Updated throughout the day when so moved...

PM disputes Pentagon price tag for F-35s, says Canada not affected by cost hikes (March 30, 2011 - The Canadian Press) A former senior procurement bureaucrat at National Defence flatly dismissed Harper's numbers. The former defence official, who once championed the F-35, but is now one of its fiercest critics, called Harper's explanation "absurd." Alan Williams, who headed procurement at National Defence until 2005, said the U.S. will not sell the fighter to Canada at less than what its own military pays. [See also: Laurie Hawn: Grumpy, Insulting, and Wrong]

NDP candidate withdraws from race to back Liberal in bid to unseat Conservative (March 30, 2011 - The Canadian Press) The NDP candidate for the Ontario riding of Elgin-Middlesex-London has pulled out of the race for the May 2 federal election. Ryan Dolby says he will support Liberal candidate Graham Warwick, in his effort to unseat Conservative Joe Preston. Dolby told radio station AM980 he didn't want to split the vote.

Harper's coalition assertion: 'They tried it before' (March 29, 2011 - CBC News Reality Check) At the core of Stephen Harper's argument that the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc will form a coalition if the Conservatives win only a minority this election is his assertion that that is what they tried to do in 2008. In his words, "they tried it before." There is a serious problem with that argument. It simply isn't true. [Video]

Another questionable campaign worker sends Harper scrambling (March 30, 2011 - Globe and Mail) Conservative Leader Stephen Harper is distancing himself from another tainted political organizer who found a home in a local candidate's campaign. Giulio Maturi, who was a top official in the campaign of disgraced former Montreal mayoral candidate Benoit Labonte in 2009, was listed as late as Wednesday afternoon as the campaign manager for a Montreal Conservative candidate. [story broken by Le Devoir: Ethique - D'anciens employes conservateurs reviennent hanter Harper. See also: Why is Doug Finley working the Conservative Campaign?

Hat tip to BCL

Who is Doug Finley? He is a senior conservative - one of the true inner circle - who ran two federal election campaigns for Stephen Harper. In 2009 he was rewarded for his efforts with a plum patronage senate seat, along with another political crony, party fundraiser Irving Gerstein.

Senators Finley and Gerstein, along with former party officers Susan Kehoe and Michael Donison in February of this year were charged with Elections Act offences and are currently involved in court cases relating to the so-called "in and out" financing scheme that. If found guilty those charged face penalties ranging from fines to jail time.

If one low level party worker, Sebastien Togneri, currently under police investigation, can be summarily dismissed from the Harper election campaign machine (after the media take notice) why is a very high level operative who has been under investigation for years and has since been charged and appeared before the courts on serious offences still allowed to participate in this election?

Finley's wife is a minister in Harper's cabinet. Finley himself is connected to Harper at the groin - he ran Harper's leadership campaign for the newly minted Conservative party in 2003/04. Gerstein was the chief fundraiser for not just the Conservative Party but also for many years headed the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Fund. These are not low level party flunkies but experienced political operatives who have a deep understanding of Canada's Electoral Act and in fact must have a deep understanding of the rules of conduct in order to perform their roles. Along with Stephen Harper himself, Finley and Gerstein are a the top of the Conservative food chain. It'd be impossible to name two individuals more senior and central to the party or its electoral success. For that reason alone these Elections Act charges really matter.

Given the circumstances, why is Finley working in the Conservative campaign war room? And does Gerstein have any role in this campaign or the party at this time? What about the other two charged? And why are Finley and Gerstein even permitted to occupy their seats in the senate?

Stephen Harper and his Conservative Government: tough on crime only when it doesn't involve them.