The allegations, if they lead to charges, carry a maximum penalty of seven years jail. A conviction would result in automatic expulsion from Parliament. A conviction could also get Ghahraman disbarred as a lawyer. So these are not trivial issues.
The timeline, known so far is:
- Sat 23 Dec. Ghahraman is allegedly observed (and possibly on video) putting $15,000 of items into her bag. She was stopped by staff but refused to open her bag (even though they had the legal right to search it, as the suspected stolen items were over $1,000) and left. Hours later the clothing was reported to have been anonymously returned to the store. Scotties allegedly e-mailed video of the incident to both the Greens and police.
- Wed 27 Dec. Green co-leaders claim they were only notified that day of the shoplifting allegation. They claim the situation was “not clear” and that as Ghahraman was on an overseas holiday, they decided to do nothing until she returned. It seems incredible that you would be notified that your Justice Spokesperson has been accused of shoplifting, and decide that her holiday takes precedence over determining what happened.
- Fri 5 Jan. Green co-leaders notified that there is video evidence of a second shoplifting incident in late November or early December. They imply at this point they asked Ghahraman to stand down, but didn't make this public as the alleged victim didn't want publicity. They seem to think allegations of criminal behaviour against their justice spokesperson is a private matter. Also unanswered is why they didn't announce the stand down, without naming the alleged victim?
- Wed 10 Jan. Story hits media after ZB Plus publishes story. Only at this stage do Greens say anything publicly.
- Thu 11 Jan. Police (finally) start to investigate complaint.
- Fri 12 Jan. Co-leaders confirm they have known for at least 16 days of the alleged shoplifting by their Justice Spokesperson. Noticeably there has still been no denial of the alleged facts by Ghahraman or the Greens.
David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders.
17 comments:
Waiting for her statement that she has " mental health" issues that she is sorting out and that colonisation is also to blame. The other phrase that they always use is " taking time out, with a strong support system of friends and family," as if to imply that she herself is the victim in all this, and not the shop. Thank god we got rid of these clowns.
Given the timing and the reputed long-planned overseas trip, it appears she might have been acquiring some nice Xmas gifts, or perhaps just wanted to present herself well internationally?
Aside from the other obvious, it's galling that she will no doubt still be being paid by the taxpayer while this matter grinds on at glacial speed. The immediate 'stand down' should be accompanied by a 'hold' on pay (after all, the stood down party is not doing their usual job), until cleared of wrong doing or otherwise. If cleared of wrong doing, then the withheld payment should be released. If not cleared, then the taxpayer should rightly be spared this cost, or it should be added to the penalty for public reimbursement from the date of the offence.
Maybe I'm being harsh, but I think it's long overdue that there is a change of policy when public servants come under scrutiny for alleged criminal activity, especially that which hasn't been immediately denied, or doesn't pass a reasonably unbiased sniff test in the first instance. After all, it's not as though any public servants, especially those with any public profile are on the breadline.
It defies logic why Ghahraman would risk everything by shoplifting. She has been an MP for 7 years and must be a comparatively wealthy woman. It is not as though the goods in question were necessities she could not afford. There must surely be something deeper to this fascinating story. No-one should rush to judgement.
Green MP Ghahraman has a track record of showing outstandingly poor judgement. As a former UN Human Rights Lawyer, she brazenly allowed her picture to be taken cuddling up and beaming with the Hutu genocide inciter, Simon Bikindi. Where does parliament find these creatures?
If she wasn't such a woke, lecturing, crazy Leftie who spouts the most ridiculous and often racist tripe, you would suspect that she has mental health issues, manifesting in her shoplifting habit, and you may feel sorry for her.
Instead, any excuse to get her out of parliament will do. It's very hard to muster sympathy for people like this who spend their political lives promoting division, entitlement and cancellation of those with alternative opinions, according to their own warped set of morals.
Maybe she sees shoplifting as a way to fight back against capitalism...and colonialism while she's at it.
There's a fair bet that she and the Greens, backed by our MSM, will paint it as some form of minority oppression, brought on by the toxic state of parliament and NZ society in general.
Come on Golriz! Admit you committed a crime (2 actually...at least), resign gracefully, don't blame anyone other than yourself. Then you might just earn our respect.
Usual Greens' arrogance evident in their handling of this matter.
They think they are above the law.
The thing I find most disturbing in this sorry saga is the apparent lack of action of the Police at the first indication of serious crime. Retailers at all levels have had to live with being last in line for attention - if any - for the period of the last government, but we had hope that the Commissioner had accepted that he was now in a new deal. Regardless of the awkward time of the year, we need to know that we do live in a country of law and order.
