Scandal worse than online shows

One of the problem of getting most of your news online, is that you sometimes miss out on additional info in the print edition. Having now read the print edition of the Herald, it is apparent the scandal is far more serious than I thought for NZ First – and the Government. The print edition includes extracts from the e-mails dated 21 February, namely:

Steve Fisher: Our plan worked well. There is nothing new about you in here Owen. Note that Winston says you have never made a donation to NZ First, so at all costs you must stick to that line. It was definitely the right thing to do to deny the Maori Party offer as well.

Owen Glenn: Steve – are you saying I should deny giving a donation to NZ First? When I did?

Steve Fisher: No, just stick to the line of referring stuff to NZ First. What I’m saying is we don’t want to contradict Winston.

It is harder to get more clearcut than that. Owen Glenn saying beyond any doubt he did give a donation to NZ First.

Helen Clark sacked Liaznne Dalziel for lying. Is she going to have a different standard for Ministers not from her party?

But this scandal goes beyond Winston. Owen Glenn is Labour’s major donor. He has donated $500,000 to them and lent $100,000 interest free. Mike Williams says he will be asking for more money this year.

Note the reference above to the Maori Party. While not as clearcut as the donation to NZ First, it is highly likely that Owen Glenn was the person who offered the Maori Party a six figure sum if they will support Labour.

Throw into the mix the ONZM that Helen Clark gave him and the Honorary Consulship he kept pressuring Winston and Helen for (with support from Mike Williams) and you have a very messy set of circumstances.

The focus for now is on the contradiction between what Winston Peters has said, and Owen Glenn’s e-mails. But the story doesn’t stop there.