Irish Minister Dick Roche on Bruce Arnold’s sycophantic defence of Declan Ganley

In the current issue of the Village magazine Irish government Minister for European Affiars, Dick Roche, has been given a right of reply to attacks on him in the last issue by Declan Ganley's hagiographer and pet hack Bruce Arnold.
Ganley brought an action against the Village but dropped it and as it satnds the record shows that he has been accused of being a liar, has attempted to defnd his name and has withdrawn his action when faced with the potential of a vigorous defence.
This leaves Ganley the most reputationally compromised politician in Irish public life
You can read the original article and Arnolds article as well as Declan ganley Liar? by editor Michael Smith here

Bruce Arnold’s sycophantic defence of Declan Ganley by Dick Roche Minister for European Affiars


Bruce Arnold’s sycophantic defence of Declan Ganley is fascinating at several levels. Devotion to a ‘hero’ can be touching – Arnold’s paen to his hero is merely cringe making.
The most interesting aspect of Arnold’s efforts is his claim that he has “checked the allegations” against Ganley. I doubt very much that Arnold has done so. If he has there a couple of areas on which he could enlighten those who have been attempting to probe the mysteries surrounding Mr Ganley, the Libertas organisation, its operations and true motives.
One of the most important functions of the free press in Ireland is to provide a forum where journalists – ideally ones with a far greater degree of integrity than has been evidenced by Arnold – can objectively examine the claims made by those who would wish to shape this country’s destiny.
Scrutiny may fall on anyone who puts him or herself forward as a leader, representative or activist – elected or otherwise – and Declan Ganley, for all his millions, should be treated no differently than others who seek public office.
The central argument presented by Arnold in his article for Village last month appears to be built on logic of a very questionable variety: Declan Ganley shouldn’t have to answer any questions because other public figures have not – in Arnold’s opinion – been sufficiently questioned in the past.
Arnold’s of unspecified “allegations” against Ganley is laughable, given that he has been employed to write a book illuminating Ganley’s “political vision.”
The notion that this established relationship with Ganley might have diminished his journalistic impartiality does not appear to have been entertained by Arnold.
Indeed as Arnold has in his words “checked the allegations” against Ganley here are a few issues from the acres of material from Mr Ganley’s self promoted biography on which Bruce might enlighten us all.
First there are Ganley’s claims to have been foreign economic policy advisor to the Latvian Government. This is an important starting point in Ganley’d ‘biog’ so the question arise - has Arnold really checked the facts?
Ganley claims that in 1991 he was Foreign Economic Affairs Advisor to the then Latvian Government. This appointment is supposed to have opened doors for the then young Mr Ganley. It is an important point in Ganley’s ‘biography’. The problem is that the then Latvian PM denies the claim. Colm Keena writing in the Irish Times has pointed out that “people in Latvia who had made inquiries about Ganley at the time were unable to find anyone who'd heard of him. Sources in the Irish embassy in Warsaw, which was accredited to Latvia, told The Irish Times in 1999 it had become aware of the reports about Ganley's activities in Latvia, and had made discreet inquiries. But no trace could be found by the embassy of Ganley's business dealings in Latvia, or of his acting as an advisor to the government ( See Irish Times Saturday, May 31, 2008 “On the mysterious trail of 'Mr No'”), Has Arnold any evidence to contradict this?

