OTTAWA – The Mike Duffy trial is expected to hear from several more witnesses on Friday, including former Sun News host Ezra Levant who allegedly received money to write a speech for the now-suspended senator.
Levant is expected to appear by teleconference for a short testimony Friday about speeches he wrote for Duffy as a freelance writer before Levant joined the now-defunct Sun News station. Two cheques tabled in court show Levant was paid a total of $4,200 in 2010 and 2011.
The issue at hand is whether Duffy illegally used his Senate office research budget to pay for services without declaring them to the upper chamber administration.
Mike Duffy trial: Makeup artist, trainer offer insight into Duffy expense claims
The Crown alleges Duffy funnelled $65,000 of his contract budget over four years to his friend Gerald Donohue’s companies, and that money was used to pay for services that would not have been approved, such as a makeup artist, personal trainer and to develop photos of his family.
Duffy has pleaded not guilty to 31 charges of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery.
The cheques show Levant was paid by Donohue’s company, Maple Ridge Media.
On Thursday, court heard from a makeup artist, volunteer, and fitness trainer who were all paid by Maple Ridge Media or its later incarnation, Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF).
Makeup artist Jacqueline Lambert testified she was paid $300 to make up Duffy and Prime Minister Stephen Harper for a G8 youth event in May 2010, although the prime minister’s office denies knowing who footed the bill.
READ MORE: Duffy expensed $10,000 for personal trainer ‘consultant,’ court hears
And trainer Mike Croskery said his fitness training for the senator turned to “consulting” in 2010 even though the workouts continued.
The trial is expected to last until June 19, but Ontario Court judge Charles Vaillancourt has already hinted it could go longer.
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