Funny thing is, it's not true according to Brenda Martin herself who supposedly told Charles Rusnell, who then mentioned it on Tuesday's Charles Adler show.
You can hear it yourself by checking out CJOB's audio vault, and selecting Tuesday, March 25 at around the 1:40 p.m. mark. (H/T Orville who's been right on top of this story, and Peter 12 in comments at DMB)
Rusnell clearly says on the tape that Brenda told him that she has never been asked directly to pay a bribe... That it doesn't work that way anyhow - it's all done through a law firm.
So there may be a nuance of truth somewhere along the line, but the con man's version of the story is shaky at best. So where's the update, CP?
Meanwhile, a couple of MP's are still perplexed by the $500,000 bribe allegation.
Why is it so hard to get the facts, and why weren't Waage's allegations verified before the story was released?
If I wanted fiction, I'd have bought a novel.
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29 comments:
Well Joanne - I would say from the lack of comments on this post, that the Brenda story has gone the way of Schrieber and Cadman - fizzled.
Which is too bad, because no matter what we think of the way Brenda's story was handled, she was being helped but the Liberals have succeeded in making her a political hot potato which might just prolong her stay in Mexico.
I wonder if she and her supporters will ever see that.
Alberta Girl, I agree.
And isn't it funny how this all came out just before the by-elections - just like the Cadman affair which is also yesterday's news now.
Wonder how much all this affected voters?
And isn't it curious how the name 'Paul Martin' popped up in both stories?
Funny, that.
Alyn Waage was very very slow in dropping this story (this week) about Martin telling him that a half million dollar bribe was demanded from her. He has told the story of a half million dollar bribe demanded of him peersonally long long ago but now he is throwing the Martin story into the mix - don't believe a word he says particularly since Martin categorically contradicts him when she was asked directly by Rusnell in a telephone conversation on Monday.
Well, now with "Casey at the bat" Ms. Martin is sure to be released pronto.
Mr. Casey and Ms. Martin's friend Debora Tieleman were interviewed on a talk show this am; again the story was that Stephen Harper has yet to pick up the phone to plead Ms. Martin's case.
Isn't it strange ... if Dan McTeague, Paul Martin and Bill Casey get involved, visiting with Ms. Martin or the Mexican ambassador WITH NO APPARENT CONCRETE RESULTS except media attention, they're the Good Samaritans, yet if Jason Kenney visits, it's a photo-op.
According to the Goderich Signal Star, Liberal Paul Steckle is hoping for 105,000. letters and e-mails in support of B Martin to present to Parliament on Monday. So far, he has 6000 but is asking the public in Huron County to get writing to him.
I wanted to add this "good samaritan" to the list.
look no further for the next Liberal induced and unproven scandal folks....check out the Prince of Darkness's blog.
Man, Flahert must really get under this guy's skin. Either that or pose more of a threat than the sputter lets on.
Hmmm? Which one?
Could it be a page out of one of the Prince's own works?
Here is my question
If SH phoned the president and still nothing happened, would they say that everything had been done.
Not Bloody Likely!!!
don't believe a word he says particularly since Martin categorically contradicts him when she was asked directly by Rusnell in a telephone conversation on Monday.
Exactly. Links to that in the main post.
Maybe the 'drugs' made him do it...
"Wonder how much all this affected voters"
And yet the big concern is that somehow we affected Obama's chances in the States with NAFTA-gate.
Inquiries, it seems, are only demanded when the story can be used to smear the Tories.
Brenda has had 4 lawyers on her case now - no wonder this case drags on and on - that happens when you keep changing lawyers.
She will soon be saying that the fourth lawyer was incompetent as well because his stalling tactics have delayed her trial for months with technicalities. If it's true as he claims that ther is no evidence at all to convict her wouldn't any competent lawyer jump right in and go to trial immediately? What's wrong with that story?
If your best tactic is to attack on constitutional grounds about an interpreter not being present ( she lost that court case) then your story about no evidence against her is suspect and incredible.
Dan McTeague in a radio interview went along with the false Canadian Press story of the half million dollar bribe because he is dishonest enough to fulfill his political agenda.
He has been in contact with Brenda and he has worked with Charles Rusnell as well so he knows the truth ( or is he prepared to now say that Brenda is lying )that there was no half million dollar bribe and that story is a figment of Waage's imagination.
Well, now with "Casey at the bat" Ms. Martin is sure to be released pronto.
Oh yeah. Thanks Gabby. Casey story here. Yeah, the double standard regarding who's coming to visit is astounding.
Charles Rusnell of the Edmonton Journal in different stories as well as in an interview with Charles Adler on Tuesday afternoon has broken the news that Brenda Martin categorically denies that she was asked for a half million dollar bribe or any bribe as carried in the Canadian Press story, attributed to the convicted felon Alyn Waage.
Dan McTeague in a radio interview continues to float the half million dollar bribe story, because it fits his political agenda and proves that he is not interested in the truth. He has been in contact with Brenda, and he has also worked with Charles Rusnell, so he knows better and knows the truth. He is now in essence calling Brenda Martin a liar, in his clumsy attempt to try and incriminate the Canadian government of mismanagement of the Martin file. How low can he stoop when we have this evidence that he is prepared to use Brenda Martin's plight to try and score cheap political points. Will the Brenda Martin team give this unscrupulous and unprincipled politician the boot?
Dan McTeague in a radio interview continues to float the half million dollar bribe story, because it fits his political agenda and proves that he is not interested in the truth. He has been in contact with Brenda, and he has also worked with Charles Rusnell, so he knows better and knows the truth.
