David Basi and lawyer Michael Bolton outside BC Supreme Court UPDATE 1:45 p.m. Tuesday
The Vancouver Sun's Neal Hall now also has a story on the search warrant "information to obtain" documents released by the BC Supreme Court yesterday.
UPDATE 10 p.m. Monday
Court documents allege David Basi began taking bribes from lobbyist Erik Bornmann shortly after 2001 BC Liberal election win, according to Bornmann statement to police
Stunning news tonight from BC Supreme Court - the Province newspaper's Keith Fraser reports that David Basi, the former ministerial aide convicted of political corruption, began taking bribes from lobbyist Erik Bornmann shortly after the BC Liberal election win in 2001 - and long before the 2003 privatization of BC Rail.
Basi and co-assused ex-ministerial aide Bob Virk pled guilty in a surprise plea bargain in October to breach of trust and fraud charges for passing on confidential government information on the sale of BC Rail to Bornmann and Brian Kieran - lobbyists for OmniTRAX, the losing bidder in the $1 billion sale won by CN Rail.
Fraser writes that a statement to police by Bornmann says he, Basi and Bruce Clark - brother of BC Liberal leadership candidate Christy Clark - began discussing setting up a lobbying business shortly after the election win in 2001.
Bruce Clark's home was the subject of a police search warrant at the same time as the police raid on the BC Legislature on December 28, 2003 and according to a mutually agreed statement of facts from the Special Prosecutor and defence lawyers, confidential documents related to the planned sale of the BC Rail Roberts Bank sub-port spur line were found in Clark's house.
At that time Bruce Clark was a lobbyist for Washington Marine Group, one of the anticipated bidders for the BC Rail spur line - worth up to $70 million.
That privatization was cancelled after RCMP informed the office of then -Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon - now another BC Liberal leadership candidate - that the sale had been ``tainted`` by the leak of information.
Fraser also reports that the court documents show a forensic investigation by an accountant found that Basi had $870,000 in unexplained income between the years 2000 and 2004.
Basi`s lawyers argued otherwise, saying that accountant finally determined that $112,000 came from unknown sources, with the remainder attributed to Basi`s mother and wife.
Unfortunately I was unable to be present in court today for the application by several media outlets to unseal parts of search warrants previously undisclosed.
I strongly recommend readers check out Keith Fraser`s story in the Province online or in Tuesday`s newspaper.
In apparently unrelated news, Christy Clark`s campaign manager Ken Boessenkool has quit - according to an exclusive email obtained by Public Eye Online`s Sean Holman.
Boessenkool will be replaced by Mike McDonald, a former BC Liberal caucus communications director whose name surfaced in the Basi-Virk pre-trial hearings connected to alleged political dirty tricks undertaken by Basi. McDonald`s wife Jessica McDonald was Premier Gordon Campbell`s senior deputy minister until October 2009.
Christy Clark has rejected the idea of a public inquiry into the Basi-Virk case, most recently on CKNW`s Bill Good Show this morning.
EARLIER POST BELOW:
It could be a very interesting day in BC Supreme Court as several media outlets make arguments before Justice Anne MacKenzie to gain access to search warrant information in the BC Legislature Raid case never released to the public.
I am unable to attend at this point but will update readers as soon as possible.
One person in particular may be very, very concerned - BC Liberal leadership candidate Christy Clark.
As pointed out here previously, Clark has a great many connections to the sale of BC Rail when she was deputy premier and was the subject of defence allegations made in the pre-trial hearings of now-convicted former ministerial aides David Basi and Bob Virk.
And with former BC Rail consultant and BC Liberal backroom operative Patrick Kinsella actively working on Christy Clark's campaign, count him as another interested spectator.
Also of interest - the BC Liberal Party's longtime Executive Director Kelly Reichert has resigned his position.
Reichert's name came up repeatedly in pre-trial hearings where allegations of dirty political tricks were raised by defence lawyers for Basi and Virk.
Reichert is also brother-in-law to RCMP Superintendent Kevin de Bruyckere - who was a lead investigator in the Basi-Virk case despite his relationship, which was disclosed to his superiors.
Chad Pederson, the BC Liberals' communications director, has taken over the job - and in the middle of a leadership campaign.
