Plot to smear Australian Speaker involves opposition and Murdoch paper

[muriel_volestrangler]

The allegations against Peter Slipper, the Australian parliamentary Speaker, by a male employee were highly salacious, involving lascivious text messages, showers taken with the door open and a neck massage, which elicited moans of pleasure. They were also highly politically charged, since Mr Slipper had defected from the opposition and was helping to prop up Julia Gillard's minority government.

The Speaker denied the allegations, but stood aside while James Ashby's claims of sexual harassment were investigated. Two months on, a murky tale of political derring-do is emerging, with Mr Ashby accused of conspiring with senior opposition MPs and a journalist to undermine the Labor government and blacken Mr Slipper's reputation.
...
This week a different picture of Mr Ashby emerged from documents filed with the Federal Court by the Speaker and the government, both of whom he is suing. They include sexually explicit text messages – not from Mr Slipper to Mr Ashby, but vice versa – and claims that the latter held secret meetings with senior Liberal figures weeks before he made his harassment complaint.
...
"We will get him!"

Text allegedly sent by News Limited journalist Steve Lewis to Peter Slipper's aide, James Ashby, regarding Mr Slipper. Further messages include: "I will sort out payment". News Limited is the Australian arm of Rupert Murdoch's media empire.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/scandal-of-mp-who-saved-gillard-is-exposed-as-elaborate-plot-7899929.html

They don't call Murdocj The Dirty Digger for nothing ...