Kim Dotcom has done a major back-down today; the Herald reports:
Kim Dotcom's Internet Party says discussions with a sitting electorate MP who was poised to join the party have ended due to the prospect of a tie up with Hone Harawira's Mana Party.
Mr Dotcom triggered a flurry of speculation in recent weeks after claiming that a sitting electorate MP had agreed to join his party. While he refused to say who it was, he ruled out Hone Harawira.
Today the party said: "Following the recent decision of delegates at the Mana AGM to continue negotiations with the Internet Party regarding a possible alliance, the current MP and the Internet Party have mutually agreed to end further discussions."
Mr Dotcom said that due to a confidentiality agreement with the MP "no further comment will be made on this matter".
A final decision on whether the Mana Party will join with the Internet Party to contest this year's election is expected in about a month.
Sorry, but Dotcom cannot hide behind a confidentiality agreement now. If there ever was a "sitting electorate MP" who was looking to defect to Dotcom's sham political party, the public has a right to know who it it. So does the political party who selected the MP to stand in whichever electorate they supposedly represent.
Kim Dotcom has stained the reputation of every sitting electorate MP. By refusing to name the one with whom he was allegedly in negotiations, he is casting aspersions on every one of them. If Dotcom is to be believed, one of them is a Judas. It is very much in the public interest for that MP to be identified, and for the party the MP represents to have the opportunity to deal with the matter.
So we say this to Kim Dotcom; put up, or shut up; the integrity of our electoral system depends on it. Of course he won't, because there never was a "sitting electorate MP" other than Hone Harawira in talks with him and his party. Herr Dotcom is full of it, and his Internet Party is nothing but a publicity stunt.
