Clarks lies should bury her 4th term chances

Because Winston Peters is unlikely to get seriously dealt to (and will probably get more support from his supporters) for any of the highly corrupt things that he has done regarding donations from various sources and lobbying for those donations, the spotlight must go back on Helen Clark and her involvement in the whole saga.

We remember that she lied about her knowledge of the Glenn donations to Peters earlier this year and now we find that her involvement is central to Owen Glenn's Honorary Consul appointment to Monaco that Winston Peters was lobbying for.

The Prime Minister was so concerned about Winston Peters' lobbying for Owen Glenn to become honorary consul to Monaco that she told the Foreign Affairs Department to let her know if it happened again, the Herald understands. Audrey Young, NZ Herald

Why would Clark get involved in foreign affairs ministry business if she didn't already have knowledge of Glenn's 2005 donation to Peters?

Email evidence between ministry officials tends to pass question on Labours knowledge of Peters attempts to get a consul position for Owen Glenn:

The papers also show the ministry stone-walling Mr Peters' attempts to get Mr Glenn appointed.

The ministry official in Mr Peters' office last August, Rob Moore-Jones, wrote to deputy secretary Peter Hamilton on August 30 last year: "Peter, just to let you know that Minister had another go last night about the above [Monaco] - still a raw nerve there!" Audrey Young, NZ Herald

Still a "raw nerve" indeed. This conversation shows that ministry officials had direction from a higher office.

I would contend that the direction to stonewall came from Helen Clark's office and Owen Glenn contends that Labour and Clark knew of the lobbying and Glenn's donation to Winston Peters.

This is also in the light of Labour receiving $500,000 from Glenn and further pleas by Labour for more money this year. 

What other reason would there be stonewalling?

Yet Clark still has Winston Peters in her political clutches, being paid for not doing his job and will use him again to try and cobble together a post 2008 election government.

I would really like to see Clark put under the griller by the same "journalists" that gave Lockwood Smith a hard time over revealing facts about various new immigrants and their work practices and turned that story into one about racism.

Unfortunately we are unlikely to see ambush Inquisitions of Helen Clark from the Duncan Garners of this world simply because they want to maintain good relations so as to get access to the Prime Ministers office in the future.

Watch for more spin from Labour and "new" "leaks" about National party ministers to take the heat off.

Pass the banana, I'm all full up here.


Related Political Animal reading

Clark stretches new Peters revelation into wafer thin excuse



c Political Animal 2008

TV3, 60 Minutes, Owen Glenn Doco, Monday 20 October 2008

An interesting TV3 60 Minutes segment on Monday 20 October 2008 is the story of Owen Glenn, and some more input on donations to New Zealand First and the Labour Party and his regret at doing so.

Reporter Karen McCarthy meets the man who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to New Zealand political parties, and then regretted every cent.

This is Owen Glenn as you have never seen him before. He is having fun handing out his money, sunning himself on an exclusive Fijian Island with his gorgeous entourage and talking about his life.

Why does he want to donate so much of his wealth? How rich is he anyway? What kind of happiness does extreme money bring? And is he as lonely as he sometimes looks?

TV3.co.nz

A timely reminder of how low the present caretaker Government, the Labour Party are, and just one of the scandals they have been involved in this year, the latest one being the donation for passport saga.

c Political Animal 2008

Priveleges Committee's light censure redefines Helen Clark's meaning of "trust"

The report into the Privileges Committee hearing into Owen Glenn's $100,000 donation to Winston Peters has just been released and it looks like Kiwis are going to be whitewashed by Labour and its political bed mates, again:

The privileges committee has recommended Winston Peters be censured for "knowingly providing false or misleading information on a return of pecuniary interests".

In its report the committee said it found no evidence that Mr Peters made an "honest attempt" to find out whether any donations had been received before making his return in February 2006, despite his knowledge of his arrangement with Mr Henry (Peters' lawyer Brian Henry) and the likelihood of donations being received towards his costs.

The report recommended that, within seven days of the House ordering him to do so, Peters be ordered to file amended returns for 2006, 2007 and 2008 to include "all debts, gifts and payments in kind that he has not previously registered".

The report went on to say that the majority of committee members believed Mr Peters "had some knowledge of the $100,000 donation".The report said a majority of committee members believed Mr Peters had committed "a contempt".

