Tory staffer stood his ground against PMO on secret Duffy plan

OTTAWA (CP) — In a scandal where even seasoned MPs and senators were persuaded to sing from the PMO songbook, a lone Conservative staff member stood his ground on parliamentary ethics.

Chris Montgomery is the plucky but soft-spoken Tory who said no when he was asked by some of the most powerful people in the country to help tinker with a Senate report on Sen. Mike Duffy’s questionable housing expenses.

The details of Montgomery’s stand were laid out in an 80-page RCMP court filing, released publicly this week. The documents describe a plan hatched between the Prime Minister’s Office and Duffy to have his expenses repaid, while making sure a Senate report into the matter treated him with kid gloves.

Nigel Wright, Harper’s former chief of staff, and Duffy face allegations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. The allegations have not been proven in court, and no one has yet been charged.

Montgomery, who has since joined the private sector, was the director of parliamentary affairs for former Conservative Senate Leader Marjory LeBreton for six years. His online LinkedIn profile says he was there to “exercise sound judgment in guaranteeing that agendas were advanced in accordance with minister’s mandates.”

But when the agenda of the PMO involved manipulating Senate committees, and shaping a Senate report, Montgomery balked.