Richmond council circumvented law, says Nova Scotia minister

A leaked email shows there's little doubt Richmond County councillors were trying to circumvent the law when they agreed the municipality should reimburse them for attending a Liberal fundraiser, Nova Scotia's municipal affairs minister said Monday.

Zach Churchill called the April 28, 2014, email authored by then-warden Steve Sampson "disappointing" and "upsetting," and said the scheme was "in contravention of rules of the municipal government and Elections Nova Scotia."

"They were wrong," Churchill said.

The email was leaked to the Official Opposition, which made it public Monday.

$300 in donations

The $300 in possibly illegal donations were revealed during a recent forensic audit of expenses of councillors and senior staff at the county.

The donations went to the Liberal riding association of Churchill's cabinet colleague, Energy Minister Michel Samson, who last week said the councillors made an honest mistake.

The email by Steve Sampson, however, sheds new light on that assertion.

"As a municipal unit we cannot contribute to a political party as elections rules indicate, however could reimburse individual councillors who submit proof of ticket purchase," Steve Sampson wrote.

"I am prepared to support this initiative but at only 'unanimous consent' of council."

Elections Nova Scotia investigating

Elections Nova Scotia is investigating the $300 reimbursement to see if it constitutes an illegal donation. Nova Scotia law states that only individuals can donate to a political party in Nova Scotia.

Six councillors went to the event at Louisdale Parish Hall on May 23, 2014, and were paid by the municipality for their $50-a-head contributions.

The forensic audit, which was made public last week, found a litany problems, including municipal money used to buy alcohol and $582 spent by the CAO during two evenings at Houston adult entertainment clubs.

The leader of the Official Opposition, Jamie Baillie, was forwarded Steve Sampson's email by one of the councillors last week.

PC leader 'outraged' by email

"I was outraged at the evidence that we now have that taxpayers' money actually did get funneled to the Liberal Party," said Baillie.

"It very clearly states that they are looking for ways to make a donation to the Liberals and get reimbursed by the taxpayers of Richmond, it's outrageous."

Last week the cabinet minister at the heart of the controversy defended the councillors.

"In this case I think it's clear that the councilors were under the honest but mistaken belief that this could be reimbursed," Michel Samson told reporters at Province House on Thursday.

Baillie said the email proves that was not the case.

'Alcohol and strip clubs'

"It's clear his buddies, the organizers of the Liberal Party in Richmond, actually planned to get taxpayers' money into the pockets of the Richmond Liberal Party," said Baillie

Steve Sampson was hired as a Liberal Party worker in January 2015, three months after he was replaced as warden and eight months after the Liberal fundraiser for Michel Samson.

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"It confirms everybody's worst fears about the way taxpayers' money was used in Richmond County for things like alcohol and strip clubs, and now also to make donations illegally to the Liberal Party," said Baillie.

Elections Nova Scotia officials have not yet ruled on the legality of the donations.

Baillie's advice to the Liberal Party is to "give the money back."

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