Unsubstantiated allegations used to oust Guergis: CBC

OTTAWA _ Unsubstantiated, third-hand allegations that former Conservative MP Helena Guergis and her husband snorted cocaine and cavorted with hookers were behind Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to kick her out of his caucus, according to documents obtained by the CBC.

CBC News reported Thurday night that it obtained a letter sent by Harper’s principal secretary to RCMP Commissioner William Elliott, asking him to investigate a series of sensational allegations.

The CBC says the letter _ written by Ray Novak and dated April 9, 2010 _ indicates the allegations include fraud, extortion, obtaining benefits by false pretences and involvement in prostitution.

There are claims in other documents that there’s a video of Guergis “snorting cocaine off the breasts of a prostitute.”

Guergis was fired from cabinet and kicked out of caucus last year, but the RCMP closed the case last July without laying charges.

She has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly asked Harper and the Conservatives to tell her what allegations they had.

The CBC says the letter indicates the allegations came from Derrick Snowdy, a Toronto-based private investigator. But it acknowledges the Prime Minister’s Office did not contact him directly.

It says the letter indicates the communication with Snowdy was  conducted through the Conservative party’s legal counsel, Arthur Hamilton.

A transcript of an interview Hamilton did with the RCMP was also obtained by the CBC. The transcript says Hamilton raised allegations of a video of Guergis and husband Rahim Jaffer partying with hookers and doing cocaine.

Hamilton is quoted as saying that “not only does Helena tolerate Jaffer hanging out with, with escorts, and prostitutes, but there’s apparently video of her snorting cocaine off the breasts of a prostitute.”

However, Hamilton told police he had no “verification of that.”

Hamilton refused to comment when contacted by the CBC. The Conservative campaign dismissed the story with a terse statement when contacted by The Canadian Press.

“Information was given to us. We passed that information the authorities. The authorities dealt with it,” Tory campaign spokesman Dimitri Soudas wrote in an email.

The letter appears to confirm documents that Snowdy gave the RCMP were tabled before a House of Commons committee last September. They only mention Guergis once and not even by name.

They include some references to Jaffer, including a notorious email in which controversial Toronto venture capitalist Nazim Gillani boasted that Jaffer “has opened up the prime minister’s office to us.”

Guergis is running as an Independent in the election in her central Ontario riding of Simcoe-Grey.

She was expected to hold a news conference on Friday to comment on the latest documents.