Justice John Gomery has lifted the publication ban on Jean Brault's testimony, allowing the Canadian media to finally report the testimony to the Canadian public. As CTV demonstrates in its data-dump format, the facts as presented by CQ's source stand up very well against the revelations possible now that the media has been unleashed:

Brault claims in his testimony that he systematically kicked back huge amounts of taxpayer money to the federal Liberal party, a deception he claims involved senior Liberal organizers and people close to former prime minister Jean Chretien.

His testimony detailed secret meetings, phoney paper trails, envelopes stuffed with cash and bogus billings.

* He said there were phoney employees on the payroll at the ad firm Groupaction.
* Brault said there was $1 million in kickbacks to the Liberal Party of Canada.
* His reward, he claims, was $172 million in government business for his firm.

It was always the same story, he told the commission. The Liberal Party needs money. If you want the business, you have to pay.

Brault says most of the kickbacks were cash; that's the way his Liberal handlers wanted it. Simply, he said, so it couldn't be traced.

On one occasion, Brault says he handed $25,000 in cash to Joseph Morselli, a top organizer for former public works minister Alfonso Gagliano.

Brault wanted the bidding for some ad contracts with the justice department delayed. He says Morselli told him the delay would cost $100,000.

The first payment was $25,000, dropped off at a fundraiser for Gagliano, at a restaurant in Montreal's east end.

Brault claims he also put at least five Liberal party workers on Groupaction's payroll. They were paid with sponsorship money to do work for the party.

Other Liberals allegedly got cheques too, disguised as consulting fees, for doing nothing. One of them was Jean Chretien's brother, Gaby.

Brault claims Chretien handed $4,000 to a Liberal candidate.

Brault says Liberal fundraiser Alain Renaud got $63,000, also for doing nothing.

It was clearly, Brault says, a donation to the Liberal Party.

And then, there's Jacques Corriveau, a confidant of former prime minister Jean Chretien.

Brault paid Corriveau's firm nearly $500,000, for no work at all.

He says Corriveau wanted the money for the Liberal party.

Under cross examination, a lawyer for the Liberals suggested Brault didn't really know if some of his payments ended up in Liberal coffers. Brault agreed with that, saying 'You're right."

Well, perhaps the attorney representing the Liberals on the cross-examination felt he scored a point. However, when political appointees demand cash from a government contractor, either the money is for themselves or their party -- and either way, it's corruption.

Justice Gomery only partially lifted the ban, leaving some question whether the ban would continue for Chuck Guité and Paul Coffin. If it does and my source can still produce information on the ongoing testimony, I will continue to publish it here. My hope will be that Justice Gomery realizes that publication bans do nothing but damage public confidence in the government's ability to police itself and hold itself accountable to the electorate. We'll see soon enough if that lesson has sunk in with Justice Gomery.

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» THE BAN IS (partially) OVER! from an active mind
As predicted, news outlets have plastered Brault's testimoney all over the net and I'm sure it will be the top story on this evening's news! [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 1:59 PM

» More from CTV from an active mind
Brault claims in his testimony that he systematically kicked back huge amounts of taxpayer money to the federal Liberal party, a deception he claims involved senior Liberal organizers and people close to former prime minister Jean Chretien. [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:00 PM

» Canada's Liberals Deep in Corruption from The (not so) Daily Me
This really stinks badly! Here's brief time-line: Gomery commission commissioned to probe Liberal corruption Publication ban issued Blogs: Silenced! Charged! Captain's Quarters (one of my favorite blogs) does an extensive write-up. CQ is down rig... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:03 PM

» Restoring Ethics to Canadian sensibilities from Being American in T.O.
Apr. 7 - The Captain has posted portions of the the CTV summary and is doing some fact checking -- comparing the information he received from his source to what is going up the CTV site. Before we go further,... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:34 PM

» More Canaries from Dust my Broom
More canaries singing about the Gomery Inquiry ... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:39 PM

» Tongues May Wag from King of Fools
The silly Canadian Publication Ban has been lifted, per Captain Ed (of course). [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:44 PM

» Adscam continues from hubs and spokes
If you haven't been following the Adscam coverage at Captain's Quarters, you're at least as far behind the curve as I am as a result of waiting this long to link to it. Captain Ed is doing an incredible... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 2:47 PM

» The ban is what got us the testimony from The Sudden Sage [beta]
What many bloggers, especially American ones (understandably), often miss here is that these witnesses in this case can't be compelled to testify regarding matters related to their charges as long as it can be argued under law that their constitutional... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 3:23 PM

» Publication Ban Partially Lifted from Air Force Voices
CTV is reporting the Canadian publication has been lifted (HT: MikeyMike and Captain's Quarters). [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 4:10 PM

» Massive report at the Globe and Mail from Angry in the Great White North
"Mr. Brault said he offered $100,000, but Mr. Morselli said it would have to be in cash, otherwise he had to pay twice as much." Discounts for cash payments? This is sooooo bad. [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 6:02 PM

» ABSOLUTE SHAME from Generation Zel! Radio
Been reading this before the publication ban was lifted, didn't link because I can't afford a lawyer for a contempt of court charge... The original breaker of the story: Captain's Quarters, who deserves kudos for helping influence the lift of the ban. [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 8:20 PM

» The Big Takeover from The Meatriarchy
Kate of small dead animals is now content to let MSM take over the reporting about the Gomery inquiry and makes a great suggestion: Captain Ed for the Order of Canada. It was a hell of a week in the blogosphere and the first time that Canadian Blog... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 8:53 PM

» Linkage, & even more Linkage from OKIE on the LAM - In LA
Congratulations to Captain Ed at Captain's Quarters blog! The Canadian judge has lifted the publication ban in Canada and the Captain's sources have held up well! Justice John Gomery has lifted the publication ban on Jean Brault's testimony, allowin... [Read More]

Tracked on April 7, 2005 11:37 PM

» Congratulations, Captain's Quarters from Daly Thoughts
Captain's Quarters has been defying the 'publication ban' on public testimony of Canadian governmental corruption. The ban has now been lifted. Or maybe the title should be, congratulations Canada, with thanks to the good Captain. [Read More]

Tracked on April 8, 2005 7:30 AM

» Publication Ban Lifted on Sponsorship... from zaphodsheads
Publication Ban Lifted on Sponsorship... [Read More]

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