During the period when Ganley claims he was operating from Riga, an Irish citizen, Michael Bourke was working for the IMF in Riga. Mr. Bourke recalls meeting Ganley in the city. His meeting with Ganley was discussed in some detail on the Prime Time programme.
He told RTE, “the meeting is one I shall never forget - ----- He said that he was involved in international trade and that he would be setting up his own bank ----- “Ganley International Bank”.
He said he would be getting a licence from the Minister for Finance”. When asked whether the bank ever materialised, Bourke answered, “it did not” and went onto point out that he had contacted the Latvian Ministry for Finance shortly after speaking with Ganley and asked whether they had any information on a bank being opened by an Irish citizen or on application for a licence by Ganley International Bank. The response he received was negative. There was no evidence or information on any such venture. What is Arnold’s view on this ?
Ganley's claims regarding his activities in Russia in the dying period of the Soviet system have been described by experts of that era as not capable of holding water. Jan Urban the Czech journalist/ writer has described Ganley's claims as BS
To recap the claims: Ganley claims, that in his late teens / early 20s :-
- he hit on the idea of insuring the launch of western payloads
into space on Russian rockets.
- he was been invited by the Russians to lead a trade delegation to Moscow.
- to have, during the course of the trade delegations visit, “bagged”
a valuable contract with the Russian authorities for insuring western payloads launched on Russian spacecraft, only to have been foiled when he was forced by the US authorities to drop the idea.
- To have masterminded a major trade fair on Russian metals and alloys
in London.
- To have established a successful business exporting aluminium from Russia to the west at the height of Russia’s “aluminium wars”.
- To have established and owned Russia’s biggest timber business.
Ganley’s claims are all the more remarkable given that they are the “achievements” of a young man with little or no capital, with no knowledge of the Russian language and with no particular personal expertise in any of the areas concerned. In addition the ‘achievements’ were made against a backdrop of turmoil in Russia as it moved from the Soviet system.
It would be fascinating to read Arnold’s take on all of this. Journalists who have investigated Ganley’s claims to have been a major business player in Russia in this period have all run into brick walls – Mr Arnold would be doing his hero a major favour if he produces any evidence to dispel the suspicions that surround the truthfulness of the accounts of Ganley’s adventures in Russia.
Then there are the questions about Ganley’s activities in Iraq. These were probed by RTE. The account of his activities in Iraq given by Ganley clash with the known facts.
Ganley told RTE he walked away “from the controversy surrounding the controversial telecommunications contract in which his consortium was involved in Iraq.
The available material including the remarkable account of Ganley company activities in T Christian Miller’s book “Blood Money: Wasted Billions, Lost Lives, and Corporate Greed in Iraq raise some very fundamental issues which Ganley has to date avoided answering.
In his book Miller suggests that "one case in particular demonstrated how political favours, money and corporate avarice strangled in the reconstruction process and from the start.” Miller is referring to the programme to reconstruct Iraq's telecommunications system and a series of events surrounding Declan Ganley's involvement in that troubled country.
Ganley has sought to suppress any probing of his activities by threatening legal action to prevent questions that should be answered being raised. If Ganley has nothing to hide why the threats? Mr Arnold tells us in Village that he has the answers one looks forward to reading them.
And then there is the issue of Ganley’s Rivada operations. The obvious question that arises is why does the US Dept of Defence dole out contracts to Ganley’s company without the inconvenience of competitive tendering?
The US based Rivada Networks LLC and its various associated companies seem to be Ganley’s main current business operation.
Rivada through its tie up with an Alaskan Native Corporation, Nana Pacific, is in a position to win valuable US government contracts –through the US Defence Department and associated agencies on a ‘sole – bid’ basis.
Companies fortunate to win contracts under these arrangements do not have to subject themselves to the inconvenience of competitive tendering.
This results in Rivada’s case to the company depending in effect on a single client, normally not the happiest corporate position to be in, but as the sole client is the US a less worrying position than might normally be the case – provided the company manages to keep on the ‘right side’ of its ‘patrons’ in the various military & defence agencies.
Rivada’s tie up with Nana goes back to the abortive attempt by a Ganley consortium to win a very valuable contract for the installation of a police telephone network in Iraq during the post war reconstruction, an attempt which led to a major scandal, an FBI investigation - events described in graphic detail by T Christian Miller.
It would be fascinating to have Arnold’s take on this.
It would be equally fascinating to have Arnold’s take on the number of off shore tax havens that appear in Ganley company activities, to have his views of on the $120 million in vouchers handed over by unfortunate Albanian citizens to Ganley’s Anglo Adriatic Investment trust – a matter probed in RTE’s excellent documentary about some of Ganley’s business operations.
Given Arnold’s evident admiration of Ganley & Libertas he might also address the mounting evidence that Libertas has been rather less than successful in bringing together credible candidates for the upcoming EU Parliament elections. Few of the Libertas candidates have any well defined record of public service: some can most charitably be described as full-blown Europhobic.
One further question the Arnold might turn his mind to is why does Ganley always try to shut down opponents with threats of legal action - is he afraid of the truth or is he just a bully?
Ganley likes to talk about openness, democracy & transparency – he is reluctant to practice any of these virtues – as was demonstrated in Libertas reluctance to answer questions as to its funding in last year’s referendum.
While Libertas likes to preach about democracy its founder is not always accept a central feature – the right to hold an opinion that differs from himself. Declan frequently threatens litigation. In this he is travelling the same path as James Goldsmith another rich Europhobe who used the threat of Court action to silence opponents.
In November 2008, Ganley's solicitors issued threats of legal action to Irish politicians, including Joe Costello of the Labour Party. This follows comments by Costello regarding Libertas funding.
According to the Irish Times "Mr Ganley has threatened to sue Mr Costello for substantial damages, following Mr Costello's charge that the Libertas founder has "a subversive foreign agenda".

