Ontario Court Judge Charles Vaillancourt delivered the 308-page verdict in Ottawa, clearing the senator and former journalist of all 31 charges.
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In a section he called “peering through the looking glass” the judge said a series of emails released during the trial revealed the inner workings of the “ruthless” staffers in the former prime minister’s office.
As Duffy’s trial comes to an end, we continue to hear stories about other Senators paying back expenses but not ALL expenses.
The bribery charge stemmed from Harper’s Chief of Staff Nigel Wright personally paying $90,000 in living expenses that Duffy claimed, by declaring his long-time home in Ottawa was his secondary residence.
The Duffy saga has been a long and complex one, filled with both fascinating glimpses into the top offices on Parliament Hill, and mind-numbing minutiae surrounding Senate procedure and rules.
Duffy can now resume sitting in the Senate if he chooses as his acquittal requires the upper chamber to immediately reinstate him.
Observers have noted that the trial was not based on whether Duffy took the trips that he billed for or used the things he expensed, but rather whether those claims were illegal.
He said Duffy never “padded his pockets”, inflated the expense claims, and actually incurred the costs; that the senator had no intent to deceive and “reasonably believed” he was within the rules.
The rules constitute “bad policy” that fostered problematic practices and mistakes by senators, including Duffy, Vaillancourt said.
After being acquitted Duffy left the courthouse Thursday without speaking to the media.
If Duffy is convicted, he could lose his Senate seat and face a maximum of 14 years in jail. Duffy’s lawyer argued that his client’s actions were legal under the vague rules that govern the country’s senate. Pamela Wallin. The RCMP handed over its investigation into her to Crown prosecutors past year but there’s been no movement since.
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“I find that if one were to substitute the PMO, Nigel Wright and others for Senator Duffy in the aforementioned sentence that you would have a more accurate statement”, Vaillancourt said.
