed with Elections Canada show that 19 people with links to Deltro gave $1,000 each to either the Del Mastro campaign or the Peterborough Conservative riding association.
David Del Mastro has denied he paid any reimbursements and said he only asked people to donate voluntarily. Allegations to the contrary were likely coming from a disgruntled former employee, he said.
One former Deltro employee gave a sworn statement to the Citizen describing how David Del Mastro asked employees to recruit friends or family into the alleged scheme. The Citizen later obtained copies of two Deltro cheques in the amount of $1,050 each, payable to people who soon after made $1,000 donations.
Kaufman said he suspects Elections Canada may be trying to build a case without his clients’ help, possibly by first obtaining a court order for Deltro’s banking records. There is no indication, however, that the agency has taken that step.
The New Democratic Party says Elections Canada doesn’t have the mandate to investigate the Deltro allegations and has asked Justice Minister Rob Nicholson to call in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the director of public prosecutions.
Nicholson’s office says the DPP operates independently and if anyone has information about wrongdoing, they can contact a law enforcement agency directly.
Dean Del Mastro, who serves as parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and has been his party’s pointman defending the robocalls scandal, is under a separate investigation by Elections Canada. He allegedly breached the spending limit on the same 2008 campaign and attempting to conceal the expense, according to a sworn statement filed by Thomas Ritchie, another Elections Canada investigator.
Del Mastro has denied he broke spending rules and claims he will be exonerated of all allegations.
His lawyer said last month that Del Mastro had agreed to give a “cautioned” statement to Elections Canada — meaning that it could be used against the MP in legal proceedings. Del Mastro had previously declined to speak under caution and complained that he hadn’t been given a chance to speak to Elections Canada on a less-formal basis.
It is unclear, however, if Del Mastro has been interviewed or if he will be. Elections Canada will not even confirm the investigation and neither Del Mastro nor his lawyer, Jeff Ayotte, have responded to repeated emails and phone calls requesting comment.
Original Article
Source: ottawa citizen
Author: GLEN MCGREGOR AND STEPHEN MAHER
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