Pretty Legal: SFO to Investigate Nat Donation

Written By: - Date published: 10:36 am, March 12th, 2019 - 77 comments
Categories: same old national, you couldn't make this shit up - Tags: , , , ,

NZ Police have released a statement confirming that the Serious Fraud Office is investigating donations received by the National Party.

This appears to be the $100k donation MP Jami-Lee Ross claimed was split into smaller amounts to avoid detection. Ross put in a formal complaint to Police about the matter in October last year.

The statement says:

“Police have referred to the Serious Fraud Office a complaint received in October last year in relation to the disclosure of political donations under the Electoral Act.

“The complaint has been referred to the SFO as they hold the appropriate mandate to look further into matters raised by the investigation to date.”

No response from National yet, though I’m picking they won’t be claiming it was ‘pretty legal’.

That defence doesn’t seem to work any more.

77 comments on “Pretty Legal: SFO to Investigate Nat Donation ”

  • Comments are now closed

  2. Fireblade 2
    12 March 2019 at 10:51 am

    Newshub:

    On Tuesday, Mr Bridges said it was a “matter for the National party to fully cooperate with the SFO”, but he had received no contact from the SFO.

    He said it was “possible” Mr Ross could face prosecution, but remained adamant that National had “done nothing wrong”.

    “I’ve got nothing that concerns me about any of this… I don’t think National MPs have anything to worry about. We have nothing to hide. We do want to see swift justice here.”

  3. Anne 3
    12 March 2019 at 10:54 am

    Mr Bridges says any Serious Fraud Office investigation is a matter for the National Party and not him.

    Nah… it’s got nothing to do with me folks. You’re getting me muddled with the National Party. I’m not the National Party. 😕

    https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/384516/sfo-to-investigate-jami-lee-ross-complaint-on-national-party-donations

    • Rapunzel 3.1
      12 March 2019 at 12:27 pm

      Ahhh the old “other hat” trick aye?

    • mary_a 3.2
      12 March 2019 at 6:11 pm

      Anne (3) … yep, Bridges in typical Key mode there .. “not me”. Must be a hangover from the great pretender’s time as PM.

  4. Ankerrawshark 4
    12 March 2019 at 10:55 am

    “Possibly Ross could face prosecution”………..typical national, try and implicate someone else to deflect blame………

  5. patricia bremner 5
    12 March 2019 at 11:09 am

    “Swift Justice” What is wrong with “Justice”? Swift implies a kangaroo court to rid Simon of his embarrassing ex friend, JLR who is proving to be a threat.

    This could be devastating for National. Got my popcorn ready.

    • Anne 5.1
      12 March 2019 at 11:20 am

      The point is, it leads back to John Key. It was during his years as Prime Minister that this type of fraudulent behaviour became prevalent inside the National Party. They regarded it as normal practice. If the law is against us then we’ll just circumvent the law.

      To be fair there’s been a bit of it in all political parties but to my knowledge they never actually broke the law. National on the other hand took it to a whole new level.

      • ankerawshark 5.1.1
        12 March 2019 at 12:07 pm

        Anne, I think you are correct. I would imagine/hope that the SFO would be very thorough in their investigations. I hope Key gets fingered. He deserves it.

        Apparently according to No right turn, this is the first time a political party has been investigated by the SFO.

      • Sacha 5.1.2
        12 March 2019 at 12:29 pm

        It leads to Goodfellow. I do wish people would stop giving Key so much credit for stuff. He was the hired help.

      • Nick K 5.1.3
        13 March 2019 at 10:08 pm

        Labour or its apparatchiks have broken electoral law many times recently.

        The Pledge Card is the best recent example.

        • Anne 5.1.3.1
          13 March 2019 at 10:31 pm

          The Pledge Card is the best recent example.

          I wondered when someone would come up with that one.

          They were never prosecuted for breaking the law because they didn’t break the law. They submitted the Pledge Card to Parliamentary Services for approval and it was given approval. The Auditor General was asked by the Nats to look into the decision and he concluded that Parliamentary Services were incorrect. His view was not backed up by experts in the field of electoral law but Labour accepted his ruling and the rules were accordingly changed to take it into account.

          They also paid back the $800,000 it had cost to produce the card even though they didn’t need to because they hadn’t broken any law. Call it an act of good faith, which is more than National would ever contemplate.