Ganley also threatened to sue Jim Higgins, the Fine Gael MEP. Higgins responded vigorously & Ganley appears to have backed off.
Ganley has issued several threats to take on journalists including the RTE team that produced the Prime Time special. ( A complaint to BCC on the programme was rejected out of hand )
Action has even been threatened against people posting messages on Politics.ie, a website controlled by a Libertas employee.
Most recently we have had the action against Village Magazine – an action that seems to have faded when faced with a determined and robust defence.
As in so many other areas it would be fascinating to have Mr Arnold’s journalistic take on this.


The June issue of the Village is out now. It also contains two other features on Declan ganley http://villagemagazine.wordpress.com/2009/05/23/party-over-new-party-needed/

One by Mark Murray on Libertas and Ganley's far right pan European connections and one by Michael Smith on Ganley's flawed pedigree

Scandal-plauged Declan Ganley talks of honour and abuses English language in cynical effort to silence the free press

As reported here two days ago Lech Walesa was paid for his appearance addressed Libertas delegates in Rome. Declan anley however is making me laugh with his quotes as reported in today's Irish Times. The guy is running around Europe throwing millions around , attempting to buy political parties and political influence and is trying to get his hands on the coffers of the EU Yet...........no one can ask him about his spending on the campaign. Several days ago Libertas interns and blogger were informed that they must use the term ‘honorarium’ when referring to the the Walesa cash. It is amusing to see the leader using it himself several days after his hacks started to post it in on-line discussion. The Libertas campaign is being stage managed by emails to select groups and individuals with detailed instructions on what to do and what to push and what spin to use. I will be publishing a series of these in the coming week.

Ganley who previously stated he was in favour of a free press appears to have changed his mind. he is furious at being asked questions in Poland over his buying of Lech Walesa for an appearance at the lack lustre Libertas launch in Rome. Walesa brought howls of indignation, walk outs and shouts of traitor from the Libertas Poland delegation.

Ganley is quoted as saying “Gentlemen do not talk about money to other gentlemen,” Mr Ganley told the daily newspaper Dziennik yesterday. “The word ‘honorarium’ includes the word ‘honour’. Let’s drop the subject."
Ganley's abuse of the English language is only equalled by his abuse of the bounds of credibility with his statements on the increasing and various Libertas controversies which have deservedly earned him the prenom "Scandal Plagued"

It may include the word honour but it is not intended to mean huge payments of 50,000 plus thousand euros. Am honourable honorarium would cover out of pocket expenses etc .

Mr. Ganley remember you are running for election to our European parliament you spending will be and should be fully interrogated . There is no way sane people would place someone with his attitude to the truth and attitude to honest answer in a position where he could control public finances.

Walesa was paid to address Libertas delegates

DEREK SCALLY in BerlinDECLAN

GANLEY has acknowledged a payment was made to former Polish president Lech Walesa to address Libertas delegates at their conference on Friday in Rome.

The Libertas founder said it was usual to pay a fee in such circumstances, and described Polish media queries about the exact amount as “offensive”.

Polish newspapers reported Mr Walesa was paid €50,000 for the address. The appearance of the Solidarity co-founder has caused controversy in Poland, particularly as it came a day after he addressed a conference of the European People’s Party (EPP) in Warsaw.

“Gentlemen do not talk about money to other gentlemen,” Mr Ganley told the daily newspaper Dziennik yesterday. “The word ‘honorarium’ includes the word ‘honour’. Let’s drop the subject.”

Asked by the Polish newspaper about claims he had received a €50,000 fee for the speech, Mr Walesa replied jokingly: “Are you selling me short? You must be joking. You’d have to work one year for the same amount of money that I can get for one lecture.” In a separate interview, Mr Walesa said he accepted the Libertas invitation because he is unable to live off his state pension.

Walesa’s son Jaroslaw, campaigning in the European elections for Poland’s ruling Civic Platform (PO), told The Irish Times his father’s presence in Rome should not be confused with an endorsement. “My father disagrees with Libertas, their opinions and how Libertas works . . . But he understands that these people exist and have the right to have their voice, even if he disagrees with them.”

