SFO don’t consider ‘pretty legal’ as a defence

By
Martyn Bradbury
-
36
1951

When National ripped of Eminem’s music for their political advert, National Party Campaign manager Steven Joyce defended the use as “Pretty legal“.

Turns out the SFO don’t consider ‘pretty legal’ as a defence…

SFO files criminal charges over National Party donations

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) is pursuing criminal charges over an alleged $100,000 donation to National, but not against the party or its leader Simon Bridges.

…Let’s be clear, this is fucking enormous.

The SFO have traditionally run a thousand miles from ever getting involved in election donation issues and only press charges if they really have to, so they have clearly uncovered something and it’s rotten.

Of course, the real issue here isn’t so much how they laundered the money, the real issue here is how a rich Chinese businessmen openly asked to have two Chinese candidates bought and paid for on the National Party list.

This is a Party that already has an alleged Chinese spy in their caucus, many MPs have personal relationships with rich Chinese businessmen and Simon Bridges recently met the head of the Chinese secret police and praised them despite their Muslim concentration camps.

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Sure, we should hold National to account for any breaches of law, but the real issue here is Beijing’s influence over the largest political party in NZ.

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36 COMMENTS

  1. Bridges was taped giving instructions on how too deal with the money and NOT TOO MAKE IT PUBLIC !!! FFS.

    That fact has been largely ignored as has the real chinese influence at work here but they are not the only ones who donate huge amounts and unlike Labour that cops criticism for accepting trade union money ( which is on public record ) hide all their donors behind the Waitemata trust.

    I predicted when this story broke that Bridges , Ross and the party would be exempt from prosecution and no wonder Bridges was so cocky he knew that no law enforcement in their right mind would pursue him and lay charges.

    We don’t do that type of justice , in effect Bridges and his colleagues are above the law there is no doubt about that.

    Pretty legal sums up the respect they have for New Zealand laws that don’t suit them or their rich donors.

    • in effect Bridges and his colleagues are above the law there is no doubt about that.

      Bridges is looking like a wannabe t-rump, a t-rump in the making. He, too, considers himself above the law. Bridges’ mentors, the people he cozies up to and emulates, are ruthless authoritarian types at best, or outright fascists (dictatorial heads of state with extreme right wing views).

      And the pieces of developing Natz policies that I’ve glimpsed before they were paywalled are heading down that same track.

      • Well said Kheala

        Here is my thought now on the matter:
        Now who did Bridges learn from? Was it from John Banks or John Key?

        And so whatever conclusion the SFO comes to, and it’s likely no evidence of anything illegal was found on the NZ National Party indicates that National will again get away with another travesty. Whereas if anyone in the streets of NZ did the same thing they would be in prison by now!!!!

        My question is there a former MP in the SFO, associated with the SFO, linked to the SFO and will that MP who also has strong National Party links have influence over the outcome of the SFO investigation and hence the SFO probably coming up with no evidence has been found of anything dishonest by the NZ National Party?

        I am a sceptic now when it comes to the SFO and the ASA ‘investigations’. Both organisations seem to want to give us commoners the illusion there is a democracy but in all honesty I don’t think either ‘agency’ cares what the public think once they have made their ‘holier than thou’ decisions no matter how mistaken those decisions have been in the long run and in due course.

    • It appears the SFO is going after the messenger whilst the shooter goes free.
      Why would any sane person vote for this dodgy party?

  2. I am half expecting the SFO to later claim that there was no evidence of criminal activity found and the donations were perfectly legal and voluntary by those making the donations.

    National will get away with everything with a slap on the hand with a wet bus ticket.

      • I saw an article in the tabloid NZ Herald today in regards to the Advertising Standards Authority obviously doing yet another botch up when it comes to deliberately misleading advertising especially by the NZ National Party on social media.
        Here is the NZ Herald article:
        https://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=12304817
        I get the impression that the ASA has made so many botch ups in favour of the NZ National Party that they, the ASA, are in the NZ National Party pockets financially.
        And so all we know the same could well apply to the SFO.
        We all also know that the Devil Looks after His Own and especially in the realm of politics when dis-honest politicians resort to such behaviour especially if it means money into their OWN personal bank accounts by all deals made by partys that may also have some background criminal links.

