The Kentucky-Fried Candidate

{Extra-Crispy Update below!}

Just when things couldn't get bad enough for Team Martin, along comes this.

According to the NDP - and please, keep the fact that this is our source in mind - their candidate in Abbotsford, Jeffrey Hansen-Carlson, was offered two things one night at the campaign office of Liberal candidate Dave Oliver:

1. A KFC dinner (hence the title above), and

2. Lots of help in winning a bid for town council.

And in return? According to Mr. H-C, he was asked to issue a "directive to suport the Liberals out of fear of what the Conservatives will do to our community and our country, based on the assumption that the NDP is not a big player in this riding."

Now, let me say that I am usually reluctant to take NDP press releases at face value ... and that reluctance applies here. In fact, I find it nigh-on impossible to believe that any candidate or campaign manager for any political party would be that out-and-out stupid.

Indeed, I was initially reluctant to even mention this, as it sounds so damn bizarre. But the fact is, as the link above indicates, the NDP has gone more than public with this, and has asked Elections Canada to step in.

Of course, a complaint to EC does not equal "proven". But if - if - the Libs in Abbotsford were dumb and/or desperate enough to pull a stunt like this ... well, honestly, there are no words.

Update: Good Lord, looks like I was too cautious. Check this release from the LPC out. The Libs are pulling a "Zeisman-plus" on this one. Not only will David Oliver not be allowed to sit with the Lib caucus if elected (fat chance - ed.), the Libs are going to act as if they had 307 candidates, return whatever money they get from the $1.75-per-vote in that riding, etc. Considering that's what they demanded of the Tories, it's the least they could do.

More later.