Senator blows off Mike Duffy’s courtroom insults

In six days of testimony Mike Duffy has pulled no punches. But he probably didn’t expect to take one himself.

Duffy’s erstwhile Conservative colleague Senator Vern White dismissed the insult Duffy lobbed his way when Duffy, who is facing 31 charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, called White “a thug” while on the stand Tuesday.

According to Duffy, White reached out to him at his residence in Prince Edward Island in the middle of February at the height of the Senate scandal. The call from his fellow Conservative took place at 9:16 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2013, according to Duffy’s diary.

READ MORE: Duffy says he faced threats from Harper’s team over expenses

“Ohhhhh, don’t get me started on that man, he’s a former RCMP officer and a thug,” Duffy said, recalling the conversation in the witness box.

The former Prince Edward Island senator excused himself for the name-calling but said his caller’s tone was “very aggressive.” White told him to “do what the Prime Minister wants,” Duffy claims.

White wasn’t surprised Duffy didn’t take kindly to his call but he isn’t bothered by it.

“I don’t really care what Mike Duffy thinks,” White said.

“Now that he’s in a courtroom, I think he starts to believe his own lies.”

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The former RCMP Assistant Commissioner and ex-Ottawa Police Chief dared Duffy to repeat what he said outside the court, where Duffy isn’t protected by witness privilege and would be open to a lawsuit.

“He can say whatever he wants in a courtroom,” White said.

White he was aggressive during that 2013 phone call.

READ MORE: Duffy says he resisted Harper PMO scenario for repaying expenses

“I told him that I was in Kanata, not far from where he lives, and felt that he should pay the money back,” he said.

“I was clear that I felt he shouldn’t be claiming housing expenses for his house in Ottawa.”

White has voiced his frustration with Senate colleagues throughout the spending scandal in the upper chamber, even saying he was “embarrassed” by some of the conduct in May of 2013.