The not-inconsiderable Green spin machine is currently running at maximum RPM, as evidenced by the Anonymous comment above at 11.18am.
I would think expulsion and disbarment adequate.
why is acceptable for greens party to contact the store? doesn't that count as 'interference'? or it simply acceptable because a neurodiverse refugee woman of color is involved?
if a person is accused of theft or rape, are their family and friends allowed to contact the victim while a police investigation is already in progress? what if the victim retracts their statement - could it be due to money or threat? i'm sure this store can be threatened on the basis that most of its clientele would be rich green party voters...
and i strongly feel the term 'refugee' should be better defined - at least by a country. people having enough social and financial clout to plan an expensive vacation, arrange transit visas and forego the trip to fiji to claim for asylum are not refugees. if anything, this demeans the real struggles people face in the world
Here we are , another day in the La La Land of New Zealand politics, that truly bizarre mixture of reality and the absurd that masquerades as normality.
What did she carry these goods away in, $17,000 worth ,a supermarket trolly, a wheelbarrow ? A forklift?
This is another car crash on the Green Party's road to oblivion and irrelevance. Green politics is mainstream now ,why do we need a specific Green party? . I know Labour voters who admitted to voting Green this time because of the contempt in which they held their former party.
I doubt they'll vote again for the likes of Marama Davison the Green co leader who openly spouts racist rhetoric, or Chloe Swarbrick their inhouse Hamas cheer Leader. Or this poor sole.
In their arrogant inaction the Greens have already defined this issue as a catastrophe for them. Their is no possible action by them that will end this in anything other than shame and disgrace. Poor old James Shaw can hardly hide the fact that soon as he finds a job in some international NGO he's off.
Meanwhile in a further juxtaposition of the reality with the truly obscenely offensive, the Queen of Kindness holds her wedding in a Havelock North Vineyard.
Ten minutes drive down the road is Flaxmere , one of the poorest suburbs in NZ , where hundreds of children waited for her to lift them out of poverty.
Whilst their parents waited for one of the 60,00 homes that she should have built by now, shifting 300,000 family members out of basements and garages.
And just 5 minutes from the vineyard is a roadside reserve where two years ago the dismembered body of a young person was found in a burnt out car. The police have not yet brought charges.
I don't suppose any of this will figure in the coverage by those who purchased the media rights for the day.
That anyone could vote for either of the two parties beggars belief.
It was also reported that the Green Party leadership contacted the shop in question "to ascertain the details so it could have a better understanding of the situation ! I wonder if there was any attempt to get the shop to withdraw its complaint to the police ? I wonder if the police will withdraw any charges against the alleged thief ? Now I see that "story" is being pedalled that she is on holiday for "mental health reasons". I wonder if that will now become the whole focus of this investigation and it will be found that the "mental health issues" (no doubt extreme stress) has caused kleptomania ? Anyone wants to run a book, eh ?
Green Party Co Leader Shaw has some shonky degrees as well. Journalist Ian Wishart known for his tenacity in getting to the truth has fronted Shaw about these. Shaw will not engage debate the findings. This also needs to be brought out into the open.
Oh my goodness, she is the lefts perfect justice minister. Very well suited to the role. In a similar mould of kiri Allen.
Now now people, this is a woman who has risen to unbelievable heights from nothing when she arrived here as a refugee. She is a very special person, like her colleagues in the Green Party who are also so special they are above the law and normal standards of decent behavior. It is unfortunate that they have been given their undeserved status of "special" people by their mates in the MSM over the past 20 years or so.
I had forgotten about the non existent degree and London workplace experience Mr Shaw claimed he had. A highly compliant MSM let that just slip on by as if the truth mattered not one iota.
I doubt if this fiasco goes by so easily. There is no doubt Ms Ghahraman is due some considerable compassion because of her ill health.
Though what a sordid bunch she stands along side. Marama Davidson openly racist, Mr Shaw fabricating much of his resume, and Chloe Swarbrick the Hamas war cry cheer leader. Unfortunately for Ms Ghahraman she is damned as much by the company she keeps as by her own misconduct.
The explanation that the Greens may wish to offer for her misconduct hardly allows her to continue sitting in Parliament.
The public have had enough of this sort of behaviour from the Greens. I don't think this one will slip by so easily.
The real story here should be that the NZ Police actually turned up to investigate a shoplifting offence. I though they ceased bothering years ago. Most retailers don't even bother to call them anymore.
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