Is it stupidity or something worse?

The most disturbing facet of the Conservative fight-back against the 'Robo-Calls' scandal is the one that says 'this is a storm in a teacup because no result was affected'. That's the argument being made by the hilarious-if-it-wasn't-so-disturbing Sun Media today by Ezra Levant and Michael Coren.

To summarise, the sanity-deniers over at Sun Media are arguing a) that Liberals and NDPers are making a storm out of nothing and b) this is actually a conspiracy to discredit the election and somehow 'steal' a result for that Tory bogeyman, the 'coalition' of the left.

It's disturbing because they can't tell the difference between, on the one hand, general political sleaze (which is bad enough, but not illegal), such as an unfair or distorting attack ad, or the political 'economy with the truth', of which, although undesirable, every party is guilty, and on the other hand the serious criminal offence of voter interference. Worse - perhaps Levant and Coren can tell the difference, but they just don't care. Of the two possibilities, the second is infinitely worse.

Let's get this straight - whether the election result was affected by voter interference is completely irrelevant. The ability to vote unimpeded is the basis on which democracy is built. There is no more fundamental right, not even freedom of the press, or freedom of expression. The idea that there were 'a few bad apples' within the Tory ranks who thought misdirecting likely opponents was worth doing is bad enough - in fact it's already a very serious accusation. But we know it went further than that.

1. We know by Elections Canada's own evidence that multiple ridings were affected, and that automated calls were used.
2. Ipso facto, the fact those calls were made requires at a minimum a party worker with database access beyond riding level to the national database of canvassing results.
3. We know, and I know from experience working campaigns, that only party insiders have that level of access - no small-time riding operative is trusted with data like that - for obvious reasons. In fact, only a handful of people can typically access canvassing results, even in their own riding.
4. We know that ordinary people can't just set up robocalls. You need to do them through specialist companies, with specialist software and equipment. You need to work with party-trusted suppliers, probably from a list of approved companies. You need to have quite a lot of money.

So something bad is at work here. Something illegal, and something in a different league from the vicious, counter-productive and stupid smearing of Vic Toews.

All of which is not the same as calling the election into question, it's not to question a single result in fact. It is however to point out, as Andrew Coyne did on the CBC, that there is preliminary evidence to suggest a scandal that would put the Sponsorship Scandal in the shade.

Far from the 'jury being out', the evidence is only just beginning to be presented, but if - and it is a big if - evidence is found that points higher up the party hierarchy, then yes this is a scandal of Nixonian proportions.