Cross examination of Harper aide continues at Duffy trial – CP

Source: The Canadian Press
Aug 14, 2015 4:15

OTTAWA _ A former chief of staff to Prime Minister Stephen Harper will continue to be grilled today at the Ottawa trial of Sen. Mike Duffy.

Nigel Wright has been testifying all week at the trial and is currently being cross examined by Duffy’s lawyer Donald Bayne.

There were some tense exchanges between the two men Thursday as Bayne tried to emphasize that it was Wright and his team who devised the plan to have Duffy say publicly that he had mistakenly claimed living expenses for his Ottawa-area home.

Wright replied that he was persistent and Duffy eventually agreed.

On the campaign trail Thursday, Harper maintained he knew nothing of Wright’s eventual decision to repay $90,000 in expenses out of his own pocket.

Harper said he was told Duffy was going to repay the expenses and would provide his own explanation.

Duffy has pleaded not guilty to 31 counts of breach of trust, fraud and bribery.

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