Asked whether his father’s presence would improve the party’s chances in next month’s European elections, he replied: “They don’t exist in Poland – they will not have any seats in the European Parliament from Poland.”

Jaroslaw Walesa declined to comment on his father’s speaking fee, but said he didn’t accept payment for his EPP address the previous day because “he is supporting it and thinks the EPP is the right way to go”.

In his Rome address, Mr Walesa told Libertas delegates that the party had the chance to “change Europe for the better”.

“We need to heed the Libertas message and put the people back at the heart of the project,” he said.

Ahead of next month’s vote, Libertas has yet to register in Polish opinion polls, although the Walesa appearance has garnered them a lot of publicity in the Polish press.

The party has also won over three European election candidates: two defected from the opposition Law and Justice party and one from the governing Civic Platform. Leading political commentators have suggested that the association with Mr Walesa, a love-hate figure in Polish public life, could improve Libertas’s long-term political chances in Poland.

“Walesa has brought them into the mainstream and, even if people don’t vote for them in the European elections, many people may now consider them a serious political factor,” said Jacek Zakowski, columnist with the weekly magazine Polityka.

Libertas refuses to go public on party funding despite claims to be the party of transparency

Despite their claim to be the party of transparency Libertas have again failed to make public the sources of their funding and details of defence contractor Rivada Networks early funding. Rivada Networks offices, phones and paid employees David Cochrane and Naoise Nunn were all utilised to set up Libertas.

The story in the Irish Independent today is highly topical given the funding scandal that is taking place over Libertas in Poland

Libertas founder to fund Polish party through the back door?

30th March 2009


Irish millionaire businessman Declan Ganley plans to take advantage of a loophole in Polish law that would allow him to fund the Polish branch of euroskeptic political party Libertas.

Polish law bans foreign financial funding in domestic politics, but Ganley appears to have found a way to bypass current legislation. The founder of Libertas and ardent euroskeptic proposes to act as a guarantor if Libertas Poland are unable to repay the bank loans issued to run the party.

The story broke in Saturday's edition of Dziennik and provoked outrage amongst politicians, who described the news as “scandalous.”

Zbigniew Chlebowski, PO's parliamentary club leader, called the news “unsettling” as, “a bank guarantee that gives a party money for elections can be given by a person that is prohibited by law to do so. This means to circumvent the existing rules,” he said.

Mr Chlebowski called for fast and decisive action in dealing with Mr Ganley's proposed funding, and expects advice from specialist lawyers to be available in the coming days.

From Warsaw Business Journal by Robert Szmigielski

Libertas refuses to go public on party funding
By Aine Kerr Political Correspondent

Tuesday March 31 2009

LIBERTAS last night supplied the State's ethics watchdog with a series of financial documents in a bid to provide "detailed answers" about its funding.

But the anti-Lisbon Treaty organisation will not be making public any copies of the bank statements or loan agreements, despite its own calls for greater political transparency.

Two weeks ago, the organisation failed to provide adequate information to the Standards in Public Office (Sipo) commission on where it got the money to fund its expensive campaign for a 'No' vote in the Lisbon Treaty referendum. It has since been accused of "not being willing to operate under the Law" by Fianna Fail.

Libertas last night submitted documents in relation to three key issues queried. Copies of a €200,000 loan agreement between Libertas chief Declan Ganley and the organisation were provided, after Sipo first wrote to it last June seeking details of any loans provided to the organisation for the referendum campaign.

Details of the thousands of books on the Lisbon Treaty supplied by the Foundation for European Democracy and distributed by Mr Ganley were also submitted.

Sipo had raised questions about whether these constituted a donation because the material could be deemed to be influencing the vote's outcome.

However, legal advisers for Libertas are said to have argued that the books do not constitute a donation because the material was neutral and simply relayed the contents of the Lisbon Treaty.

The third aspect of the submission covers the employees of Mr Ganley's Rivada company, who worked for Libertas in their spare time and on a voluntary basis. Sipo again questioned if the use of these employees constituted a donation. Documents provided seek to outline when staff worked for Rivada, then moved to Libertas.

Asked why the organisation had decided against making the documents public, a spokesman said: "Why would we make them public, spend weeks explaining the details and have the Opposition attacking the contents when they won't do the same thing. There's a need for fairness."

