HillTimes.ca: PM's ... decision to expose Jaffer-Guergis scandal intended to protect his conserva...

[tuvor]

But the strategy could backfire and lead to new questions about backroom government pressure on public servants.

A top Conservative commentator says Prime Minister Stephen Harper's iron-willed decision to "cut the cancer out" by exposing Rahim Jaffer's undeclared lobbying over the past year and throwing Helena Geurgis overboard is intended to end the brewing scandal before it spreads.

But political observers and opposition MPs believe Prime Minister Harper (Calgary Southwest, Alta.) is also trying to ensure the unusually lurid details of the furor involving the husband and wife team does not erode crucial financial and electoral backing for the federal Conservative party from perhaps its single most important base—the conservative Christian right.

And, even though Conservatives believe Mr. Harper's decision to draw attention of the media, MPs and the federal lobbying commissioner with a trail of emails showing Mr. Jaffer's lobbying efforts after his 2008 election defeat will put the government in a transparent light, the emails themselves suggest the strategy could backfire and lead to new questions about backroom government pressure on public servants.

"There's no question these documents will come back to haunt the conservatives," said NDP MP Pat Martin (Winnipeg Centre, Man.).

...

http://www.hilltimes.com/page/view/scandal-05-03-2010

[ZeitgeistObserver]

1. This is the part that bothers me.

'There is little question seamy allegations that are part of the affair—cocaine use, partying with escorts and "busty hookers," links to organized crime and the Hell's Angels—would not be attractive to tens of thousands of supporters represented by organizations such as Focus on the Family and the Canadian Family Action Coalition, both of which have close links to the Conservative party and its members.'