Canada PoliticsWallin audit complete, Harb could me in more hot water and NDP take advantage of Senate shenanigans
It's seems you can 't go more than two or three days this summer without stumbling across another shameful Senate story.
The Canadian Press is now reporting that former Liberal — now independent — Senator Mac Harb could be dealing with yet another scandal.
CP claims that Harb borrowed $55,000 from a company owned by Brian Karam — an Ottawa-based lawyer who has done business with the federal government — to pay back a portion of his improperly claimed living expenses.
The Criminal Code states that government officials cannot accept an “advantage or benefit” of money from someone who deals with the federal government without first getting written permission.
That part of the Criminal Code is one of the reasons why the RCMP is investigating Harb’s Senate colleague Mike Duffy, who accepted $90,000 from Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s former chief of staff, Nigel Wright, to cover his own improper housing claims.
According to CP, the Senate "refuses to say" whether or not Harb obtained permission for the loan.
Harb, of course, continues to be investigated by the RCMP who allege that he claimed an"uninhabitable home" as his primary residence in order to collect a taxpayer funded Senate living allowance.
[ Related: RCMP alleges Senator Patrick Brazeau committed breach of trust over housing claims ]
The Senate should probably brace for more bad news, next week as well.
CBC News is reporting that the audit into Senator Pamela Wallin's travel expenses is complete and will be tabled before a Senate committee on Monday.
Wallin is under fire for claiming more than $375,000 in travel claims in just two years. She claims that some of her expense filings were due to staff errors and has preemptively paid back at least $38,000.
[ More Politics: Harper family continues to live at 24 Sussex, stalling urgent renovations ]
Meanwhile, the New Democrats, the only major party who want to see the Senate abolished, are capitalizing on all the scandals. On Thursday, the NDP are poised to announce an end-of-summer cross country anti-Senate tour.
The campaign will include leader Thomas Mulcair and a cadre of supporters knocking on PEI doors mockingly looking for Senator Mike Duffy.
(Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press)
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