A tale of two scandals

[Oscar]

A tale of two scandals

[ http://www.guelphmercury.com/opinion-st ... -scandals/ ]

Feb 23, 2015 Guelph Mercury By Jason Blokhuis

EXCERPT:

South Korea

On Dec. 5, 2014, Hyun-ah (Heather) Cho achieved international notoriety. The 40-year old daughter of the chairman of Korean Air flew into a rage, struck a member of the cabin crew with a flight manual, and forced the plane back to the gate at John F. Kennedy Airport to eject the chief flight attendant after she was offered macadamia nuts in a bag instead of a dish. By some accounts, Cho had attacked a flight attendant over ramen noodles a year earlier

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On Jan. 12, 2015, court proceedings began against Heather Cho for compromising airline safety, assault, and obstruction of justice. Prosecutors sought a three-year prison sentence. In the course of the trial, Cho wept as she read a letter of apology. The judge expressed doubt about her sincerity.

On Feb. 12, 2015, Heather Cho was sentenced to 12 months in prison.

Guelph, Ont.

On May 2, 2011, Michael Sona achieved national notoriety. The 22-year-old director of communications for the Conservative candidate in Guelph had helped send 6,738 automated telephone calls to non-Conservative supporters falsely advising them that their polling station had been changed to the Old Quebec Street mall. Between 150 and 200 people were duped. Some tore up their voter information cards in frustration.

On Feb. 24, 2012, Sona ended his association with the Conservative Party of Canada, resigning his post with (then-) Conservative MP Eve Adams. Four days later, he issued a press release stating: "I had no involvement in the fraudulent phone calls. . . . On Thursday, I offered my resignation to my employer. The role of a staffer is to assist their employer in their responsibilities, and that was impossible to accomplish with the media continually repeating these rumours."

On Feb. 29, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper addressed the robocall scandal in the House of Commons, stating: "The Conservative Party can say absolutely, definitively, it has no role in any of this."

On Aug. 14, 2014, Michael Sona was found guilty of contravening the Canada Elections Act by preventing or endeavouring to prevent an elector from voting at the federal election on May 2, 2011. "Although the court was not satisfied to the degree required that Mr. Sona was the one who actually activated the calls through RackNine on election day from the Guelph Conservative campaign office," wrote Justice Gary Hearn, "the court has absolutely no doubt that he was aware the calls were to be sent and was actively involved both with the creation of the calls and the process leading to those calls being activated." He added that Sona had "openly and with some misplaced pride boasted of his involvement and participation in this very disturbing conduct." Sona did not testify at his trial.

On Nov. 19, 2014, Michael Sona was sentenced to nine months in prison and 12 months probation. Amongst the aggravating factors in the case, Justice Hearn noted "the seriousness of Sona's interference with the democratic process (and) his callous and blatant disregard for the rights of voters." Amongst the mitigating factors in the case, Justice Hearn noted "Sona's lack of a criminal record, relative youth… (and) the support Sona had from his community." The court observed that "Without exception, (Sona) has been described by his family and friends as being 'very responsible, industrious, intelligent, compassionate, respectful, and a dedicated young man who values his family, friends and church.'" One letter from a supporter described Sona as the "finest young man" he had ever met.

On Dec. 1, 2014, Michael Sona was released on bail pending his appeal of his nine-month sentence. Sona argued that nine months in prison was "at the wrong end of the range that ought to be imposed in his circumstances."

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Jason Blockhuis is a member of the Guelph Mercury Community Editorial Board.