Which raises the question of timing - why did Reichert leave now?
For background information on all the various BC Leglislature Raid players see my exhaustive A-Z of Basi-Virk that was published in 2008.
More later
UPDATE - 12:20 p.m. - but nothing to tell you so far as journalists in attendance at court sort through what is reportable.
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38 comments:
Bill you need to get the media applications....
Well written by investigative journalist.
There still are some out there.
I have often wondered just how much of an advanced heads up some people get when applications like this happen.
Gary E - I was generally aware of the application from attending court previously but don't recall if a date was set.
Another journalist let me know Sunday but otherwise the only way of finding out is to check the court schedule the day of the hearing.
The whole court system is in need of a major overhaul to make it accessible to the public - and media for that matter.
I do hope we get to see what was in those search warrants. We paid for them, we paid for the trial, we have the right to know what went on, and for that matter continues to go on.
Gee a Wikileaks on this one would be great.
The Ghost of Christmas past, is hovering around the Liberals again. The s**t hasn't all settled to the bottom of the cesspool yet folks
"I do hope we get to see what was in those search warrants. We paid for them, we paid for the trial, we have the right to know what went on, and for that matter continues to go on.
Gee a Wikileaks on this one would be great."
What would be great if someone did a Wikileaks before the release of the documents and watch thatone as he is at the Defendent's table with a judge with a stern face looking at him or her.
The general public isn't really interested in Basi-Virk anymore, as it as we can see here in this blog as turned into more of a wanting to continue cheap circus.
Hey anon @ 2:28 PM PST.
Which BC Liberal leadership candidate are you working for? My guess is Christy Clark.
anon at 2:58 sounds concerned that leaks of docs could hurt their bcliberal leadership candidate of choice.
funny how people allege that the public aren't interested in the bc rail case and yet the media keep going to court regarding the documents.
wait until late january when the fun really starts to happen, jusst before the leadership votes....
Basi/Virk plead guilty to accepting bribes, what I need to see is the ones that paid those bribes charged and held accountable as bribing a public official is as much a criminal offence as a public official accepting a bribe. Dejong is I believe guilty of Criminal Breach of Trust for paying for Basi/Virk legal expenses. He may well be guilty of other Criminal Code violations as well for not fulfilling his duty as Attorney General to charge the ones providing the bribes. Where is the Federal Prosecutor ?
Hi Bill
Your answer is partially revealing.
I know that the system is in dire need of an overhaul. But the docket wasn't out Sunday so my question would be "how did that reporter and who knows who else knew on a SUNDAY that this case was about to be heard?
Unless an application was made last week and it was put over to today?
I suppose they continue to want to treat us as mushrooms.
Lets hope they can open this can of worms again. If I was found guilty, and someone paid my fines, etc, would you not think that there is fire along with the smoke? All you rightie-tighties, you may bleat and cry foul all you want, the simple matter is that justice must be done. Even if it stops at gordo' and his gf's door. Let the heads roll!
Kam Lee
Rick, I have been advocating almost since the beginning of discovery for the people who offered the bribe to be charged. It's in the law. They can't be let off especially if they were offered a deal and the trial really never existed. There is definitely wrong in River City.
It's satire!
They plead guilty to accepting a bribe - and then receive $6 million in court fees, paid by the government.
And Premier-In-Waiting Christy 'Family First' Clark promises to put an end to all these shenanigans.
Get them documents, Bill.
To anon 2:28
I AM INTERESTED in Basi/Virk. I check this blog (and others) everyday, but this is the first time I've made a comment. There's probably a LOT like me. And I share what I learn with people that don't get their news from the internet.
In your mind, in your circle of friends and family...maybe in these places Basi/Virk doesn't matter, but don't let yourself be fooled into thinking others don't care....that's just WAY off base.
Bill T. - thanks for all you do...
My sources tell me that boessenkool was forced to resign after the pressure from team falcon. They complained to Harper about a conservative working on christy's campaign.
So this will get very interesting for the liberals and team falcon.
It's interesting I was pondering earlier the silence on major issues that accompanies coverage of the BC Liberal leadership campaign; or when important issues are raised, the trained-dog put-downs are lapped up and go unquestioned (like Christy Clark's way of dealing with the referendum, or dismissing the need for a public inquiry). "What could bring Basi-Virk et al.? back into the limelight," I wondered.