That is sickening. Do you have any links or whatever to the interview? Any archives? Thanks.
Gabby in qc
What talk show were you listening to this morning where this interview was being conducted.
So Charles Adler just announced on his show that new information shows that Canadian Consular officials visited Brenda over 12 times over the past two years. and made numerous phone calls to her often several times a day.
But, he said, according to Deb (her friend) that was not enough!
Hmmmmm
So Charles Adler just announced on his show that new information shows that Canadian Consular officials visited Brenda over 12 times over the past two years. and made numerous phone calls to her often several times a day.
I wonder where that 'new information' came from?
Here is what Charles Rusnell wrote me on Mar.10 2008
"Brenda has never said she was only visited once. What she has said is that it might have been about 10 or a dozen. I know because I wrote the story that all the other media copied."
Those are personal visits but as has been said by government there have been around 100 interventions of one form or another in all by consular staff on behalf of Martin.
What Adler said today is not something that hasn't been out there for a long time - maybe just released by him now.
"Those are personal visits but as has been said by government there have been around 100 interventions of one form or another in all by consular staff on behalf of Martin.
What Adler said today is not something that hasn't been out there for a long time - maybe just released by him now."
Probably a valid point - my point (and I think Joanne's, but I won't speak for her) is that the media, along with Deb and along with the Liberals are giving the Canadian public the impression that this government has done nothing. They are organizing fundraisers, marches, letters to the PMO etc. etc. etc on the basis that Nothing has been done, yet this information is out there and very few journalists or radio personalities attempt to find it out before jumping on the SAve Brenda bandwagon.
Where is the responsiblity for "false" or unsubstantiated information being put out there?
And where is the responsibility for correcting it when they FINALLY find out that they were WRONG. ?
Brenda Martin and her supporters are being used by a Liberal government who want to garner the sympathy of the public for the sole purpose of gaining back power. This is NOT about helping Brenda Martin because they could have done that many different ways than going to the media. But going to the media ensures them that they can show how bad the Tory government has been on this file - even though it is not true.
So anony - it doesn't matter one iota that it has been out there before, the fact is that it has not been brought out by the numerous radio personalities and journalists and Canadians have been snookered by the press, the Liberals and by Brenda's supporters into believing that the Tories are finally doing something because of the publicity over the past couple of weeks.
As Joanne asks - when is the CP going to correct all the misinformation about this story. Are the marchers going to be told on Saturday? Are the letter writers going to be told that they are writing letters asking for something that has been ongoing? Are those sending money going to be told the truth or will the money be used for another lawyer to launch challenges that get Brenda nowwhere?
I await your answers
Check out the update at the end of this post.
Kudos to the Globe and to the CP reporter for actually following up on this and reporting the truth.
I wonder how many others will.
After Roy Green's snarky e-mail to me, I wonder if he will recant some of his over the top rehtoric. I see that her friend Deb is still on the war path. I guess she just figures the consulate "cooks the books".
I tell you, they are Brenda's worst nightmare rather than her supporters. They are making things much worse.
Alberta Girl, did you read some of the notes?
...The report also shows Ms. Martin has repeatedly refused to eat or work inside the prison, despite special privileges given to her.
“Dep. Warden mentioned that Ms. Martin has been allowed to go through the kitchen and have a choice of what she wants to eat, a privilege not allowed to other inmates.”
Another entry: “Warden says subject refuses to eat, even the diet that she can (vegetables and fruits) but nonetheless during her stay in the hospital she managed to eat fries and soda.”
One entry notes Ms. Martin complained to the consular officials about overcrowding and sleeping on a mattress on the floor, but wouldn't transfer dormitories because she'd lose access to a refrigerator...
My heart bleeds.
Sure hope all the papers pick up on this story in the morning. I'm afraid it will just get hidden on their back pages.
We have to keep it top and centre on the blogs so people hear the truth. What a whiner! She is just like the ones that we help out and they run right back to the country they wanted out of. Wonder how much Canada has spent on Ms. Martin already.
Ruth, the joke is that her case is being compared to people who have received a death sentence!
"Ruth, the joke is that her case is being compared to people who have received a death sentence!"
EXACTLY RIGHT!!
It is interesting that somehow the case of a jailed woman who has circumvented many attempts to help her, who, according to the reports, is given preferential treatment in her "hell-hole" is seen to be more important to various Liberal MP's - and Bill Casey - than a Canadian sentenced to death by beheading.
To quote an old tea commercial
Only in Canada, you say? Pity
For Anonymous @ Thu Mar 27, 04:45:00 PM EDT:
Sorry, I just got back online and hadn't seen your question to me. The show I heard Mr. Casey on was the Joe Cannon show on 940 Montreal.
They usually archive some of their shows (free registration required to access) although at times the message "the URL is not valid" appears, so access is then not possible.
http://www.940news.com/members.php
The interview took place sometime between 10 and 11 am (sorry, didn't note it down)
gabby in qc
Thanks for the heads up. I went and caught the interview from the vault at 940 montreal.com.
It is on at approx.10:35 A.M. Thurs Mar.27
He has Casey on first and then Deb Tieleman.
They keep saying there is no evidence or case against Martin but Martin and her lawyer refuse to go to trial on the case. They fought the case on some technicality about interpreters (which they lost) which dragged her jail time out. If you had a strong case and they had no evidence wouldn't you say let's go to trial and get this over with.
Gabby and Anon, thanks for that info. I'm going to check it out.
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