  6. DirkDirkin 6
    12 March 2019 at 11:27 am

    Mr Bridges says any Serious Fraud Office investigation is a matter for the National Party and not him…… wasnt he on tape discussing the matter with JLR
    Will Simon now stand down while the SFO investigates? How many times over the past year has he demanded JA does just that

  7. Blazer 7
    12 March 2019 at 11:44 am

    To be fair to Bridges,even though Ross was trying to entrap him ,he maintained his integrity on this matter.

  8. mosa 8
    12 March 2019 at 12:03 pm

    I don’t have any confidence in the police or the SFO taking this matter seriously.
    The National party and it’s defense ” it’s pretty legal ” shows their contempt for the law and how it is applied.
    They have proved time and again to be above the law otherwise John Key should have faced prosecution for his misdemeanours with the Parnell waitress.
    They apply the law when it suits their interests to do so and manipulate it when it doesn’t.

    • tc 8.1
      12 March 2019 at 12:21 pm

      National hobbled the SFO so a wet bus ticket or whitewash is imminent.

      Probably the usual blah about ‘no specific law was broken…’ as they doctored the EFA under urgency to suit their cause.

    • James 8.2
      12 March 2019 at 7:01 pm

      Perhaps if she went to the police and not a left wing blog ?

  9. John Irving 9
    12 March 2019 at 12:28 pm

    What took the police so long. They received the compliant months ago!

    • Sacha 9.1
      12 March 2019 at 12:30 pm

      Possibly confused about whose boots to lick these days.

    • mosa 9.2
      12 March 2019 at 12:57 pm

      Why did it take the police so long ?

      They seem too suffer from amnesia when they are faced with politically sensitive espionage

      If they ignore it for long enough we will all forget and no crime to see here.

      https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2019/03/01/top-cop-forgets-to-follow-up-on-state-sanctioned-corporate-spies-of-course-he-forgot/

    • Wensleydale 9.3
      12 March 2019 at 1:38 pm

      They probably just ‘forgot’. There’s a lot of that about these days, apparently.

    • alwyn 9.4
      12 March 2019 at 2:41 pm

      The Labour party were waiting for some really nasty things about the Government coming to light. Now there are a whole lot all at once and they are calling in a marker with the Police Commissioner.
      I would say it is just a squirrel to try and distract the public gaze from the plethora of Government misdeeds.

      The Labour Party sex-camp case is coming up for trial, isn’t it?
      The Shane Jones shenanigans with his slush fund and his lying to Parliament about his meetings.
      Lees-Galloway having given permanent residency to the (reputedly) friend of senior members of the Government and their families.
      The favours being given to New Zealand First donors in the fishing industry.
      The way that already existing houses are being brought into the KiwiBuild system.
      The amount of money, already more than the promised $2 billion, that has been committed to the same scheme.
      The rapidly worsening DHB situation that is rapidly getting worse and where the coverups are starting to collapse.

      No wonder the Government are calling in all the favours they can find to try and divert attention from their shambolic situation.

      • te reo putake 9.4.1
        12 March 2019 at 2:57 pm

        That’s quite a list, alwyn. If only NZ voters gave a flying one, aye? You might recall us lefties had a similar list of all the bad things the Nats did under Key. Fat lot of good it did us. Hell, Key even got caught perving on ponytails and that didn’t move the polls an inch. We had to wait for Key to quit before we really had a sniff at winning. Sound familiar?

        I do give Bridges some credit, though. He’s got his team tightly focussed on all the passing cars, barking furiously as they drive around the beltway. Still, as the bard said, it’s full of sound and fury; signifying nothing.

      • ankerawshark 9.4.2
        12 March 2019 at 3:14 pm

        Alwyn,,,, ha ha ha ha ha. I predicted (but not on the Standard) that one of you right wing types would bring up the Labour Party youth camp and the sexual assault…………….your so predictable its hilarious.

        BTW Labour have dealt with their part re the Labour youth camp and the sexual assault. It is now the individual concerned who is facing the law, not the Labour Party………

        • Rapunzel 9.4.2.1
          12 March 2019 at 3:44 pm

          And other than the adults concerned in regard to being reckless as to who got their hands on alcohol it never was the “Labour Party”.
          Personally with my “kids” my first rule of law was not to “trust” them or anyone they may encounter and that extended right out to any other parents I might not know. Does that sound harsh?
          Trust me it was safer that way and got them through to a point where they and any decisions they might make or any circumstances they might be confronted with were of a nature they could handle.
          One thing I’m a bit disappointed about is that adults who stuffed up with the access of alcohol to minors didn’t then treat that as a valuable lesson to them not to “trust” everyone and that the whole episode was not held up to young people that age as to what exactly are some of the dangers out there. That approach should be used again and again to keep young people out of cars and away from awful outcomes that can happen with that and reckless behaviour.

