Court papers appear to contradict MP’S claim of not overspending

‘ There’s no evidence of wrongdoing,’ says Tory colleague of Del Mastro

Records from a court case appear to contradict Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro’s claim that he paid a research company only a small amount during the 2008 election, muddying the waters as he resists calls to step down during an Elections Canada investigation of his campaign spending.

On Wednesday, Postmedia News reported Del Mastro is being investigated for allegedly exceeding both his spending limit and contribution limit.

The revelation led NDP and Liberal critics Thursday to call for Del Mastro step aside as the prime minister’s parliamentary secretary until the investigation is resolved, but Del Mastro brushed aside the demands, saying he serves “with integrity and conviction.”

Del Mastro has said his audited campaign expenses — which showed a payment of just $ 1,575 to Holinshed — were accurate and complete, and said the rest of the money was for other work.

But documents filed as part of a lawsuit launched by Holinshed Research Group include a quote on its letterhead for doing 630 hours of voteridentification calls and get- out- thevote calls on election day and on advance poll days for $ 21,000.

The court file also contains a cheque from Del Mastro’s personal account for $ 21,000 dated Aug. 18, 2008, and an invoice for the completed work.

After the election, when Del Mastro’s official agent filed the campaign’s return, it included a payment to Holinshed of $ 1,575 and a mysterious line item for $ 75,238.39 labelled “Advertising/ Brochures/ Signs.”

Elections Canada seem to have demanded more detail, because when the audited return was posted online, the single line item was gone and 100 smaller line items were added, including a $ 10,000 payment to Holinshed, under the header “amounts not included in election expenses.”

The expense statement showed the campaign spent $ 91,770.80, just $ 795.99 under the limit.

In a court order filed in Ottawa, Elections Canada says Del Mastro’s official agent, Richard McCarthy, is suspected of improperly accepting the $ 21,000 alleged personal cheque from Del Mastro and filing a false claim.

Del Mastro and McCarthy have both asserted the allegations are groundless.

In October 2009, after their business relationship had eroded into acrimony, Holinshed wrote to McCarthy, asserting the campaign’s return did not include all of the work the firm did during the campaign.

“Holinshed charged $ 20,000 plus GST to your campaign,” wrote company president Frank Hall. He included copies of the contract and invoice, and asked that the campaign rectify the “reporting error.”

Liberal leader Bob Rae said Del Mastro will not be an effective spokesman for the government on Elections Canada issues since he’s under investigation by that body.

“It’s not up to us to find him guilty or not guilty,” he said. “It’s up to us to decide is this now going to be a credible spokesman for the government when it comes to issues dealing with ethics and dealing with Elections Canada.”

Conservative MP Pierre Poilievre told CBC TV Thursday that Del Mastro will not be stepping down. “He’s not stepping aside,” he said. “There’s no evidence of any wrongdoing here.”