More Libertas controversy

nesf

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/0305/1224242305498.html?digest=1

Allegedly Libertas offered approximately one million Euro to a Swedish eurosceptic party in order for it to merge with Libertas' Swedish operations. No smoke without fire etc.

The Corinthian

I'm concious of the fact that the IT is not a fan of Libertas and would go out of it's way to attack them, however unless completely fabricated, it is very difficult to get away from the pure audacity of it.

And by fabrication, it would have to be the reporting rather than the source, as I highly doubt that a Eurosceptic party would turn around and actively attack a like-minded organization, let alone lie to do so.

An interesting comment is that Ganley "doesn’t understand that doing politics is not the same as doing business" - it's a fair point, in that such an offer is actually perfectly acceptable in business, but in politics would be ethically untenable.

As such, even if you accept it as poor judgement, it does not reflect well on their political competency. All this before you consider that they are now denying it.

is_that_so

The hubris of Libertas believing that their part in the Lisbon vote meant they might be electable makes even the suggestion of this type of thing unsurprising. Despite FF being on the ropes Ganley will be hard pushed to make any impact with the electorate. He still hasn't registered that a referendum vote does not mean people like you. SF's numbers since the referendum, are a cold reminder that we expect more from parties. Beyond waving the Lisbon treaty like some old time preacher he really doesn't have much else.

nesf

The Corinthian wrote: »

And by fabrication, it would have to be the reporting rather than the source, as I highly doubt that a Eurosceptic party would turn around and actively attack a like-minded organization, let alone lie to do so.

I'm not so sure, a local party might not be too happy with the idea of a foreign group setting up on their turf. In-fighting between parties isn't exactly uncommon on either the extreme left or right.

The Corinthian wrote: »

An interesting comment is that Ganley "doesn’t understand that doing politics is not the same as doing business" - it's a fair point, in that such an offer is actually perfectly acceptable in business, but in politics would be ethically untenable.

This was my thinking too.