NZ Herald

It looks like Peters is going to get hit over the knuckles with a wet bus ticket even though the majority of the Privelges Committee believed Peters had "committed a contempt" because it doesn't appear he is going to suffer ANY substantial penalty for lying to Parliament about whether he got the donation and then lying to the committee, breaking electoral law by not declaring the Glenn donation, and compounding the whole sordid mess by making up stories as the saga unfolded.

The light finding is basically due to the representatives on the Privileges Committee from Labour ,The Maori Party and The Green Party not finding the compelling evidence furnished by Owen Glenn valid over the fabrications of Winston Peters and his lawyer Brian Henry.

Most Kiwis lay on Glenn's side because Winston's story is, well, made up.

It just goes to show when the Prime Minister said last week that "the election was going to be about trust", little did we know is that it excluded her from her own description because she clearly cannot be trusted.

Of course we know Helen Clark has lied over her own involvement in the Owen Glenn/Peters donation scandal so it is in her and her parties interest for the finding from the Privileges Committee to come down the way it has.

Gag me with a spoon, because I think I am going to be sick.

c Political Animal 2008

NZ HERALD: Peters/Glenn saga wrap

A wrap of yesterday and this mornings coverage of the Peters/Glenn Donation saga from the New Zealand Herald. 

Including breaking stories and new information about Labour Party president Mike Williams deeper involvement.

Dramatic damning evidence against Winston Peters was provided by Owen Glenn yesterday.

Phone records, affidavits and written evidence backing Glenn's continued claims that he gave $100,000 to Peters and that Peters had been aware of that donation back in 2005 when he solicited it,  in July 2008, as he has ascertained.

Today Peters will give his rejoinder to the Privileges Committee to Glenn's statements made yesterday and he will have to spin and or fight the hardest he has ever fought for his political future.

Peters donation row website

More

Latest Coverage:

• Peters makes donation admission 

---

Owen Glenn. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Crucifix at hand as Glenn enters the lions' den

A tiny crucifix sits on the desk in front of Owen Glenn. It is wooden with a silver Christ and is the first thing he gets out when he sits down and the first thing he picks up… More

Peters makes donation admission 

4:00AM Wednesday September 10, 2008

By Patrick Gower

Winston Peters has for the first time admitted some knowledge of the Spencer Trust and its $80,000 donation…More

• Peters rails against 'prejudiced' Privileges Committee

Glenn's version: How the deal was done

4:00AM Wednesday September 10, 2008

By Patrick Gower

AUGUST 12, 2005 Winston Peters and Mr Glenn meet for the first time in Sydney before Bledisloe Cup test. Meeting was asked for by Mr Peters' adviser Roger McClay. Mr Glenn consulted Labour Party… More

c NZ Herald & Political Animal 2008

Phone records contradict Peters 

Monaco-based businessman Owen Glenn presented compelling evidence at Parliament yesterday suggesting New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lied over what he knew of the billionaire's $100,0000 donation. Mr Glenn arrived at the privileges committee…More

• Peters rails against 'prejudiced' Privileges Committee

BREAKING NEWS: Horse trainer backs Glenn's version in donations row

Owen Glenn fronted the Privileges Committee to defend his reputation over the NZ First donations scandal. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Updated 4:06PM Tuesday September 09, 2008
By Patrick Gower and Claire Trevett

• Peters rails against 'prejudiced' Privileges Committee

Peters donation row

• Peters knew about secret trust - sources
• Owen Glenn: I'm here to clear my name

Melbourne Cup winning horse trainer Paul Moroney has backed up Owen Glenn's version of events in the New Zealand First donations row.

Mr Moroney said in an affidavit to Parliament's Privileges Committee today that he was at a lunch at Karaka in 2006 at which Winston Peters thanked Mr Glenn for his help.

continued at NZ Herald

Hell hath no fury like a donor scorned

The biggest donor to the Labour Party, Owen Glenn, will give evidence to clear his name today when he goes into a Privileges Committee hearing in relation to the $100,000 donation he gave to Winston Peters and NZ First.

He has been travelling for near two days, has been taken away from his business at hand and he must be absolutely pissed-with Winston Peters and the Labour Party.

Peters and Labour have been royally slagging off Glenn's reputation with an orchestrated smear campaign in order to discredit his character and reputation. 

Accusations of Glenn's mental capability, memory and stability have been spread by Trevor Mallard, the bully boy of the Labour Party.

