Ashby’s lawyers eye up attack
PAULINE Hanson’s One Nation chief of staff James Ashby is consulting lawyers after a scathing statement released by now independent Senator Fraser Anning blamed him for the party’s underwhelming state election result.
The Queensland senator quit the party minutes after being sworn in last month after being asked to step aside to allow Malcolm Roberts back into the Senate.
On Saturday, he released a statement blaming the party’s poor performance on Mr Ashby, who had “snatched defeat from the jaws of victory”.
“I still have respect for Pauline and I support what One Nation stands for, but it would appear that James Ashby is well on the way to ruining everything she has fought to build,” it read.
“What should have been a force for much- needed change has been turned into a wrecking ball for conservative politics in Queensland.
“Ashby’s brilliant plan to get One Nation to preference against sitting members just booted good conservatives out of parliament and helped elect socialist ratbags.”
Senator Anning also blamed Mr Ashby for undermining his relationship with “close personal friend” Senator Hanson.
“Ashby continues to leak negative material to the media against other people who support Pauline, including the staff of other One Nation senators,” he said.
“It’s like Ashby is trying to squeeze out anyone who had a relationship with Pauline before he came along and so might give her an alternative view to his.
“I only hope that Pauline wakes up to his grubby behaviour and gives him the flick before it’s too late.”
In a statement yesterday, Mr Ashby said he was unable to comment on Senator Anning’s statement as it had been referred to his lawyers.
“The claims made by Fraser Anning against James Ashby are false and malicious and Mr Ashby is taking legal advice about his options,” the statement read.