Fraud-charged Senator leads Tory fundraising review

OTTAWA – With a heavy dose of irony, Harper-appointed Senator and Conservative Fund Board Chair Irving Gerstein will review his party’s fundraising strategy – even while up on fraud charges for violating the Elections Canada Act.

Gerstein, who stands accused of willfully exceeding campaign spending limits in what has been called the “in-and-out” affair, just spent the 2011 election campaigning for the Conservatives. Gerstein’s salary - and his campaign travel expenses - were bankrolled by the public.

“While the Conservatives attack the meager per-vote-subsidy, it appears the secret to their fundraising success relies on doing partisan work with public money - and potentially electoral fraud,” said New Democrat Ethics Critic Charlie Angus.

“Senator Gerstein should be stepping down from his Senate duties while his case is prosecuted,” continued Angus. “Instead, he’s working as a high-profile fundraiser for the Conservatives while collecting a public Senate salary. That’s not what cleaning up Ottawa is supposed to look like.”

Last year, Gerstein received a salary of $136,816 and spent $56,989 on travel. He continued to collect a full Senate salary while working on the 2011 campaign.

Gerstein is one of four Conservative officials charged in the “in-and-out” affair. If found guilty, they face fines or up to a year in jail.