Well, maybe there are gnomes in Vancouver courthouses after all; suffice to say, it's not fair to the public for the contents of these warrants to be kept sealed, given that they involve more than one of the current Liberal leadership candidates. It's not fair to Liberal delegates either, who might if they were better informed re-think who it is they're going to the convention to support. And also it's not fair to the other candidates for the leadership, who would be deprived of information they should have available to criticize their opponents properly.
Patrick Kinsella is running Christy's campaign?? That's such bad optics, given what we know now, it's almost like she went and bought a shotgun and painted targets on the toes of her Guccis....also says something about who her campaign represents, as is the engaging of an experienced "dirty trickster".
What is this country coming to? Oh never mind, I remember now.....
Ladies and gentlemen the fun is just beginning. Once Christy Crisp Clark opens her mouth about anything, you have to know there's a reason she's for her to do it. Of course she wants the BC Rail trial to go away. She up to her neck in it! So is Kinsella, her ex and everyone else mentioned in Bills' column. Keep digging, there's a lot more dirt to dig up on this one!
Basi was a busy little fellow and was well greased. Now if Income tax Canada takes a good look, he could get taken for tax evasion, not to mention the about to be lawyer who was passing along the cash under the table.Hope more information can be obtained from the judge on this sleazy operation.I want our 6 million back. The Liberal can't run from what little has been actually pried from the courts.
nothing to tell you so far as journalists in attendance at court sort through what is reportable.
Now, Bill, is that just any o' journalist, or only thogse approved by ACJ Mackenzie and the CanWest-CTV "Accreditation Committee", who get to decide who's a "real journalist" and who's just rabble or, worse, a blog cultist? I don't suppose Robin Mathews has been invited to view the unsealed warrants, has he?
Now, Bill, is that just any o' journalist, or only thogse approved by ACJ Mackenzie and the CanWest-CTV "Accreditation Committee", who get to decide who's a "real journalist" and who's just rabble or, worse, a blog cultist? I don't suppose Robin Mathews has been invited to view the unsealed warrants, has he?
I see the silly comment season continues on this one.
Its the courts, not the journal themsleves that decide who is acredited and who isn't.
Bias is rampant.
The NDP also grants accreditation at their Conventions to journalists. Care to snipe about that too?
Yeah. Let's see you get out of this one Christy. I'd really like you to be leader. So we can hold a Citizens' Initiative and force you to hold an inquiry into the BC Rail scandal and your role in it.
Basi was a busy little fellow and was well greased. Now if Income tax Canada takes a good look, he could get taken for tax evasion, not to mention the about to be lawyer who was passing along the cash under the table.Hope more information can be obtained from the judge on this sleazy operation.I want our 6 million back. The Liberal can't run from what little has been actually pried from the courts.
Interesting. Would the NDP invoke collections on this if they become government? It would be impossible for the 6 million to be returned, but why not go after the NDP Leadership contenders and insist that they invoke some judicial order against Basi and Virk on their assets?
The Liberals may be out of office so it will be up to the NDP to handle the file. So how would they do that?
Supporting Bill's blog is not a correct answer.
Yeah. Let's see you get out of this one Christy. I'd really like you to be leader. So we can hold a Citizens' Initiative and force you to hold an inquiry into the BC Rail scandal and your role in it.
A Citizen's Initiative wouldn't be binding and would cost alot of money just to get started.
and who wants Delaney and VanderZalm back in the equation?
Let the NDP handle it once they become government.
3:00pm....Full text of all four search warrants released yesterday have just been published by the VSun.....
Here.
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Anonymous 11:52
Hope more information can be obtained from the judge on this sleazy operation.I want our 6 million back. The Liberal can't run from what little has been actually pried from the courts.
Wow, anonymous, you're amazing single-minded, given the 2 billion in assets that went up in smoke....er, rather into the portfolio of Gordo's major campaign backer (CN, both for the leadership and for the 2001 election). You seem pretty upset about a petty 6 million in legal fees, and wanting to "go after" Basi for tax evasion. What about outright highway robbery, which is what Basi's masters have been pulling, and despite mounting evidence neither the mounties nor the Crown show any interest in pursuing that criminality.
