Angry in the Great White North

Recall that Joe Volpe was fined by the Liberal Party, having been found responsible for serious breeches of the rules governing the signing of new members in Quebec.

The original recommendation was to fine Volpe's campaign $1,000, but the party executive cranked that way up to $20,000, and gave Volpe 30 days to pay up. Those 30 days are up on Monday:

Pursuant to Regulations 16 b) and 16 c), the panel issues a public reprimand to the Leadership Campaign of Joseph Volpe and assesses a fine in the amount of twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00), payable within 30 days of September 29, 2006. In default of full payment within the specified time, Mr. Volpe will be deemed to be disqualified as a leadership contestant.

Volpe hit back:

The compliance panel seriously misconstrued the evidence before it as well as submissions and recommendations of the compliance officer and testimony of other witnesses.

We will be mounting a vigorous appeal to the permanent appeals committee of the Liberal Party of Canada.

Since then Volpe got into more trouble:

The Toronto Star on Sunday reported that a federally funded non-profit charity rounded up and paid seven of its clients to work on the Volpe campaign for the leadership of the Liberal party.

The report alleges the Ottawa-based Career Foundation issued cheques to the seven clients, who worked for the Toronto MP during the recent Super Weekend delegate vote.

Volpe's campaign denies the charges. His spokesperson told the newspaper that the organization had planned to pay the workers and was processing an invoice from the charity.

What we don't know (at least I haven't been able to find any news reports) is how the promised appeal is progressing. Nor have I heard that he paid the fine. As far as I can tell, Volpe is facing disqualification Monday night.

If so, the question is whether he goes out with a bang or a whimper. If with a bang, just how big, and just much will it distract from the race itself?