        • alwyn 9.4.2.2
          12 March 2019 at 5:17 pm

          “Labour have dealt with their part re the Labour youth camp and the sexual assault.”
          Really? They appear to have kept that very quiet.
          What was the punishment for the “adults” and MPs in charge who did not report the offences to the Police and tried to persuade the victims to keep quiet about the matter?
          In France I see that Cardinal Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, received a six month sentence for exactly that crime. Were the Police in NZ persuaded by the CoL to simply look away about this matter too?

          OK. Who were the people who arranged the disgraceful affair? What was their punishment for attempting a cover-up? Who were the MPs who were there and have they been required to resign?
          Come on. If it is all over I’m sure you want to tell us what happened.
          After all, your leader assured us that she was going to lead the most open and transparent Government that New Zealand has ever had.
          Well START.

          • Rapunzel 9.4.2.2.1
            12 March 2019 at 5:31 pm

            Are they in court? No.
            I passed my opinion on how we managed, carefully managed our own teens/young adults to get to the point where they were very aware of where to go, where not to go and when to speak up and how.
            I don’t actually care if you disagree with that and if you are trying to maintain that that event and others are not things that should be confronted and used as lessons to reduce such occurrences and that they have not happened before and after you are naive.
            I don’t post here often but rather than care about the situation those young people ended up in you have dragged that out to politicise it just to deflect from the embarrassing situation Bridges and the National Party find themselves in

          • Ankerrawshark 9.4.2.2.2
            12 March 2019 at 5:35 pm

            Yes Alwyn. Labour launched an internal enquiry. They chose to keep it quiet because there were no charges laid against any of the organizers of the events or the MPs who attended the event. The police pressed charges against the perpetrator. He is entitled under the law to have name suppression right now. In their investigation the police charged no one else. So there clearly wasn’t any law broken by the Labour Party officials

            Labour’s investigation was for their own purposes so they could ensure a repeat was less likely to occur in the future. Labour was under no compulsion to do this enquiry. It happened because our PM wanted to find out what happened.

            So to make it clear the only charges that were pressed were against the perpetrator. I have heard he isn’t a member of the Labour Party, but even if he is, he is the person who is responsible for the criminal act.

            • alwyn 9.4.2.2.2.1
              12 March 2019 at 7:24 pm

              “So there clearly wasn’t any law broken by the Labour Party officials”.

              No. The Police chose not to prosecute any of the Labour Party MPs or officials who had anything to do with the affair.
              There would appear to a layman like myself to be a prima facie case that they had supplied liquor to minors and that they had attempted to procure the victims to not make a complaint.

              The Police are, however, very obliging where the Labour Party are concerned.
              Look at that, I believe unique, announcement by the Commissioner that they were not investigating Mr Gayford.
              Can you tell me of any other occasion that such an announcement has been made by a Commissioner about anyone?

              • Rapunzel …
                12 March 2019 at 7:57 pm

                The situation Bridges and the National Party are in today has brought about an acute case of finger pointing, even as a pleb and ordinary NZer I am well aware of instances with a Mr Farrar and the National Party at an event that was not entirely “sober” plus another last year.
                Now with the fact that Dowie as a “married person” was part of the behaviour deemed “not fit”, Maggie Barry’s overbearing and over-use of staff and other various indications of bullying I am surprised you dare to point your finger at anyone.

              • Ankerrawshark …
                12 March 2019 at 8:16 pm

                Alywyn I don’t believe the Labour Party supplied liquor to minors.

                I don’t believe they tried to procure minors not to make a complaint. That would be very serious indeed as witnessed in a recent trial of an Auckland business man. If you have evidence to the contrary take it to the police.

                Re Clark gayford. Yes an unusual and possibly an unpresidented move. In my opinion a good move given the scurrilous rumours circulating on the internet, the motivation for which was likely to get at the PM. Disgusting behaviour by such trolls. I am glad the police spoke up and I don’t see how or why anyone would object to them doing so. I would hold that view for any politician

          • Observer Tokoroa 9.4.2.2.3
            12 March 2019 at 9:31 pm

            Hello Alwind

            Could you be brave enough to name the Persons you are attacking here and in France.

            What charges have you laid on the Archbishop Of Lyon. What role did he have in the National Party ? Or was it in some other Organisation. For it certainly wasn’t the NZ Coalition Government.

