Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: #JohnDotBanks and all

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  • 3410,

    Even more Banks corruption suggestions

    The latest developments came as Banks admitted he had dinner at the home of former Natural Dairy boss Jack Chen with bankrupt May Wang - who are now facing corruption charges in Hong Kong.

    A source close to Banks' mayoralty campaign team believed Chen had offered up to $50,000 at the dinner.

    Banks says he did not recall either Chen or Wang "offering to give him support or a donation".

    (I can't find a primary source for this admission).

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Attachment

    Interesting Campbell Live last night. I hope for their sake that they've got some evidence for the thinly-veiled implication that the PM was... less than truthful in his claim that he'd not even heard of Kim Dotcom until the day before the raid.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to 3410,

    thinly-veiled implication that the PM was… less than truthful

    They didn't imply anything of the sort. They merely suggested a lot of people who have contact with Key knew. A lot of people whose job it is to keep Key informed. No suggestion at all that he would have actually been told. No. Of course not. Why would anyone think that he might have been told by any one of the dozen people close to him who knew. Stop being so ridiculous. Are you some kind of leftie?

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Kumara Republic,

    T-shirt print, anyone?

    but think of the children

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Why would anyone think that he might have been told by any one of the dozen people close to him who knew.

    Private sector CEO delegation tendencies coming back to bite him.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Banks confirms HK hotel discount

    After last night denying it, Act leader John Banks this afternoon confirmed he got a discounted deal at Kim Dotcom's favourite Hong Kong hotel during his stay there last year but says he negotiated the discount himself.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • merc, in reply to 3410,

    "The hotel room was so expensive I even paid for it with my wife's credit card."

    Since Dec 2006 • 2471 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to 3410,

    Suite dreams…

    …he negotiated the discount himself.

    “Hi my good friend Kim Dotcom sent me to you and he said you’d look after me….”

    <afterthought> wouldn't this be 'using a Dotcomument to obtain a pecuniary advantage'?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Just thinking,

    You can see why Simon Powers left politics.

    Putaringamotu • Since Apr 2009 • 1158 posts Report Reply

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Ian Dalziel,

    Dotcomument

    Tshirt.

    Dotcondiment.

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

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Just thinking,

    You can see why Simon Powers left politics.

    Yeah, to handle the sale of our state owned assets. which he'll know will be easy. The man isn't stupid. Westpac calling. His disassociation was healthy. IMO

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

  • 3410,

    And on it goes...

    NZH: Nats' role in Banks fundraising

    The Herald has obtained paperwork showing the development of the campaign to get Mr Banks elected. The "mentor group" had four people placed in charge of fundraising including Mr Simpson and fellow former National Party board member Michelle Boag. The other two were real estate agent Graham Wall and Auckland councillor Cameron Brewer.

    Stuff: Campaign advertising gift in spotlight.

    Fresh allegations have surfaced about donations to John Banks' Auckland mayoralty campaign as the ACT leader clung to office for another day.

    Questions were raised yesterday about a $15,000 gift of "radio advertising" to his 2010 mayoralty campaign. Police are investigating other donations to his failed campaign.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    3News: Banks said thanks for donations - report

    Dotcom's former employee, who didn't want to be named, told the Dominion Post he personally wrote out the cheques on the account of Megastuff, the Megaupload founder's company.

    He also said Mr Banks called Dotcom's bodyguard Wayne Tempero to say thank you for the donations - which Mr Banks has denied doing.

    "I got a phone call from Wayne saying the funds had gone in because John phoned to thank him. You don't have to be a genius to figure out that (Mr Banks) knew," the former employee said.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Mike Hosking weighs in

    Banks may be eclectic but in my memory he’s never been accused of not being straight up and down.

    Banks had a record of being a straight shooter. He’s self made, hard working, deeply conservative, old school. I think given the record, if he says he did nothing wrong until proven otherwise, he’s earned the right to be believed.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to 3410,

    Pokie mon....

    Mike Hosking weighs in

    Oddly he doesn't mention the Sky City donation aspect - just doing his masters' bidding perhaps?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report Reply

  • Paul Campbell,

    Dunedin • Since Nov 2006 • 2623 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to 3410,

    in my memory he’s never been accused of not being straight up and down

    Hosking's recall is on a par with his buddy then.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Hosking's recall is on a par with his

    maths.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Matthew Poole, in reply to 3410,

    Mike Hosking weighs in

    I had to laugh at there isn’t a shred of evidence that he did [anything wrong]. There's his return, and two members of KDC's staff who say that there was a phone call of thanks. The bodyguard took the call, and then called the staffer who deposited the cheques to say the money had gone through, or so the story goes (I can't find the article I read it in). The word of two people rather outweighs the word of one person, particularly when the one has a very vested interest in their story being the one that's accepted as truth.

    Auckland • Since Mar 2007 • 4097 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Matthew Poole,

    the staffer who deposited the cheques

    Recent story touches on the chain of events - including
    why Queenstown.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    Don't know if this is common knowledge, but the word on the street is that the SkyCity convention centre deal is dead in the water.

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • 3410,

    NZH: Crown lawyers knew Dotcom order unlawful

    Crown lawyers acting for the United States knew before seizing Kim Dotcom's fortune and property that they were using an unlawful court order.

    The High Court file has revealed Crown prosecutor Anne Toohey realised there was a paperwork problem on the morning of the January raid.

    The Solicitor-General at the time, David Collins, was alerted to the error but told the mistake didn't alter the lawful nature of the order allowing the seizure of Dotcom's wealth.

    The advice was wrong - Justice Judith Potter later ruled the restraining order "null and void" and having "no legal effect"...

    Auckland • Since Jan 2007 • 2618 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to 3410,

    you visit more interesting streets than me

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • DexterX,

    http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10803672

    Banks is gone - once the budget gets rolled out and the police conclude the first stage of their investigation and charge Banks - Key might then find the time to address the issue with more than - I have a :"cast iron guarantee" from Banks and fankly I am busy.

    It is Gnome Over - eventually:

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 1224 posts Report Reply

  • Gudrun Gisela, in reply to 3410,

    3410 you are a moron and a coward hiding behind a synonym.. To think Key is telling the truth is telling people to deny any knowledge of anything is an acceptable statement. A PM who is totally out of the loop is not fit to govern in my opinion.

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2011 • 891 posts Report Reply

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