- Aine Kerr Political Correspondent
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Earlier Liberats Nein Danke reports here

Libertas Election Financing ? How Libertas circumvent election laws to receive Ganley's money revealed by Polish Libertas VP

Libertas deny that Ganley is funding Polish campaign. Polish daily Dziennik says story is true and confirmed by mulitple Libertas Poland sources

Illegal deal done in Poland? Stop Libertas corruption: Polish TV TVP corrupt coverage of Declan Ganley denounced in Poland

The face of evil? the sickly looking Polish Goebbels ,Daniel PAWŁOWIEC ,former LPF and currently employed by Declan Ganley as Libertas vp in Poland

The head of Poland's TVP Piotr Farfal is a political appointee from the time the League of Polish Families were in government and he is accused of using the station to promote Declan Ganley and Libertas's far right message - for example giving live coverage for 20 mins to a Ganley press conference and presenting Ganley's activities as the top news stories on TV news.

Farfal is close to Maciej Giertych MEP, the controversial party founder who was once sanctioned by the Euopean parliamnet for producing anti-Semitic booklet

The French-German station Arte recently ended its cooperation with TVP until such time as Farfal is removed from office due to his racist and anti-Semitic pronouncements.

He has now turned over his channel to Libetas Poland.
TVP have responded by threatening to sue anyone who says they are biased towars Ganley.

Ganley has suceeding in causing a serious split in the League of Polish Families, a far right party whose youth wing has been censured for its neo Nazi behaviour.

These people are the true face of Libertas. Corrupt media and the far right fringe.

Daniel PAWŁOWIEC the far right former member of the MLF and its notorious Youth wing and currently co head of Libertas Poland and is employed by Ganley to run their Polish office, has countered with a complaint to Poland's broadcasting authority.

According to Janusz PALIKOT of Platforma Obywatelska a party that determines to protect minorities : "There are signs that an illegal agreement was concluded between Giertych, LPR's remnants and the millionaire Ganley. ABW leaders should begin to watch LPR, the Management Board and representatives ofTV and not transfer any money "- says PALIKOT. I ask
: "Is Poland is a country where money buys public media, and a foreigners policy may lead ourpolitical activities"?

A top Polish TV journalist, Hanna Lis, refused to interview Declan Ganley despite being requested to so by her boss, Roman Giertych , who is a former League of Polish Families . In 1989, he reactivated the far-right "All-Polish Youth" (Młodzież Wszechpolska) organization, becoming its chairman; he remains honorary chairman to this day.

"I am not for hire" was Ms. Lis's response.

It sounds like the Polish people are not willing to be ground down by Libertas buying power and will continue to resist Declan Ganley's far right alliance.
Here



see and here
.

Kraśko zawiesił się w "Wiadomościach"
Agnieszka Kublik 2009-03-24, ostatnia aktualizacja 2009-03-24 08:10:07.0

Poszło o to co jest tematem dnia. Prezes TVP Piotr Farfał na antenie
telewizji publicznej realizuje partyjne cele swego środowiska
politycznego, czyli LPR-u - skarżą się dziennikarze


To pierwszy tak poważny konflikt dziennikarzy z nowym prezesem. Poszło
o promowanie na antenie TVP Declana Ganleya, ekscentrycznego
milionera, który doprowadził do fiaska traktatu lizbońskiego w
Irlandii.

W piątek TVP Info jako jedyna stacja przez 20 minut transmitowała jego
konferencję prasową. Gdyby nie skoki Adama Małysza w Planicy, Ganley
dostałby od TVP jeszcze tego samego dnia ekskluzywny wywiad w nowym
cyklu "Temat dnia" w prime time, tuż po "Teleexpressie".

"Temat dnia" spadł w piątek z ramówki, ale mimo to - jak nieoficjalnie
mówi się w TVP - Farfał kazał nagrać wywiad, aby był gotowy na
poniedziałek. Miała go przeprowadzić Hanna Lis. Odmówiła. Wtedy
poproszono Piotra Kraśkę. Zgodził się. Jak mówią dziennikarze
"Wiadomości" liczył, że do poniedziałku problem zniknie, a wywiad
wyląduje w koszu. Wczoraj wylądował na antenie "Jedynki".

Ganley z puszki

Wywiad nagrano w studiu "Wiadomości". Dopiero po kilkunastu sekundach
usunięto wczoraj spod znaczka TVP napis: "na żywo". Ganley jak zwykle
argumentował, że nie jest przeciwnikiem integracji europejskiej, ale
jego zdaniem traktat lizboński powoduje, że Europa przestaje być
demokratyczna i 80 procent decyzji będzie podejmowanych przez ludzi,
którzy nie są wybierani.