Fussing over Basi's 6 million when it's clear there was a rigged and secret-contract $2 billion railway giveaway is just so....so....so Public Affairs Bureau of you.
Do you really enjoy eating your own?
Kudos to you for starting the ball rolling, Bill, and to Alex Tsakumis for driving the msm towards these documents.
"I see the silly comment season continues on this one.
Its the courts, not the journal themsleves that decide who is acredited and who isn't. "
And you just proved that you are indeed the silly one who has no idea what they are talking about!
The fact is that it IS the so-called journalists themselves who decide who gets accreditation. The Accreditation Committee consists of THREE drones from erstwhile Canned Waste, now PostMedia with one from CeeTeeVee, for balance I presume.
Perhaps you should engage your brain and check what's going on in the real world of FACTS, before you start pretending to be an expert and call others silly and/or biased! (A little work on spelling wouldn't hurt either - three errors in two sentences - I guess that's good for your kind)
"And you just proved that you are indeed the silly one who has no idea what they are talking about!"
Speak for your own, Sunshine.
The fact is that it IS the so-called journalists themselves who decide who gets accreditation.
Acreditation is granted by the event sponsors themselves. In other words, in many instances a letter from the publisher will win acreditation. But in your case, a letter from a comic book publisher wouldn't do that.
"The Accreditation Committee consists of THREE drones from erstwhile Canned Waste, now PostMedia with one from CeeTeeVee, for balance I presume. "
Which evidently shows your bias.
"Perhaps you should engage your brain and check what's going on in the real world of FACTS, before you start pretending to be an expert and call others silly and/or biased! (A little work on spelling wouldn't hurt either - three errors in two sentences - I guess that's good for your kind)"
Well you yourself should take Journalism 101, and ask your local community paper if you could be a copy boy for a week. Who knows? You might end up being a McRae wanna be writing up local community sports. Let us know when you win a position with the Invermere community paper's sports desk.
The courts approve the accreditation on major trials.
Who would you want covering the thing for those who don't spend time with blogs?
A person who has spent alot of time and money to obtain a degree in journalism and has spent time doing actual reporting, or just someone else who just does a cut and paste from online newspaper articles written by others and calls that "news"?
A person who has built up an excellent reputation as a commentator such as Bill here would count, but someone else who just cuts and pastes articles in my mind would not. Especially one who doesn't do that as a sole source of income.
I've seen better writing in university level papers such as The Peak and the UByssey.
The Ubyssey spawned us Vaughan Palmer, so that's hardly accreditation worth talking about.....being a shill for thirty years does not constitute "journalist" except on the business card provided by your publisher.
It's noxious in the extreme that the court can "accredit" journalists, which is not in their jurisdiction. It's even more noxious that media monopolies hold the keys to the accreditation process, these being media monopolies noted for their bias and political connections/loyalties.
"Court-approved free press" is an oxymoron.
As for:
A person who has spent alot of time and money to obtain a degree in journalism and has spent time doing actual reporting, or just someone else who just does a cut and paste from online newspaper articles written by others and calls that "news"?
ROTFL You mean who has spent time writing hack lies for corporate publishers, and who considers dying babies and twenty-year old crimes as "news", instead of EVER reporting on political corruption or corporate crime (except when the blogs have already exposed it).
You're old new, anonymous, as are the "reporters" who went and got a journalism degree without ever getting any sense of morals or political propriety, and were willing to sell their souls to their publishers instead of being actual, REAL, bona fide journalists?
Journalists are not a profession and unlike doctors and podiatrists and pharmacists, do not have a professional accreditation system or independent certification body.
Your gullibility about this is one possibility; but I think you're just a bleeping spin doctor like all the other people who put down the bloggers for assemling news items, and pointing out details, that the journalists out ambulance-chasing and pedophile-hunting don't have time (or interest OR intellect) to comprehend (even if they COULD understand it, but it's clear that a journalism degree doesn't give anyone political acuity or any real ethics).
