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

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Latest Coverage:

• Peters makes donation admission 

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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

Mike Williams knew of Glenn donation in 2005, did Clark?

In  an admission by Owen Glenn today he has revealed that he had consulted with Labour Party president Mike Williams before contributing $100,000 to New Zealand First/Winston Peters so it would not be seen by Labour as "being unhelpful to its own interests".

This is interesting because it marries up with the fact that Williams boss, Helen Clark, knew about the Glenn donation back in February. 

Both Clark and Williams therefore withheld sensitive damning evidence from New Zealanders to preserve Clark's Government.

It also begs the questions did Williams tell Clark about the donation in 2005? It is not Helen Clark's style not to know everything going on regarding her party. She simply demands complete control and it defies logic and her political history for her not to have known about the Glenn donation, in 2005.

It is time Clark was forced to give evidence in her defence about what she knew and when she knew it before the Privileges Commission.

Kiwis wanna know before an election.

Williams begged Glenn for a further contribution to the Labour Party less than 2 months ago.

c Political Animal 2008

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