Glenn has been a donor to several causes in New Zealand, to the tune of multi millions of dollars, including the Labour Party but Clark or any other member of her party will not even meet with him.

He now clearly regrets supporting Labour and Winston Peter's party and will avenge his good name this afternoon.

c Political Animal 2008

Blood Brother unwilling to give in Glenn donation saga

D day has come for Winston Peters and the details over his donation from Owen Glenn, made to him or his party or his lawyer-the story is different whoever you talk to and what time of day it is.

The Privileges Committee sits this afternoon where Owen Glenn will give his version of events, which haven't differed in all his accounts.

Glenn has said he is there to "clear his name" whatever the consequences for the players and I don't blame him for his bluntness. He is a busy man.

The missing link in all of this though appears to be Peter's lawyer Brian Henry, Peter's "blood brother".

Henry is "overseas" and it is unclear as to whether he will be giving evidence in Peters defence tomorrow when the Privileges Committee sits again with Winnie giving his newest version of events, again.

I cant understand why a person that is supposedly at the centre of this whole scandal-Peters and Henry contend it was Henry that was the bag man, while Glenn has given affidavits that it was Peters-and a self confessed "blood brother" of Peters wouldn't be there in Winnies hour of need.

I'm guessing he isn't because his testimony would be deleterious to Peters than it already has been.

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peter's scrutiny tazered by Annette King

c Stan Blanch 2008

Scrutiny of new revelations over Owen Glenn revealing in a letter to the Privileges Committee today that Winston Peters solicited $1000,000 from him and on a separate occasion Peters thanking him for "helping him" and his NZ First Party, was delayed in parliament today when Labour sought a rare snap debate on the possibility that Tazers could be introduced so the police could use them.

Labour have had 18 months to make a decision on this matter and chose today to have a snap debate simply to delay scrutiny of Helen Clark's Labour Government and its support of Winston Peters and his clear problem with the truth.

c Political Animal 2008

Winston Peters got secret donations from Owen Glenn

Ahh, Tony Veitch has had his 15 minutes of fame and now its back to politics for Journos at the NZ Herald.

Winston "Baubles" Peters has probably been caught our lying, again. When evidence uncovered in emails from John Glenn suggest that Peters got secret donations from him. This was in addition to hushed donations made by Glenn to the Labour Party before and after the 2005 election.

Peter's denials of such donations previously were strident and to the point. NO he didn't get money from Glenn.

Controversy over theft 0f $158,000 of taxpayers money still surrounds Peters and his party. He still refuses to pay it back from where it came. The taxpayer.

Ahh, come back Tony all is forgiven.

5:00AM Saturday July 12, 2008
By Audrey Young

Photo / Mark Mitchell

Controversy over secret political funding is likely to be reignited by private emails that suggest Labour's biggest donor also gave money to NZ First.

The emails suggest repeated denials by Foreign Minister Winston Peters that his New Zealand First Party received a donation from businessman Owen Glenn appear to be incorrect.

A private email from Mr Glenn to his public relations man in New Zealand says he did give the party a donation.

Mr Peters was last night sticking by his story, saying through a spokesman that Mr Glenn had not given the party money - "he did not" - but he refused any other comment.

The conflicting stories raise credibility issues, as Mr Peters produced a large "NO" sign at a press conference soon after questions of a donation to his party arose.

Continued

Related Political Animal reading

Snouts in the trough bent out of shape
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008

Labour first to break own Electoral Finance Act

Political Animal Electoral Finance Act coverage

2008 Electoral Finance Act protest
Electoral Finance Act March Mar 9, 2008
Electoral Finance Bill Vote
NZ losses democratic freedom
Mike Moore turns the knife
List of MPs who voted for Act
Cartoon and comment
2007 Auckland Protest against EFB
The purpose of the Bill is clear

The Labour Party has been the first political party to breach the Electoral Finance Act, but it is to be let off with a warning, friends in high places I think.

The Electoral Commission met on Wednesday to consider whether a number of political pamphlets breached the new act.

It found that the Labour Party's booklet entitled We're Making a Difference is an election advertisement, and needed an authorisation statement.

The commission says that as it is the first breach of the Electoral Finance Act, it will use this as an example.

But it says political parties are on notice that any similar breaches will be referred to police.

As is usual with grubby, raincoat wearing socialists, it is a case of do as I say, not as I do and the state apparatus has fallen in behind. Isn't the example better made by prosecuting rather than letting the law breakers get off?