  3. Meanwhile there’s (at least) one spy from a racist, monolithic, genocidal expansionist dictatorship in the Beehive… yes, that dictatorship will be voting in a Tibetan or Uighur president any day now, of course…

    • Yes , it is getting that way,… perhaps we could save the CCP the bother and open up polling booth for the NZ elections in China.

      Im sure National would approve.

  4. What ever finally pushed Jami Lee Ross’ buttons, he did the country a great service by releasing the recordings of Mr Bridges talking as powerful people do when they think they are unobserved. Will the SFO use the recordings? because they certainly drop the Nats in it, however much legal commentators like Mr Geddis try and minimise what happened and quote obscure points of law at us non lawyers.

    In a sick twist it could even be possible JLR might be one of the four charged! hopefully not given his whistleblowing role.

    Simon Bridges is well practised at throwing people under the bus to save his arse, and at not supporting his Caucus and party members in a tight spot so no news there. The Chinese connection is becoming more apparent, and harder to hide for the Nats which is another useful feature of this case. Will “Nats in court over donation fraud” be top of the page stuff, Hosking and co breathlessly discussing it for weeks and demanding Bridges resign? Nah. Not in your dreams.

    • What ever finally pushed Jami Lee Ross’ buttons, he did the country a great service by releasing the recordings

      He did. We owe him. (And I hope he gets in again.)

    • Bridges threw JLR under the bus to protect his and Brownlee’s fat arse as Bridges didn’t want Brownlee throwing bricks from the second row benches.
      Bridges will require a lawyer me thinks.

  5. SFO becoming relevant post wine box, who knew!

    Good move though.

    Essentially NZ has allowed foreign or NZ nationals to donate into MP seats and start making NZ laws for themselves and sitting on influential committees (aka Jian Yang former Spy teacher at PLA-run languages school conveniently left off his visa application to NZ and CV).

    The NZ electoral and political system is making a mockery of transparency by allowing so many loop holes that are called donations but seem to be ‘pretty legal’ bribes. Like the Hagamans who coincidently got a huge taxpayer contract in Niue after a political donation to Natz that we are not allowed to talk about anymore in case someone is sued repeatedly even from the grave on behalf).

    Sounds like democracy and not corruption. NOT.

    • Thats how bent politicians operate when they think no one is listening, or recording…

      If the Labour/Green/NZ First leaders had said what Mr Bridges did, there would be calls for their public execution from Hooton, Soper etc. etc.

      Basically the Nats are looking after their 1%er backers, offering “pay for candidate deals” and pissing over the rest of us and our electoral system. And the NZ National Party have the cheek to still wank on about Labour having “stolen” the 2017 election!

      • In Nat party scenes where cash is the king
        When west meets east here’s what they say

        When the shite hits your eye like a big pizza pie , that’s the Law , eh….
        When the world all declines like you’ve had too much wine , – that’s the Law eh….

        Phones will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
        And you’ll sing ” brutta vita””
        Hearts will beat fast , going tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
        Like a half squashed tarantella

        When the news paints you a fool just like a pasta fazool , that’s the Law eh…,
        When your marched down the street with a cop at your feet , – You’re in cuffs,
        When you walk down in a dream but you know you’re not Dreaming signore,
        Scusami me,- but you see, back in old NZ laws , – that’s the Law eh…

        ( sung to the tune of That’s Amore’ by Dean Martin)

  8. You may believe this is “enormous” but in reality no one really cares. It’s a nothing story that will not deliver the left, one more vote.