Kraśko usiłował kontrować wypowiedzi lidera Libertas, ale najczęściej
jego pytania były zbijane cytatami znanych europejskich polityków.

Decyzję o emisji wywiadu podjął Farfał, choć wiedział, że to oznacza
konflikt z "Wiadomościami". Kraśko już w piątek zapowiedział, że jeśli
wywiad pójdzie w poniedziałek, to zrezygnuje z prowadzenia
"Wiadomości".

Jego koledzy mówią, że poszło o zasady: - Ganley nie był tematem nr
jeden w poniedziałek, w ogóle nie był wczoraj tematem dnia. Nie było
żadnego merytorycznego powodu, aby to emitować. To klasyczny przypadek
upolitycznienia i upartyjnienia TVP. Piotrek nie miał innego wyjścia,
jak zrezygnować.

Sam Kraśko wczoraj nie chciał komentować sprawy.

TVP potwierdziła wczoraj: Kraśko zachorował i nie będzie mógł
prowadzić "Wiadomości" do czwartku. Zastąpi go Małgorzata Wyszyńska.

Szef KRRiT Witold Kołodziejski (z rekomendacji PiS) jest oburzony
emisją wywiadu: - W najbliższych dniach podejmiemy w tej sprawie
kroki. Taka sytuacja nie ma prawa mieć miejsca w TVP, obojętnie, czy
chodzi o partię Libertas, czy jakąkolwiek inną - powiedział PAP. -
Obawiam się, że telewizja może być wykorzystywana do partykularnych
celów.

Co może zrobić KRRiT? Kołodziejski: - Mogę np. ukarać finansowo
prezesa telewizji.

Ustawa mówi, że może to być maksymalnie sześć miesięcznych pensji.
Kołodziejski nie reagował, gdy za poprzedniego prezesa Andrzeja
Urbańskiego w kampanii wyborczej na jesieni 2007 r. telewizja złamała
ramówkę. Na żywo transmitowała konferencję prasową szefa CBA, który
oskarżał o przyjęcie łapówki posłankę PO.

Giertych doradza Farfałowi?

- Ta sprawa pokazała, że promowanie Ganleya to dla Farfała dziś sprawa
pierwszorzędna - mówią dziennikarze "Wiadomości". - Prezes na antenie
telewizji publicznej realizuje partyjne cele swego środowiska
politycznego.

Farfał miejsce w zarządzie TVP zawdzięcza rekomendacji byłego prezesa
LPR Romana Giertycha. Ludzie Ligi dziś chcą się przytulić do Ganleya i
znaleźć miejsce na listach jego partii Libertas Polska. Dla nich to
jedyna szansa wejścia do Parlamentu Europejskiego - Ganley może
zapewnić im rozgłos i pieniądze.

Giertych w TVN 24 chwalił Farfała za to promowanie Ganleya. - Libertas
cieszy się jak najbardziej moim poparciem, bo powstrzymał wejście w
życie konstytucji europejskiej, niekorzystnej dla Polski.
Argumentacja, że Libertas nie powinna być prezentowana w mediach, jest
cenzurą.

Czy zatem za obecnością Ganleya na antenie TVP kryje się Giertych? W
TVN 24 przyznał, że ma związki, i z Farfałem, i z rada nadzorczą:
udziela im porad prawnych. Od razu zastrzegł, że "darmowych", i że nie
zamierza zostać prokurentem w zarządzie w TVP ani członkiem rady, ani
zarządu.

Tymczasem dwie osoby z rekomendacji LPR w radzie nadzorczej - jej szef
Łukasz Moczydłowski i zastępca Ireneusz Fryszkowski - twierdzą, że
nigdy żadnych porad prawnych u Giertycha nie zasięgali. - Ani w
imieniu rady, ani prywatnie.

Declan Ganley 'puppet of US military' - MEP Jim Higgins asserts

Jim Higgins the Fine Gael MEP in whose constituency Declan Ganley is running for the far right Libertas party has steped up the war of words accusing Ganley of being a puppet of the US miltary.

