Split in Tory ranks deepen over bid to suspend disgraced senators

OTTAWA – A former president of the federal Conservative party is defying the Harper government over its move to suspend, without pay, three senators at the heart of the Senate expenses scandal.

Sen. Don Plett says it’s the first time in his political life that he’s planning to vote against his leader.

Plett says he can’t bring himself to support motions that he believes violate the trio’s fundamental right to a fair hearing and due process.

Nor is he sure he can support a Liberal counter-motion to refer the proposed suspensions to a committee, since he says there’s no guarantee that would provide the three senators a fair hearing.

But he says he knows he can’t support the government motions and may move to amend them himself if the Liberal bid fails.

The motions have exposed deep divisions within the Conservative caucus over the government’s handling of the scandal, which has engulfed the Tories for almost a year.