Wednesday, August 26, 2015

#DuffyTrial...PM Can't Talk About It But He (And His) Can Manage It.

SomeIssuesMustBeManaged
24/7Ville


What's all this about a PMO 'issues manager' showing up in court to watch the former 'issues manager' give testimony as a witness in the Duffy Trial and then talk to said witness in the hallways during breaks in the festivities?

Kady O'Malley runs it all down in her Ottawa Citizen mobile app on-the-go column thingy.

From the perspective of the potential for peddling of all issues influential, I found this bit to be most interesting:

...Although he’s reportedly been at the trial throughout the last two weeks, (current PMO info manager) Koolsbergen apparently managed to escape notice by the attending media until Tuesday, when he found himself pursued by cameras upon exiting the courthouse after (former PMO info manager) Woodcock’s testimony had wrapped up.

“I know [Conservative campaign spokesman] Kory Teneycke would be very happy to take any questions you guys might have,” he told reporters.

In an email to the Ottawa Citizen, Teneycke confirmed that Koolsbergen is currently on leave from his PMO job to work on the campaign.

As for his assignment at the Duffy trial, it was “the same as reporters,” Teneycke said: “to relay information on court proceedings.”

He (Teneycke) did not respond to a follow-up query on whether Koolsbergen had spoken to the witness...


And, of course, when asked, the always influential but never, ever peddlish, Mr. Harper continues to say he can't speak about matters before the courts:

...At a campaign event just outside Ottawa on Wednesday morning, CTV reporter Laurie Graham asked Harper if Koolsbergen had been told to “instruct” Woodcock.

“Are you aware that it is highly irregular for someone from the Prime Minister’s Office to talk to a witness who is under oath and under cross-examination?” she asked.

“These are matters that are before the court, and we don’t interfere with them,” Harper said before shifting to his standard answer on the issue...




Sheesh.


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And for those wondering...Yes, I do recall the government media minder that showed up to the Railgate trial...I also remember how little the Lotuslandian proMedia cared...


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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

sounds like BC

RossK said...

Anon-Above--

See foot-bar at bottom of post...

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Grant G said...

Nothing like bad optics..

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Sean Leslie ‏@seanleslie980 Aug 21

For the record, I'm leaving the station to join provincial government communications-looking forward to it!

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That`s funny, Sean Leslie will now be an official BC Liberal spindoctor..

When he was on C KNW....Sean Leslie was unofficial BC Liberal spindoctor.

Now Sean Leslie and his wife both have jobs in the BC Liberals communications/PR department.

Sheesh

Anonymous said...

tv ,pamela martin?
radio, as above?
paper ,sun former editor?
ad dollars to inform or to curry favor
family member employed also?

RossK said...

Upshot...

No more concerns of any conflictyness whatsoever in the Leslie household!


(Grant--If I remember correctly, Smilin' Sammy's former Spam-A-Lot lovin' webclerk called it first re: Mr. Leslie's landing place on the Twittmachine)


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sd said...

I almost forgot about "Tex, I found jebus in jail, Colson". Plumber indeed!I guess they have offices coast to coast ready to plumb as required.