Quebec Liberals push back against inquiry news

MONTREAL — Rocked by allegations of illegal financing, the Quebec Liberals mounted a counter- attack in defence of their party’s reputation Wednesday.

The most aggressive response came from a party member who questioned the credibility of the star witness at Quebec’s corruption inquiry.

David Whissell was among several prominent Liberals who responded to the latest testimony at the inquiry but he was the only one to criticize the key witness.

Whissell, an ex- cabinet minister, took direct aim at Lino Zambito, the former construction boss whose testimony has shaken Quebec’s political and business class.

Whissell not only denied the claim that a member of his entourage solicited an illegal $ 50,000 cash donation from Zambito — an allegation he called unrelated to reality.

He also questioned Zambito’s credibility after his own testimony in recent days implicated him in collusion and bid- rigging schemes.

“I want to remind you that Mr. Zambito is someone who has been arrested, who is charged with crimes, who is seen on video giving money to the Mafia, who pressured municipal officials,” Whissell told The Canadian Press in a telephone interview.

“He’s someone who is a criminal and I think we’re too easily taking his words to be the truth.”

Zambito has testified that a cartel of construction companies conspired to drive up the cost of public contracts and split the profits with the Mob, the City of Montreal’s ruling party, and corrupt officials. None of those allegations before the inquiry have been proven in court.

The pushback against Zambito began Wednesday after he took on a new target: provincial politics.

Zambito alleged that Christian Cote, an engineer who worked as an organizer for Whissell, solicited a $ 50,000 cash payment to a Liberal fund in exchange for help with a business problem.

Zambito said the cash request was quickly withdrawn when he complained to a senior party figure, while his business problem was abruptly solved anyway.