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From today's Spec:

Councillor steps down over tapegate

July 04, 2008
Nicole Macintyre
The Hamilton Spectator
(Jul 4, 2008)
Councillor Brad Clark resigned from the city's integrity taskforce yesterday -- a move other councillors say is in order for the mayor.

In a letter to the city clerk, Clark also asked that the integrity commissioner investigate his conduct in the mayor's tape controversy.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger is already facing an investigation after admitting he broke council's code of conduct by giving confidential information to a Spectator columnist. Clark confirmed last week that he circulated the tape that exposed the mayor's violation to media and councillors.

Until the "air is cleared," neither Clark or Eisenberger should serve on the accountability and transparency committee, said member Councillor Terry Whitehead. "We should be above reproach. We should be setting the standard."

Councillor Scott Duvall, who is also on the committee which helped establish the new integrity commissioner, agrees Eisenberger should follow Clark's example.

"(He should resign) so he's distanced from it," Duvall said.

But Eisenberger said any calls for his resignation from the committee are premature until the investigation into his conduct is complete.

"I think it would be reasonable not to prejudge," he said, noting he would only step down if directed by council.

Clark resigned as chair or vice-chair of four subcommittees pending the outcome of the integrity commissioner's investigation. He said he made the decision to be "completely above board" while his conduct is under review.

Clark has stated he was acting as a whistleblower to expose that the mayor was leaking confidential information while chastising councillors for the same offence. Critics questions why he didn't take the material to the city clerk.

The integrity commissioner can investigate Clark's conduct because it occurred in the last month. Eisenberger's conduct cannot be because it happened a year ago before the new office was approved. He will be judged by council.

Police have assigned two detectives to investigate the mayor's compliant that the tape was stolen from his office. The off-the-record conversation was not released by the Spectator.

The taped conversation is from May 2007 when Eisenberger's media person was Ian Dovey. He was let go later that year and is suing the city. Eisenberger said Dovey taped some of his media interviews.

The Spectator has obtained a copy of an e-mail that appears to be from Dovey to Clark. It was dropped off at the newspaper in a household composting bag with the label "leak proof" circled.

Clark declined to comment on the e-mail when read its content, stating the investigation is ongoing. Dovey, believed to be out of the country, did not return e-mails.

In the e-mail, Dovey states he is passing along a written transcript to back up the audio clip. He added he strongly suggests "that the story comes out with other Hamilton media" at the same time Hamilton Community News prints its story.

Clark has admitted he sent the audio clip to the community newspaper and forwarded it to two city councillors. He refused to identify his source, but stated he does not believe the material was stolen. The tape is the property of the person who sent it to him, he said.

Well, it looks like Clark, while trying to damage the mayor so to promote his future mayoral ambitions, may have inadvertently wounded his own political ambitions in the process. Play with fire,...