Thursday, October 10, 2013
By Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday, October 10, 2013
Mike Duffy friend paid $65K for ‘no apparent work,’ RCMP allege
A friend of Mike Duffy was paid $65,000 by his Senate office for “little or no apparent work,” an RCMP investigator alleges in court documents filed today in Ottawa.
The RCMP are seeking banking information for Gerald Donohue, Duffy’s friend, and Senator Patrick Brazeau. Both Duffy and Brazeau were named to the Senate by Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the end of 2008.
Duffy and Brazeau are under investigation for fraud and breach of trust over their Senate expense claims, the RCMP say in the affidavits.
In the affidavit pertaining to Duffy, Cpl. Greg Horton says he believes Duffy “hired a friend as a consultant over an approximate four-year period, and paid him a total of approximately $65,000 during that time, for little or no apparent work.”
The money came out of Duffy’s Senate office budget.
Horton said in the affidavit that Donohue, was interviewed by investigators “and acknowledged that he produced no tangible work product for Duffy.”
Donohue, a former technician who worked for CTV and CBC, told investigators that he did internet research and provided verbal advice to Duffy, Horton wrote. Donohue, who ended his career as a vice-president at Baton Broadcasting (which was acquired by CTV the year he retired), had never been a consultant before then.
Duffy said Tuesday that “it would be inappropriate for me to comment while these matters are being examined by the RCMP.” (Source: CBC News)