Ganley has previously threatened to sue Higgins but as usual failed to proceed with the action. This threatened action was over for over previous statements by Higgins.
http://www.westernpeople.ie/news/story/?trs=eycwmhojcw

Ganley 'puppet of US military' - MEP

Jim Higgins MEP, speaking at the Fine Gael North-West selection convention at the Sligo Park Hotel yesterday, questioned some of the affiliations Libertas has built up in its attempts to become a pan-European party.
Photograph: James Connolly
Harry McGee, Political Staff Irish Times

THE FINE Gael MEP Jim Higgins has accused Libertas founder Declan Ganley of being a “puppet of the US military”.

Mr Higgins, who was yesterday selected by his party to defend his European Parliament seat in the North-West constituency, also alleged that Mr Ganley had made “malicious claims” against him in relation to a €9.2 million swimming pool for parliamentarians and staff in Brussels.

A week after Mr Ganley used the launch of his campaign in the constituency to mount a political attack on Mr Higgins, the Mayo-based MEP’s speech at the selection convention in Sligo sharply criticised Libertas and its founder.

Mr Higgins said that Mr Ganley has constantly refused to tell the Standards in Public Office Commission about the nature and condition of his personal loan to Libertas and also about the involvement of staff from his company Rivada Networks in the referendum campaign on the Lisbon Treaty last year.

Last week Mr Ganley described Mr Higgins as “Swimmer Jim”. He claimed the MEP had voted for a swimming pool for MEPs and staff that would cost €9.2 million. Yesterday Mr Higgins said he never voted for such a project and neither did any of his colleagues.

Mr Ganley yesterday predicted that even if Libertas performed poorly in this June’s European elections, it would return more MEPs than the combined total of 12 MEPs elected from Ireland.

Speaking on RTÉ Radio’s This Week , he said that the party, which is fielding 100 candidates across 27 EU states, would win seats and that the number could be 35 or 15. He added that it would be very much determined on turnout.

“If we provoke a very high turnout, which is our objective, then Libertas can potentially win a very large number of seats.”

He accepted that his wealth had made possible his campaign against the Lisbon Treaty but said some of the figures being “bandied about” in relation to his personal spending were “ridiculous”.

He said Libertas would soon propose a system whereby donations would be capped at €1,000 per donor, and the source of all political donations would be identified.

Mr Higgins claimed Mr Ganley had refused to disclose information about last year’s campaign. He said the Libertas founder was a “lord of the manor who lectures from on high in relation to transparency. It begs the question, what is Mr Ganley hiding?”

Mr Higgins also questioned some of the political affiliations Mr Ganley and Libertas have built up in attempts to make Libertas a pan-European party. He also claimed that the businessman was doing the US military’s bidding.

Mr. Openness and Transparency Declan Ganley blocks NoToLibertas from his Twitter feed and fails to do interview

For several weeks now this blogger has been in touch with Libertas HQ in Brussels where Anita Kelly was dealing with my request for an interview with the putative dictator aka scandal-plagued Declan Ganley.

My last update from Anita was on 16 Feb 2009

Libertas Communications 16 February 2009 16:00 To: peoplekorps@gmail.com

Dear pk

Re. your interview request, we are thinking about it and will get back to you on it.

Anita Kelly
--
Best regards
Anita Kelly
Director of Communications
Libertas.eu
Tel: +32 2 743 80 04/ +32 498 11 21 48

Since then Anita has not replied to my mails
such as

people korps	5 March 2009 03:13
Dear Anita, This Swedish story provides us with a unique opportunity for Declan to do the interview. As Libertas have not issued a general statement on this I would welcome a discussion with Declan at this time especially an exclusive. As your staunchest blogger critic I would entertain agreeing to ground rules for an email interview. 1/ I will send questions 2/ Declan will send answers 3/ I will send Declan any clarification questions 4/Declan will send answers 5/ All will be published verbatum. I trust that will satisfy any nervousness Declan may have doing this interview. Best Wishes PK

Alas Mr Transpanecy has chickened out and has gone so far as to block NoToLibertas from receiving his Twitter updates from today 16 march

You have been blocked from following this account at the request of the user.

declanganley

So much for openness and transparency. This blogger has been asking questions about Mr. Ganley for some months now, Ganley having been given opportunities to answer those questions and to "be transparent" and "accountable" has decided to remain secretive, and unaccountable.


I was holding back some stories as I was affording Ganley an opportunity to give his right of reply. He has shunned that right and unless I hear from Libertas re the interview by Weds , (tomorrow being our national holiday St. Patrick's Day) I shall have to begin publishing in the public interest.