    • What ever happened to John Keys tax-havens he was nurturing like a Queen bee ,.. last time we all checked into that , most of them evaporated after :

      A / He lost power and ,

      B/ The IMF issued warnings to him and Blinglish that NZ was enabling a tax haven in this country.

      Which kind of takes the gloss off your claim. No one wants a corrupt govt and thus they were voted out. As they will be this coming election. I don’t know where you come from but from where I do, – we don’t take kindly to corruption in our political ELECTED representatives.

      We don’t pay these politicians a handsome salary to make a mockery of our laws , either.

    • Maybe MickeyBoyle but it certainly shows National and that they will do anything to be in power, including kicking people out of state housing. It is concrete evidence they are for the rich at the expense of everything else. Corrupt is not to strong a word.

    • Right leaning voters won’t care one iota such is the low morals that surround them but anyone with a shred of integrity should.

  9. I hope Jamie Lee gets in again. It took remarkable strength of character to come out with that info as he did. We need more of that. It would be so good if he did manage to beat the uber-rich corporate ceo over the line.

    • I still find it interesting that Bennett took the moral high ground on JLR affair with Downie, yet protected her even though the same morals were not accorded her?

      • Bennett has a moral high ground?

        Wow. First I knew of it …

        (All I’ve ever seen is posing, posturing and charades.)

  10. The deviant Natzo’s aye? Those whom inhabit the Natzo caverns are dire and vile indeed. But not in that cool way of film and TV. In a boring, greedy, sneaky way. A sickly, beige way. They’re cheap meat in synthetic suits and frocks.
    And if you think Natzo corruption starts with, and finishes with, the Chinese you’d be very much mistaken.
    The Natzo’s could have been at this for generations and generations. ( I personally believe they have been.)
    We’ll soon know if [they’ve] managed to neuter the SFO completely. [They] may have only cut off one of the SFO’s testicles back in the day. ( Wine box and prior. )
    I’ve written before, however, that I suspect bridges is a fall guy. Beware of false narratives and logical fallacies.
    Got a big, bright torch? Then look deep into the crypts of National and it’s supporters? It’ll not be National’s politicians who’ll be pulling the strings because they, in turn are puppets to our masters who thrive off us and who live in the shadows.
    There’ll be more than one tyrant who’ll want to own AO/NZ which comes complete with fresh water, fertile lands, huge, protective oceans and servile slaves well used to being kept in their place.

    • Now then , my swell country lad,… you wouldn’t be alluding to the likes of the NZ Initiative there , would you?

      Or the ‘London Square Mile ‘ Mont Pelerin Society perchance ?

      Yes indeed,… the Natso’s are a front for whoever offers the highest price, whether that be the CCP, the USA or whoever else greases the wheels for them to make a fat bank account at our expense.

      They have no morals. They have no principles. They are happy to indulge in murderous policies that mean the deaths of NZ workers… think Pike River,…remember when worm farmers were deemed a high risk industry?

      Think about that.

      The only high risk to them was worms eating their brains…

      Think it cant happen?

      Here’s something from the New Testament about what happens to bad hombres from time to time…

      Acts 12:18-25

      At break of day, there was consternation among the soldiers about what had become of Peter. Herod made a search for him, but didn’t find him, so then he examined the guards, and commanded that they be executed. Herod then went down from Judea to Caesarea, and spent time there.

      Now Herod was very angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. Their country depended on the king’s country for food, so they came to him with a united front to make peace —they’d been able to win over Blastus, the king’s personal aide. On an appointed day, Herod dressed himself in royal clothing, sat on the throne, and made a speech to them. The people shouted, ‘The voice of God, and not of a man!’ Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he didn’t give God the glory. He was eaten by worms and died.” (Acts 12:20-23).

      Makes ya wonder, don’t it.

      Certain types of worms lodge in the brain tissues, so they say….

    • Well , while there aint no tapes available about the latest skulduggery , … there certainly is an alleged CCP spy trainer still in the Natz.

      And that isn’t a good look now, isn’t it.

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