Anonymous - you are continuing to spew ignorance with your nonsense about "event sponsors" and publishers holding the right to accredit "journalists" in BC Supreme Court. You are making stuff up, if you want to pose as an expert and call others down, please check your facts before you display your ignorance.
The fact is in some situations a publication has press accreditation to whatever and the publisher, editor or whatever can allow the reporter of their choice to use said accreditation. HOWEVER the way it works in the BC Supreme Court (and the only advantage in the BCSC really is being allowed to use a recording device for fact-checking) is an external panel of four as I described earlier have the power to grant or deny this privilege.
You may want to read and try to comprehend information found HERE
This is a series of posts dealing with Professor Robin Mathews,( who attended more BC Rail Corruption court dates than either judge and was actually doing journalism at all levels from copy boy to editor when members of the panel were awaiting their turn to wear diapers) and his efforts to be granted official status, simply so he could record the proceedings in the interests of accuracy.
Of course accuracy is something you obviously have no regard for - just like facts!
"Anonymous - you are continuing to spew ignorance with your nonsense about "event sponsors" and publishers holding the right to accredit "journalists" in BC Supreme Court."
You're forgetting one basic thing, Sunshine. The courst do impose rules and seating for reporters and journalists. That's a fact. An ordinary citizen quite rightly can attend, but he or she does not have any mandate to review presented case evidence as accredited and approved media does.
" You are making stuff up, if you want to pose as an expert and call others down, please check your facts before you display your ignorance.
You seem to be the so-called expert, but in reality are supporting one issue bloggers.
"The fact is in some situations a publication has press accreditation to whatever and the publisher, editor or whatever can allow the reporter of their choice to use said accreditation.
Exactly. Which leaves out blogger such as BC Mary since such bloggers do not rely on blogging for income. A reporter can use that accredition, but ultimately, someone else will decide whether it will be accepted.
" HOWEVER the way it works in the BC Supreme Court (and the only advantage in the BCSC really is being allowed to use a recording device for fact-checking) is an external panel of four as I described earlier have the power to grant or deny this privilege. "
It works in other major events, too Sunshine. You'll never see a blogger sitting beside Shortie in the press box at Canucks games.
You're just p.o'ed because BC Mary was denied access to the same accreditation and privilege granted to other journalists and reporters.
"You may want to read and try to comprehend information found HERE"
No need exclusively, this is obviously biased. I'll read what is here and elsewhere to obtain a balance of facts.
This is a series of posts dealing with Professor Robin Mathews,( who attended more BC Rail Corruption court dates than either judge and was actually doing journalism at all levels from copy boy to editor when members of the panel were awaiting their turn to wear diapers) and his efforts to be granted official status, simply so he could record the proceedings in the interests of accuracy.
A professor of what? I hope this isn't "BC Mary".
Of course accuracy is something you obviously have no regard for - just like facts!
Speak for yourself Sunshine.
Here's a scenario:
Two bloggers (Tieleman and Tsakumis) want to attend a major court case, but there is only room for one blogger.
Who gets to sit in on it?
You are dense, I'm referring to the person who calls me "Sunshine." So much of your reply is simply false and/or beside the point. I didn't say anything about BC Mary being denied "accreditation" - can you actually read - with comprehension?
As to who Professor Mathews is, you only display your ignorance by proposing that he is somehow a fake name for BC Mary. If you knew much about Canada and issues in Canada you would know exactly who Professor Mathews is, especially if you follow the links I provided and then google some more back to the fifties and sixties.
Though Mary herself has a background or call it a resume in publishing that goes back decades, Mr. Mathews is not only a Professor Emeritus at SFU, but does have the journalistic background I referred to,in his younger days, before he became a giant in academia. You are an idiot spouting about stuff that you obviously don't understand at all!
As to your last ridiculous comment I wouldn't be surprised if Bill T. was accredited in the BCSC, although I don't know if he is or not. The other piece of crap you mentioned doesn't matter.
"You are dense, I'm referring to the person who calls me "Sunshine." So much of your reply is simply false and/or beside the point. I didn't say anything about BC Mary being denied "accreditation" - can you actually read - with comprehension?"
Can you? I used BC Mary as an example, Cupcake.
