Advertisement

Do the Mike Duffy charges affect the Conservative Party’s chances at re-election?

The federal Liberals and New Democrats are trying to make some summer hay out of the Mike Duffy senate scandal.

On Thursday, the RCMP laid 31 charges — of fraud, breach of trust and bribery — against the embattled suspended senator.

The charges are connected to Duffy's expense claims with regard to a secondary residence in Ottawa, expense claims with regard to personal and partisan travel, the rewarding of senate contracts and the circumstances surrounding the $90,000 cheque gifted to him from Nigel Wright, the prime minister's former chief of staff.

Duffy's first court date is scheduled for September 16th — coincidentally the day after Parliament resumes sitting.

[ Related: RCMP charge Sen. Mike Duffy with fraud, breach of trust and bribery ]

Duffy's lawyer released a statement, late Wednesday, noting that his client looks forward to an "impartial forum and fair hearing."

Meanwhile, the opposition parties took aim at Stephen Harper.

"These charges and the scandal stem from the poor judgment of the prime minister," NDP MP Nycole Turmel told reporters, according to the Canadian Press.

"The buck stops with Stephen Harper."

Liberal MP Marc Garneau also claimed that the charges against Duffy reflect badly on Harper.

"Mike Duffy is a legislator in Canada's Parliament and the prime minister of this country is the one who put him there."

[ Related: Mike Duffy is my father, Peruvian woman claims in a lawsuit ]

The charges will certainly make the Conservative Party uncomfortable especially since Mike Duffy's camp has hinted — in the past — that they wouldn't hesitate to call senior party officials to the witness stand.

But will the charges — and the impending trial — affect the Harper Conservatives' chances at re-election?

We asked that question to a panel of political experts.

Here are their responses:

Frank Graves, President and CEO of polling company Ekos Research

"It's never a good thing for a sitting government to have one of their erstwhile stars going through what will be a protracted and pyrotechnical trial. This profound problem is worsened by two factors. One the fact that it will unfold concomitantly to the critical pre-campaign period.

"And second, the government is hardly on high ground with the public on this. The public have told us they are much more likely to believe Duffy than the [prime minister]. So it really couldn't have been a worse constellation of potential havoc for a government approaching a reelection bid in pretty dire straits to begin with.

"Scratch the speculation about early election call. The government will batten down the hatches and wait this out I would think."

Keith Beardsley, Political analyst and former Stephen Harper adviser

"Serious charges but we have to keep in mind that nothing has been proven in court. However this will cause the government much grief when the House of Commons returns. A real gift for the opposition parties."

Gerry Nicholls, Political communications consultant:

"It won't do the Conservative Party much damage in the election. For one thing, the Conservatives have more or less immunized themselves from Duffy, kicking him out of the caucus and suspending him from the Senate.

"Plus, as the recent Ontario election proved, voters tend to shrug their shoulders when it comes to scandals."

What do you think?

Are the 31 charges against Duffy damaging to the Conservative Party's re-election hopes?

Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Are you a politics junkie?
Follow@ politicalpoints on Twitter!