Del Mastro Campaign Documentation Revisited...Will The Limited Hangout Now Begin?

AllTheInvestigationsThatFit
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The latest from McGregor and Maher is out in the O'Citizen. The lede goes like this:


OTTAWA — Dean Del Mastro’s 2008 election campaign filed a “false document” to Elections Canada, according to a sworn affidavit from an Elections Canada investigator released in Ottawa on Thursday.


A handwriting analyst hired by the Ottawa Citizen and Postmedia has concluded that the handwriting on the document matches the writing of a Del Mastro campaign worker...




And some of the deep ice, tucked away way down towards the pointy end of the Mc-Maher pyramid, goes like this:


...The allegations are revealed in an Information to Obtain a production order (ITO), signed by Elections Canada investigator Thomas Ritchie, that compelled (Holinshed Research Group) company president Frank Hall to produce the records.


Del Mastro “took steps to hide the true nature” of the transaction, Ritchie writes.


Ritchie writes that Hall would not provide the records unless a court ordered him to do so.


According to a Ritchie, a memo filed by Del Mastro’s campaign that purports to show a partial refund of that money was not actually produced by Holinshed.


The unsigned document, dated Oct. 31, 2008, asserts that Holinshed had repaid the campaign $10,000.


“Return of deposit in amount of $10,000 sent in error from Dean Del Mastro’s campaign account. Invoice to be sent to (electoral district association) detailing portion relating to campaign.”


(Holinshed's) Hall told (E-Canada's) Ritchie in 2011 that he did not write the note and the handwriting was not that of anyone employed by his company.


Handwriting expert Kenneth J. Davies, of Calgary, examined the documents on behalf of the Citizen and Postmedia on Wednesday and said that, in his opinion, the document was written with the same handwriting as an unidentified campaign worker who wrote out a list of campaign contributors on another document in the file.


“It is the firm opinion of this analyst that the handwriting of the note” and the handwriting on the list of contributors was “written by one and the same person,” Davies writes in his report....




And, with the boys from Postmedia out front, even the fine folks running things over at the MoCo get up the gumption to let their reporters wade back in. Here is just a bit from  Laura Payton's solid Thursday night report:

...In the court documents, the investigator for Elections Canada says he believes because of the interviews he has conducted and the information he has obtained that the $21,000 contract with Holinshed Research Group was paid by Del Mastro from his personal bank account "in a manner that facilitated the concealing and misreporting of election expenses and contributions."...

No charges have been filed and the allegations have not been tested in court.

Del Mastro reiterated his innocence Thursday evening.

"My statements for both the campaign and the association accurately reflect all of their activities," he said in an emailed statement. "They have been professionally audited and reviewed and a matter of public record for almost four years. Any expenses that I personally incurred on their behalf have been refunded."

There is no evidence in documents filed with Elections Canada that the campaign or riding association refunded Del Mastro's personal cheque...

So.

Here's the thing....

Last week, I disagreed with Saskboy.

More specifically, I didn't think that Mr. Del Mastro would be hung out to dry by The Boss in an attempt to pull-off a limited hangout that would put an end to things, pronto.

Now?

Well, I'm not so sure.

(which is not to say that a Capo wouldn't be called upon to do the actual deed)

OK?

.