"As to who Professor Mathews is, you only display your ignorance by proposing that he is somehow a fake name for BC Mary. If you knew much about Canada and issues in Canada you would know exactly who Professor Mathews is, especially if you follow the links I provided and then google some more back to the fifties and sixties. "
If you knew anything about Canada,
Professior Mathews is only one person, not the sole person when it comes to journalism and how it relates to getting messages out to the public at large.
Whether you like it or not, people do pay attention to mainstream media, otherwise they would not exist.
"Though Mary herself has a background or call it a resume in publishing that goes back decades, Mr. Mathews is not only a Professor Emeritus at SFU, but does have the journalistic background I referred to,in his younger days, before he became a giant in academia. You are an idiot spouting about stuff that you obviously don't understand at all!"
So where does that place you? Blind loyalty obviously. He does have credentals, no question, but he is only one person, not the sole person.
As for Mary, I wonder if such a person who has a publishing background would take the easy way and just do cut and paste of articles written by others rather than coming up with newly researched material like some other blog persons have done.
"As to your last ridiculous comment I wouldn't be surprised if Bill T. was accredited in the BCSC, although I don't know if he is or not. The other piece of crap you mentioned doesn't matter."
If Bill T can be acredited so could Alex, so the question remains. One seat left, two bloggers. Who gets the seat?
what your opinions are don't matter much, other than being entertainment.
When you look beyond Basi-Virk, and your hatred for anything Campbell (haven't heard much of your take the dilemma facing our NDP compared to your rants about the BC Liberals) one issue outlooks, come back and maybe I'll take your opinions with more value.
and...
Merry Christmas, Sunshine.
"You are dense, I'm referring to the person who calls me "Sunshine." So much of your reply is simply false and/or beside the point. I didn't say anything about BC Mary being denied "accreditation" - can you actually read - with comprehension?"
Can you? I used BC Mary as an example, Cupcake.
"As to who Professor Mathews is, you only display your ignorance by proposing that he is somehow a fake name for BC Mary. If you knew much about Canada and issues in Canada you would know exactly who Professor Mathews is, especially if you follow the links I provided and then google some more back to the fifties and sixties. "
If you knew anything about Canada,
Professior Mathews is only one person, not the sole person when it comes to journalism and how it relates to getting messages out to the public at large.
Whether you like it or not, people do pay attention to mainstream media, otherwise they would not exist.
"Though Mary herself has a background or call it a resume in publishing that goes back decades, Mr. Mathews is not only a Professor Emeritus at SFU, but does have the journalistic background I referred to,in his younger days, before he became a giant in academia. You are an idiot spouting about stuff that you obviously don't understand at all!"
So where does that place you? Blind loyalty obviously. He does have credentals, no question, but he is only one person, not the sole person.
As for Mary, I wonder if such a person who has a publishing background would take the easy way and just do cut and paste of articles written by others rather than coming up with newly researched material like some other blog persons have done.
"As to your last ridiculous comment I wouldn't be surprised if Bill T. was accredited in the BCSC, although I don't know if he is or not. The other piece of crap you mentioned doesn't matter."
If Bill T can be acredited so could Alex, so the question remains. One seat left, two bloggers. Who gets the seat?
what your opinions are don't matter much, other than being entertainment.
When you look beyond Basi-Virk, and your hatred for anything Campbell (haven't heard much of your take the dilemma facing our NDP compared to your rants about the BC Liberals) one issue outlooks, come back and maybe I'll take your opinions with more value.
and...
Merry Christmas, Sunshine.
There's a poll underway at The Province, on people's choice for the best BC news story of 2010.
I searched way, way down the list of suggestions and found what passes for the BC Rail Political Corruption Trial: "Basi-Virk found guilty ..."
http://www.theprovince.com/sports/What+were+stories+2010/4004938/story.html
"There's a poll underway at The Province, on people's choice for the best BC news story of 2010.
I searched way, way down the list of suggestions and found what passes for the BC Rail Political Corruption Trial: "Basi-Virk found guilty ..."
So what's the point here, Cupcake?
Not everyone considers Basi-Virk the big story of 2010.
Except of course who who still insist on living within it.
BC cannot afford to have Christi Clark as premier. With all that has gone on, including what went down when she was deputy premier, why would anyone in their right mind think she'd be the answer to our problems?
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