Premier Stephen McNeil says his chief of staff learned of drunk driving accusations against then Liberal MLA Hugh MacKay last May, but Laurie Graham didn't share the details with him.
Progressive Conservative leader Tim Houston is accusing the government of a cover-up and questioned whether McNeil’s most senior advisor would withhold criminal allegations against a caucus member at the time. He said if that’s the case “it speaks to a very dangerous culture within his party.”
The Chester-St. Margaret’s MLA, who pleaded guilty to drunk driving in November, resigned from caucus Sunday after being charged again for drunk driving back in 2018. Houston produced details of the alleged Nov 22, 2018, incident at Province House on Tuesday.
The Tory leader confronted the premier with a copy of a May 6, 2019, email from an unnamed member of the Chester-St Margaret’s Liberal Riding Association written to the group’s president, saying he could “no longer keep the incident hidden.” In the note, the former association member quit the board, claiming to have witnessed MacKay crash his vehicle while heavily intoxicated.
The premier said he had no prior knowledge of the email. The former riding association member claimed to have discovered MacKay in New Ross very intoxicated and drinking vodka in his silver GMC sport utility vehicle.
The member described a chase along Highway 12 to Highway 103 before the former MLA ended up in Tantallon where MacKay allegedly crashed into a light pole. The email's author said he brought a very drunk MacKay back to the MLA's home.
The author claimed to have evidence of the incident, including telephone records, photographs and video. The email said MacKay continued to drink and drive after that incident.
“His conduct must be stopped in the name of public safety,” the document said.
Houston hammered the premier again on Wednesday saying the party covered up the incident to "protect the Liberal brand.“
The premier attempted to distance himself again from the affair. He said his chief of staff, Laurie Graham, got the tip back in May while the premier was in Europe. An informal investigation by the party followed, but there was no evidence to back it up, McNeil said.
The premier also questioned why the email's author didn't immediately report the allegations to the police.
He said it’s now up to the courts to determine “the substance” of the allegations.
Houston dismissed the premier’s claim that the party turned up no evidence of the November 2018 incident given that charges have been laid against MacKay.
"This is a very, very serious allegation," Houston said. "Public safety is at risk."
NDP Leader Gary Burrill said if Liberals had evidence that MacKay was driving drunk, they should have gone directly to the police. But he said the legalities of the case should not be debated on the floor of the legislature.
"I don’t actually find it that constructive to try to prosecute the finer details of a case before the court on the floor of the legislature," said Burrill.
