Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: #JohnDotBanks and all

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  • Sacha, in reply to nzlemming,

    Surely the candidate is responsible for everything that occurs during his campaign?

    I believe Mr Geddis addressed that recently. Or maybe it was Mr Edgeler? Apparently the wording in the act does not link the candidate and their campaign team as much as the equivalent central electoral legislatation does.

    An interpretation seems quite possible that the candidate need be the only person who must know or not know for the purposes of establishing anonymity, regardless of what their campaign team did.

    Of course most of the public are not lawyers, and if it smells like a duck..

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Mike Graham, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    and who gave Dotcom the bank account number details to deposit the cheques into said account?

    or did the cheques get to Team Banksie and were deposited by a minion while skiing

    Aaron Bhatnagar?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 206 posts Report

  • Russell Brown, in reply to Mike Graham,

    Aaron Bhatnagar?

    I am surprised his name hasn't come up more often, given his past escapades.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 22850 posts Report

  • merc,

    Do you pay tax on a political donation? Is it coded to IRD as a political donation? Do you have to keep a paper trail of how a political donation is spent?
    Is there some forensic accounting needing to be done here? Do the politicians who receive donations have guidelines as to how it must be spent?

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to merc,

    and is such a donation a 'gift' for tax purposes?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Stuff: Banks, Williamson picked to stand down.

    Online predictions market iPredict has ACT leader John Banks and National MP Maurice Williamson both being stood down as ministers by May 15...

    Personally, I think the iPredicters are totally wrong about Williamson (had him to go at over 97 cents last night!), but an interesting headline, nonetheless.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • 3410,

    ACT president Chris Simmons confirms that Banks told him that he (Banks) asked Dotcom to split the $50k donation.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to 3410,

    source?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Sacha,

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • 3410,

    source?

    Sorry. Thought it would be everywhere in a few minutes.

    NBR says that:

    John Banks denies asking Kim Dotcom to split a $50K donation so it could remain anonymous.

    I'm not sure he did though, did he?

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    excellent. ta.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • DexterX, in reply to Sacha,

    Apparently the wording in the act does not link the candidate and their campaign team as much as the equivalent central electoral legislatation does.

    That is just how daft the law is - to actually consider that there is viable degree of seperation. It does not serve the public interest.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    That link now says:

    The ACT Party's president says he was mistaken to confirm John Banks suggested to internet millionaire Kim Dotcom to split a $50,000 donation into two lots of $25,000.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to 3410,

    John Banks denies asking Kim Dotcom to split a $50K donation so it could remain anonymous.
    I'm not sure he did though, did he?

    I thought that is exactly what I saw and heard on Campbell last week. Or was it a dramatic recreation? Nit-picking, I know, but isn't Kim Dotcom a bit more than a millionaire - surely at least a multimillionaire or even a billionaire.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to nzlemming,

    Screenshots are a wonderful thing for democracy.

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to nzlemming,

    So the ACT party prez says yea. Then he says nah. Then yea, nah...

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Audio of the backdown story is up.

    It contains some of the original interview:

    Mary Wilson (Checkpoint): [... In that interview I asked Mr. Simmons if he had asked Mr. Banks if he had received donations from Mr. Dotcom, and he had this to say:]

    Chris Simmons (ACT President): “Not in that direct manner. I’ve asked him, ah, about the process that they used...”

    MW: “Why didn’t you ask him directly?”

    CS: “Well, he’s told me that that was an anonymous donation...”

    MW: “But he knew that they were going to be $25,000 – split into two lots – or $50,000 split into two lots.”

    CS: “No; that was one of the suggestions he made to, ah, Dotcom...”

    MW: “Do you know why he made that suggestion?”

    CS: “He has given me an indication as [to] why he made that suggestion, and that was that he initially, ah, was going to put in 25,000 of his own money, and he figured that other people should be putting in the same sort of, ah, numbers. That’s what he’s looking for.

    RNZ's political editor Brent Edwards says

    ... Mr. Simmons rang me within minutes, really, of that interview airing on Radio New Zealand, and said he was completely mistaken; that he has never discussed with Mr. Banks specifically the matter of whether Mr. Dotcom gave him money or not or how it might have been split up. He said he was trying to refer more generally to how, under the Electoral Act, the local body candidates can approach people and ask for money, but that he hasn't actually specifically discussed Mr. Dotcom's donation with Mr. Banks in that way...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • 3410,

    Not sure if RNZ has posted the complete interview audio...
    (I couldn't find it).

    It's here though:
    http://thestandard.org.nz/resignationwatch-oopsie/.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report

  • Just thinking,

    All this would not have been an issue had Banks said Dotty gave me $50K and the Satan gave me $15K.
    Do you think he could stay in the same room his Dad did in Mt Eden?

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report

  • nzlemming,

    You really can't make this shit up. And I see McCully's had to backtrack on MFAT reform as well.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie,

    Making shit up - Fake Banksy.

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    Excellent Joe { :)

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Mikaere Curtis, in reply to Joe Wylie,

    And this.

    Tamaki Makaurau • Since Nov 2006 • 528 posts Report

  • Joe Wylie, in reply to Mikaere Curtis,

    And this.

    You certainly got the right JB pic there.
    Was there ever a more queasiness-inducing smile in NZ politics?

    flat earth • Since Jan 2007 • 4593 posts Report

  • Kumara Republic, in reply to Mikaere Curtis,

    And this.

    Exactly what I hand in mind! T-shirt print, anyone?

    The southernmost capital … • Since Nov 2006 • 5446 posts Report

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