PLECAS LAWYERS UP
Speaker’s office retains Oppal
VICTORIA Embattled Speaker of the Legislature Darryl Plecas has sought to provide himself legal cover at the centre of a worsening scandal, amid allegations he asked a friend to conduct a secret investigation into two senior officials, spearheaded the suspension of the men and then tried to install his friend into one of their vacant positions.
Plecas’ office announced Thursday that former attorney general Wally Oppal had been retained to provide legal advice in a new special assistant role. It’s unknown what Oppal will actually do or how much he will be paid because Plecas refused, for a third day, to take any questions on any matters.
The move capped another dramatic day at the legislature, in which Plecas clashed with reporters and promised to explain himself at a 2 p.m. news conference only to take off down a legislature hallway and send an assistant out to read a statement.
The assistant, Alan Mullen, is himself at the centre of the scandal.
Liberal house leader Mary Polak released a sworn affidavit in which she said Plecas tried to have the house leaders of the Greens, Liberals and NDP agree to appoint Mullen as the building ’s new sergeantat-arms during a meeting Monday evening.
Polak said they immediately denied the request and deemed it “inappropriate.” Her account was backed up by NDP house leader Mike Farnworth.
“The suggestion was made,” he said. “It was a very firm no.”
The house leaders in the meeting weren’t told Mullen had been conducting a clandestine sevenmonth investigation into current sergeant-at-arms Gary Lenz, as well as legislature clerk Craig James, said Liberal Leader Andrew Wilkinson.
That only came out later, after Lenz and James were placed on administrative leave Tuesday and marched out of the building by Mullen and Victoria police officers that he’d called to provide security. Mullen, a former corrections manager at the Kent Institution, said he’d provided his investigative findings to the RCMP, which confirmed they are investigating under the direction of two special prosecutors.
It’s still not known what James or Lenz are accused of doing. No charges have been laid or tested in court, and neither James nor Lenz has been arrested.
“I think all of us were concerned that we found out yesterday that a seven-month investigation was being conducted by someone with no legal training or policing experience and this was being effectively hidden by the elected assembly,” said Wilkinson.
“We’re very concerned about that.”
Farnworth, who recruited Plecas to defect from the B.C. Liberal party and become the Speaker last summer, said he continues to have confidence in Plecas’ ability to do the job. Wilkinson suggested “next steps” on the future of Plecas could occur after meeting with other parties.
“This is a test for our democracy,” said Wilkinson. “This is about accountability and in this situation the accountability is unclear and so all of us have a deep strong interest in getting the facts on the table.”
The suspension of the clerk of the legislature and the sergeantat-arms this week — effectively the building’s CEO and chief of security — is unprecedented in B.C. history.
Premier John Horgan told media it was an “extraordinary time” and that “the past number of days have admittedly been among the more difficult we’ve seen in British Columbia in a long, long time.”
The main goal should be for the RCMP to conclude its investigation into the legislature as quickly as possible to restore public confidence in the institution, said Horgan.
When asked if he condones the Speaker hiring a friend, appointing that person to conduct a secret investigation into top legislature officials without informing MLAs and then suggesting that person replace one of the people he’d ousted, Horgan sidestepped. “This is news to me today,” he said. “I’m processing that.”
“I know the individuals in question,” he added during his news conference. “I’ve been working with them for many years. This is a shock to the institution and a shock to British Columbians. I take comfort in our ability in this place to carry on and conduct the people’s business.”
Mullen told media this week he was hired by Plecas in January, in part to investigate Lenz and James. MLAs were unaware. Mullen said he has conducted federal corrections investigations, but admitted he has no legal or policing training. The Abbotsford News reported that Mullen worked on Plecas’ election campaigns.
Mullen and Plecas presented their investigative results to the RCMP in late August. The Mounties then obtained two special prosecutors to oversee their investigation on Oct. 1, which is a step used to prevent the perception of political interference.
The RCMP have refused to reveal the allegations against the men, as have Plecas and Mullen. James said Tuesday neither he nor Lenz know what they accused of doing. James has declined to comment since and Lenz has not been reachable.
Farnworth said that despite all the controversy, he did receive his own legal advice from the attorney general’s ministry before voting on the suspensions. The Speaker received separate legal advice.