Michael Sona Now Claims The CPC Threw Him Under The Bus

AllTheScapegoatsThatFit
RoboCallVille


In the run-up to the last federal election we paid close attention to a special ballot 'incident' at the University of Guelph that involved a young Conservative Party of Canada staffer named Mr. Michael Sona.

And we were highly critical of what went down on the Guelph campus because we viewed it as a thinly-veiled attempt at voter suppression, regardless the 'technicalities'.

Thus, when the Pierre Poutine/Robo-Call scandal broke earlier this year Mr Sona was already on our radar screen (not to mention our hit meter due to a then top-of-the-page-type Google-Cache linkage).

As a result, it was our assertion that Mr. Sona was almost immediately offered up as a limited hangout stopper (ie. a convenient scapegoat) by SunNews AND the CPC because of how his profile had been elevated in the wake of the U of Guelph incident.

Here is how we described the situation at the time:

...I am a satirical snarkoleptic cynic on this one who is only attempting to demonstate just how absurd it was for Sun News to elevate the status of Mr. Sona's 'relationship' with the Prime Minister with their own photo (originating, apparently, from the PMO itself) before they set the limited hangout in motion....I mean, if Mr. Sona was just some junior drone, in a backroom somewhere, would the hangout have been credible enough to spike the (Robocall) story in front of the EC report (on the matter)?...


And now, eight months later?

Well, Mr. Sona has started to give interviews on this matter for the first time

Here is what he told the Huffpo's Althia Raj:

....In his version of the story, Sona is a scapegoat, an innocent player who was thrown under the bus, first by the Conservative Party and then by Elections Canada, which he says muddied his name....

{snippety doo-dah}

...Immediately after the Sun News report (that named Mr. Sona as being 'under investigation' by the CPC for making misleading robocalls to voters), he offered his resignation to his boss, MP Eve Adams. He was new to her office, having just started as communications and parliamentary affairs manager two weeks earlier.

He said he felt his presence on the Guelph campaign (where the PPoutine scandal was rooted) would negatively affect her. But she initially refused.

Soon after, Sun News reported an exclusive statement it had received from Jenni Byrne, the Conservatives’ director of political operations. Byrne said the "party was not involved with these calls and if anyone on a local campaign was involved they will not play a role in a future campaign." It was "convenient" timing, Sona thought.

Sona called Conservative Party headquarters in Ottawa but said he was met with obfuscation. A few hours later, however, Arthur Hamilton, the party's lawyer, called him back.

"He asked me flat out — did I do it. And I said, 'Of course, I didn't do it,'" Sona said. "He said, 'Do you know who did?' And I said, 'No. I have no idea who it would be.'"

According to Sona, Hamilton assured him he would be fine, but half an hour later, (CPC political ops director) Byrne called Adams, who then called Sona and said she had to accept his letter of resignation....
(words & link in brackets, above, mine)


So, with all that in mind, ask yourself this...

Who benefitted most from the scapegoating of young Mr. Sona?

Seriously.

Who benefitted?


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