Harper's U.S. neocon booster changes his story

[Canadian Socialist]

Gee... imagine my surprise

Jan. 27, 2006. 09:05 AM
BETH GORHAM
CANADIAN PRESS

WASHINGTON - A top U.S. conservative commentator now says he authorized an e-mail warning right-wing American groups not to talk to Canadian journalists before the election for fear of scaring voters and damaging Stephen Harper's chances.

Paul Weyrich, head of the Free Congress Foundation, told The Canadian Press last week that the widely distributed message was the product of an overzealous staff member of the research group.

He also said he didn't know Calgary lawyer Gerald Chipeur, a prominent Tory who called the foundation with concerns that Liberal-friendly journalists were trying to link Harper with "scary" American groups.

But in a commentary on the foundation's website this week, in which he calls Canadians too "hedonistic" to change course quickly, Weyrich admits he asked an associate to write the e-mail.

He directed staff member Bob Thompson to "tell American conservatives what the media up north intended to do and request that folks not conduct interviews until after the Canadian elections."

He also wrote that he'd been in contact with Chipeur by e-mail a few days before the election and "discussed the projections."
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http://tinyurl.com/7dx7x

And Harper says there is NO hidden agenda. Yeah. Right.:sarcasm:

[punpirate]

1. Weyrich's a...

... liar, a fraud and a peckerwood, all rolled into one. US conservatives have been trying to help Canadian conservatives win in order to have Canada spend much more on defense than they do now, so that their national health care system will be underfunded (and US defense firms will make more money on military arms orders).

[Canadian Socialist]

2. And Chipeur's law firm

is the one that Ezra Levant used to belong to. Levant is the publisher of the Western Standard - a far right wing "news" rag published here in Calgary. If you have the stomach for it, their website is www.westernstandard.ca. If you thought FD and FR were bad, the shotgun blog @ WS is worse. In the spirit of complete disclosure, I have a personal animus towards Levant et al. Just thought you should know.

[applegrove]

3. Wow - it had not occured to me that a neocon would lie. n/t

[applegrove]

4. How about when Stephen Harper complained last year someone was

using his letterhead? Was that you too?

[Canadian Socialist]

5. No (ha!)

I hadn't heard about that. No, my dislike for Levant et al. is more business related. But I have worked with them and I know what sleazebags they are.

[applegrove]

7. I think last spring when Harper didn't make the Liberlas fall someone

- a panicky neocons of some sort - sent out some mail on his letterhead. Never did find out what exactly that was about.

[AX10]

6. Total War in the parliament is likely to break out.

.