Correspondence between Duffy and fellow Conservative senator and committee chair David Tkachuk — slugged “confidential” but obtained by the Citizen — shows that Duffy admitted he had charged per diems for several days when he was not actually in the National Capital Region.
“Following our informal conversation, Tuesday evening, I went through my files for January 2012,” Duffy wrote to Tkachuk on April 18.
“I discovered that through a clerical error, per diems were inadvertently charged for several days when I was not in the National Capital Region.”
Duffy blames this on his regular staff member going away on maternity leave, saying it was a temporary replacement who processed the claim.
“This claim was clearly not appropriate, and I will reimburse The Senate without hesitation.”
A week later, however, Tkachuk wrote back with a sternly-worded rebuke.
“At the outset of Deloitte’s investigation into your claims, you and your lawyer were asked to provide additional documents and to meet with Deloitte. Despite repeated attempts, it is our understanding that no additional documents were provided to Deloitte nor did you or your lawyer meet with them.”
Then, Tkachuk tells Duffy the report is already now wrapping up and that his committee “is of the opinion your concerns should have been addressed to Deloitte before the preparation of the report.”
Still, some questions: Was Duffy told about problems with January 2012 per diems in this “informal conversation” with Tkachuk? And if Duffy wasn’t in Ottawa on those days, where was he?
Duffy, who has already committed to pay back $90,000 in expenses, could not be reached for comment Thursday morning.
Another document obtained by the Citizen shows that a Senate accounting of Duffy’s expenses put them at $81,332.54, plus an additional $8,839.70 in interest, for a grand total of $90,172.24.
Original Article
Source: blogs.ottawacitizen.com
Author: Glen McGregor
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