            Why do you abuse Jacinda Ardern – constantly ? You dirty far right hypocrite boy.. Pick on someone like John Key who interfered with little girls, and got his evil Jollies off. Did you assist with Sir John key’s pernicious activities.

            Pick on Billy English who tried to run away with more than his entitlement. Did you advise Billy what to do. You completely deal in falsehood.

            You always will be a confused anti-female dirty false tongued creature Alwind. No help at all to struggling National!

      • McFlock 9.4.3
        12 March 2019 at 3:49 pm

        I don’t know what’s funnier:

        the concept that the timing of the big reveal was orchestrated by the government; or

        the idea that it’s some sort of dirty trick for the SFO to be investigating evidence of criminal activity by the national party. sense of entitlement, much?

  10. daveski 10
    12 March 2019 at 12:43 pm

    Simple precedent. Just change the law retrospectively.

  11. Tiger Mountain 11
    12 March 2019 at 1:09 pm

    It will take SFO long enough to get into Mr Goodfellow’s mansion gate, never mind investigating–they have been obstructed by experts over the years!

    But nonetheless worth a crack, why should the powerful be allowed to buy their way into office? JLR’s audio releases gave a glimpse into the top level behaviour of the NZ National Party that they did not like being exposed to public view one little bit.

    Jami Lee could be implicated too perhaps, but hey, there is always the old “I was only following orders” defence…and the authorities do not always let electoral finance matters slide, as ex MP Banksie found out.

  12. Fireblade 12
    12 March 2019 at 1:18 pm

    This could be messy.

    Twitter Jami-Lee Ross
    I am happy to answer the media’s questions around donation matters at 1.30pm on the black and white tiles.

  13. ianmac 13
    12 March 2019 at 1:34 pm

    Audrey Young:
    “The police are the only organisation who can confirm 100 per cent that the phone used to leak Bridges’ travel expenses last year belonged to Ross.”
    A very cunning sentence Audrey.
    Did the police confirm 100% that Jamie leaked the travel expenses? If not it shifts the blame onto Jamie anyway.
    Audrey Rose Tinted Spectacles Young sure likes to spin things.

    https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12211908

  14. AB 14
    12 March 2019 at 1:44 pm

    Nothing will happen because “there is no real corruption in NZ” and we “consistently score well” on anti-corruption indices.
    Rugby is also the most interesting sport ever invented, we have outstanding race relations, a pristine natural environment and the friendliest people on the planet who are deeply concerned about each other, we can do anything with no.8 wire and have the bravest soldiers of any nation.

  15. RedLogix 15
    12 March 2019 at 1:44 pm

    Good. National have actively sought to evade transparency around their donations for far too long. Time for the sun to shine in some dark corners …

    In this modern era where elections are increasingly vulnerable to outside influences we MUST learn to effectively deal to these issues across the board.

    • ianmac 15.1
      12 March 2019 at 1:50 pm

      I wonder if this issue will find its way into the Select Committee enquiry into foreign donations intruding on NZ democracy?

  17. WILD KATIPO 17
    12 March 2019 at 4:24 pm

    Bunny Walters – Take the Money & Run. 1972. – YouTube

  18. Pat 18
    12 March 2019 at 7:26 pm

    Would pay to wait until the result of the SFO investigation…and remember that they will be doing their best to find a reason not to prosecute

  19. solkta 19
    12 March 2019 at 7:58 pm

    Soyman Bridge ‘s falling down,
    Falling down, falling down
    Soyman Bridge ‘s falling down,
    My fair lady

  20. Peter 20
    12 March 2019 at 8:55 pm

    I see someone called Alwyn saying “The Police are, however, very obliging where the Labour Party are concerned.”

    is that the same police force which went through Nicky Hager’s house but not Cameron Slater’s when to ordinary people it seemed that if there was cause for one there was equal cause for the other?

    • WILD KATIPO 20.1
      12 March 2019 at 9:10 pm

      Yeah mate. How the other half squeal like stuck pigs when the boots on the other foot, eh?

      Down to Zero

      Joan Armatrading

      ————————-

      Oh the feeling
      When you’re reeling
      You step lightly thinking you’re number one
      Down to zero with a word
      Leaving
      For another one
      Now you walk with your feet back on the ground
      Down to the ground
      Down to the ground
      Down to the ground
      Down to the ground

      Joan Armatrading – – – ” Down To Zero ” – YouTube

The server will be getting hardware changes this evening starting at 10pm NZDT.
The site will be off line for some hours.