Absolutely. But we shouldn't be surprised of course. This bunch passed retrospective law to make stealing taxpayers money to buy the 2005 election legal.

There is still no news about the $100,000.00 loan made to the Labour party by Owen Glenn after the 2005 election and not disclosed.



Related Political Animal reading

Owen Glenn: Snouts in the trough
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

c Political Animal 2008

Owen Glenn given the cold shoulder

c Stuff 2008

A picture tells at least a $600,000.00 story.

Billionaire Owen Glenn is protected by bully boy Trevor Mallard from the clutches of her former friend and secret donor to the Labour Party.

Trevor was hear to say from someone just out of frame of this picture-possibly Winston Peters, " Helen my dear, should I do to Glenn what I did to Tau Henare?"

Related Political Animal reading

Snouts in the trough bent out of shape
The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best
Mallards new anti violence advert
Trevor mallard must go

c Political Animal 2008

Owen Glenn: Snouts in the trough bent out of shape

If you haven seem Emerson's take on the Owen Glenn scandal I thought I would share it with you here.


NZ Herald's coverage of Owen Glenn Scandal

Labour president offers to quit over Owen Glenn saga
Glenn offered Howard Morrison $1m to stand as MP
Honour not for loans, says Clark
Peters fury over handling of millionaire donation story
Donor now says Labour offered Monaco post
Business school 'crucial' to NZ success
Clark must explain quote, says National
Big heart, deep pockets
Labour should squirm over links to billionaire
Clark denies offering post to supporter
This building means business


The little Labour piggy though clearly got kicked out of Owen Glenn's "rich prick" billionaire sty because the chief sow wouldn't go anywhere near him today.


Photo Glenn Estcourt, NZ Herald

Glenn is spirited away from Clark by
Trevor "the bash" Mallard. Clark kept her
distance the whole evening of the opening
of the business school that bears Owen Glenn's
name, and the reason he got a Government
Honour in the New Years list.


For the life of me I cant understand why a political party like Labour would first of all take a donation for the 2005 election from the likes of an individual who they would call a "rich prick" and pays no tax, which they also despise, then take a secret "loan" from him after the election and then try to avoid him at all costs.

At the time of the concealed secret $100,000.00 loan made by Owen Glenn to Labour, Helen Clark and her minions were railing against "big money" and "secret donations" that the National Party had apparently benefited from, when they debated the anti democratic , anti freedom of speech Electoral Finance Bill.

So its only big money and secret donations when your opposition gets the benefit. It seems that is it.

There is more to go on this scandal and it has all the participants running for cover, covering up, lying to protect themselves, political friends and their careers.

In a saga and acting job worthy of an Oscar for best fictional adaption of a screenplay, Clark asked her Labour Party President to render his resignation to her today and then refused it.

This is typical Helen Clark stuff, deflect the rightful responsibility for her or party's errors or corruption by attacking her rightful accusers, then blame either a public official, junior minister or in this case Mike Williams, the Labour Party Prez.

Even Clark's lapdog Winston Peters has got in on the act. Rumours abound as to where the money came from to pay off the $158,000.00 of taxpayer money he stole to fund his 2005 election bid last year.

A secret donation of around $100,000.00 was made into party coffers at the end of 2007. Was it from Glenn? Nobody from NZ First is denying the accusation.


Related Political Animal reading

The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note
Labour Party Election funding murky at best

C Political Animal 2008

The Owen Glenn story: Singing the same tune but hitting a bum note

The revelations over Owen Glenn and his murky donations to the Labour Party before and after the 2005 election have taken another turn today.

All sides are now saying what was reported in an interview with Glenn last week was a misunderstanding, taken out of context and statements made by Glenn, such as the assertion he made and was very clear about, that he was offered the post of Minister of Transport in a Labour Government by Helen Clark were light hearted comments misunderstood by the journalist.

Clark initially denied any such offer had been made when the proverbial hit the fan last Friday commenting that "...it didn't happen" but yesterday was reported as saying:

"... could not remember discussing the issue with Glenn, but if it had come up, it would not have been a serious conversation".

Typical Helen Clark backtrack stuff.

Followed by Glenn's statement to the Media:

"I was not offered a Cabinet position. My comments on this matter were light-hearted and have been taken out of context," he said.

