Peters/Clark/Glenn payola story wrap

NZ First facing 'serious and complex fraud' inquiry-NZ Herald

Helen Clark (left) and Director of the SFO Grant Liddell (right) both want answers from Winston Peters. Photos / Mark Mitchell / Glenn Jeffrey / HOS

• Clark knew of conflict of evidence in February
• Peters in Parliament
• Owen Glenn 'confused' - Cullen
• Nats divorce Peters

Winston Peters has called a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation into NZ First "ridiculous in the extreme". The SFO announced this evening it will use its powers to find out whether donations from Sir Robert Jones and the Vela brothers reached…More-NZ Herald

SFO to investigate NZ First donations - Stuff.co.nz

Peters tells SFO to charge him or go away

By TRACY WATKINS and TIM DONOGHUE - The Dominion Post

Winston Peters has vowed to meet the Serious Fraud Office's inquiry into donations to his NZ First party "head on" and labelled the investigation "ridiculous". Continued

Clark knew about Peters' donation
Peters says charge me or go away
Audio: Question time in Parliament
Blog: Should Clark have spoken up earlier?

Assorted related video

SFO to investigate NZ First (7:03) TV ONE

The noose has tightened even further around the political neck of Winston Peters with the Serious Fraud office announcing it will investigate donations made to New Zealand First... more

Nigel Roberts on the SFO donations probe (4:42) TV ONE
Close Up: The Confession (9:10) TV ONE
Guyon's politics: NZ First donation affair (5:23) TV ONE

Hide accuses TVNZ of obstructing the course of justice - TV 3

ACT Party leader Rodney Hide has been on the attack in Parliament again. This time he has alleged TVNZ obstructed the course of justice by ordering the destruction of a taped interview and transcripts.

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• Hide accuses TVNZ of obstructing the course of justice
• SFO to investigate Peters
• SFO to investigate NZ First donations
• Clark says Glenn told her about NZ First donation in February

Helen Clark uses the Nuclear Option -Political Animal Blog

"I am not a crook"

Richard Nixon 1973


I don't slow down and gawk when passing a car wreck and look away at carnage on news footage.
I will make an exception for the Winston Peters/Helen Clark/ Owen Glenn Payola scandal because it is highly satisfactory to me to see the train wreck of a Labour Government crumble before my very eyes.

Labour say they don't want nuclear power in New Zealand but the nuclear option was used on the public today when she revealed that she is donkey deep, smack in the middle of the Peters/Glenn donation scandal. Continued

Clarks credibility now see-through
John Key says Clark "has alot of explaining to do"
Winnie flame grills another Whopper

c Political Animal 2008

John Key says Clark " has alot of explaining to do"

From johnkey.co.nz

Helen Clark's stunning revelation today that she was told in February by Owen Glenn that he had donated $100,000 to Winston Peters leaves the Prime Minister with a lot of explaining to do, says National Party Leader John Key.

"This is a stunning revelation. Months have gone by since Helen Clark was informed by Mr Glenn about the $100,000 donation.

"The public was firstly told that Mr Peters had not received any money from Mr Glenn, then the public was told that Mr Peters had in fact received a donation but had not known about it, and then finally yesterday they were told that Mr Peters had personally solicited the donation.

"Today, we learnt that Helen Clark herself had the relevant information all that time.

"Helen Clark has got a lot of explaining to do today to the New Zealand public."

"The public are entitled to know why she withheld this crucial information for so long."

Helen Clark uses the Nuclear Option

"I am not a crook"

Richard Nixon 1973


I don't slow down and gawk when passing a car wreck and look away at carnage on news footage.
I will make an exception for the Winston Peters/Helen Clark/ Owen Glenn Payola scandal because it is highly satisfactory to me to see the train wreck of a Labour Government crumble before my very eyes.

Labour say they don't want nuclear power in New Zealand but the nuclear option was used on the public today when she revealed that she is donkey deep, smack in the middle of the Peters/Glenn donation scandal.

Helen Clark knew back in February that Peters had received $100,000 from Owen Glenn because Glenn told Clark that when he came to New Zealand on Government business in February 2008.

She has been watching on the sidelines for 6 months.

She has seen his denials, watched his performances in New Zealand and attempts overseas to bring democracy to Fiji and relied on his support in the house to pass important legislation, that changes New Zealanders' lives-the latest legislation the economy crushing Emissions Trading Bill.

She had a chance to bring this to a head 6 months ago, she had the evidence but because she wanted to protect herself politically, so chose to say nothing.

She came out today with the H Bomb simply because any further evidence from Glenn to the Privileges Committee next Thursday would have put Clark in a very difficult decision.

This afternoon Labour has also called Owen Glenn "confused" about his recollection of events regarding the money that Winston Peters asked Glenn for, even though it is Peters whose lies have been clearly exposed.

Glenn has been one of Labour's biggest donors and has given them a total of $600,000 over the last 3 years, $100,000 of it was denied by the Labour Party president earlier this year , Mike Williams, and he and his party were therefore embroiled in a similar donation scandal earlier this year.

Critiquing your major donor isn't a good look or smart, especially when he probably has evidence that will bring down the Labour support partner Winston Peter's NZ First.

Clark in effect has covered up for her Minister Winston Peters and now her thin veil of respectability has been completely demolished.

This isn't the first time Clark's credibility has been exposed and it wont be the last.

New Zealanders need and deserve more than the banana republic that we have become.

Clark must now call an early election and let the people decide if they forgive her for her latest cover-up.


Related Political Animal reading

Clarks credibility now see-through
Clarks rudeness to Owen Glenn plumbs new depths
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

Helen Clarks thin credibility now see-through

What is left of Helen Clark's credibility is being sorely tested on her stance over the Winston Peters payola scandal.

In the face of more overwhelming evidence that Peters has lied over accepting money from Owen Glenn and various other sources, Helen maintains the banana republic status quo.

She is hanging onto power with a tenuous grip and using Peters vote and support for confidence and supply so her Labour Party can pass the Emissions Trading Bill.

It makes John Key's move yesterday to distance himself from Peters a political coup that is mainly reserved for the more experienced hacks in the Labour Party junta.

c Political Animal 2008