"It is unfortunate that some comments I made to a journalist last week have been taken out of context and are now being used as a political football".

The blanket agreement now over what really happened seems a little too convenient for this reader.

As to the murkiness over the secret "loan" of $100,000.00 made after the 2005 election the fact that Labour kept it secret seems more than a little disingenuous when the money was gifted during the heady days of the electoral finance bill debate, where the contention by Labour was that political funding "should be transparent" and political parties must be upfront about just who is funding them.

Clearly this didn't apply to themselves.

So far this major controversy hasn't hit the mainstream media, The Herald, their competition and the blogs have picked it up but the TV networks have done their best to avoid it like the plague.

The media saturation over the secrecy of the Brethren donations in 2005 stands in stark contrast.

Parliament sits today Listen to Parliament (only during sitting, Tues-Thurs, 2.00pm , NZ time) and National must seize on this with both hands and take it to Labour.

We have a Government steeped in a very murky funding issue and their assertions over the Electoral Finance Act, that" funding must be transparent" must be given closer scrutiny.


Related Political Animal reading

Labour Party Election funding murky at best


C Political Animal 2008

Labour Party election funding murky at best

c Stan Blanch 2008


The stench surrounding the funding of the Labour Party by ex pat Kiwi Owen Glenn prior to the 2005 election just gets more pungent and darkly ominous, as the weeks and months pass.

Glenn gave NZ$500,000.00 to Labour Party coffers to bolster their empty pockets in the run up the the 2005 stolen election(Labour took over $800,000.00 of taxpayer money to illegally fund their campaign) nothing wrong with that, big money shouldn't be a problem to fund an election run.

It seems though that there is more than meets the eye to this generous individuals gift.

If the bestowing for Glenn, of a New Years honour this year wasn't enough, it seems that the layers of the onion that are the gift to the Labour Party appear to be peeling off to reveal a bit of a rotten core.

It certainly isn't the gift that keeps on giving.

Glenn has revealed that he gifted the money to Labour because of concerns that he had over the Brethren spending their own money(not taxpayers dear readers) to campaign against Labour and the Greens.

But curiously, Glenn made his first donation of $200,000 to Labour in 2004, well before the Brethren's involvement in the 2005 election became public knowledge.

A slip of memory on Glenn's part?

According to Labour Party president Mike Williams yes: "Owen is confused about the timing".

Williams seems very confused since he himself admitted in a May 5 2005 story in the New Zealand Herald that Glenn had been paying funds directly into Labour Party coffers beginning in 2004 and to the tune of $200,000.

The biggest possible scandal exists directly with the Prime Minister though.

Glenn has been reported as saying that he was offered the post of Minister of Transport by Helen Clark, in order to get him back to New Zealand.

Clark has denied Glenn's assertion that he was offered a job in the Labour Cabinet saying on Friday, "...it did not happen..."

Now we have all heard the Prime Minister lie before and caught out multiple times, so Fridays denial seems a trifle perplexing given the status Owen Glenn has reached in his business life. Impeccable business acumen, honesty and straightforwardness have been trademarks of his throughout his distinguished life.

Glenn also loaned the party $100,000.00 to employ fund raisers after the 2005 election, it was paid back without interest but the interest forgone seems to have been in breach of the electoral rules.

I'm unsure whether the changing of the appropriate electoral laws by Labour after the 2005 election to make their illegal pilfering of $800,000.00 of taxpayer funds legal has also made this latest reported breach legal retrospectively, but it bares thinking about when you cast a vote this year.

Whichever way you look at this situation it stinks worse than Parakura Horomia's socks on a wet hot day in Wellington.

Labour have passed laws to crack down on other political parties for the 2008 election but it seems they have some skeletons in the closet left over from 2005.

The funding from Labours wealthy foreign domiciled backers during the 2005 election needs to be looked at more closely by the appropriate authorities and the public of this country cant be fobbed off again by the likes of a Prime Minister who wouldn't know the truth if it came up and shook her hand then slapped her in the face with it.

The public have a right to the truth.

Clearly this scrutiny should also be applied to the coming election for if we can be sure of one thing, Labour will try similar ploys again.


Related Political Animal reading

NZ Herald gets nasty over the Electoral Finance Bill
Electoral Finance Bill: Day of Protest
Electoral Finance Bill: The purpose is clear
Mike Moore turns the knife on Electoral Finance Bill

C Political Animal 2008