Exonerated by N.L. legislative probe, politician says

A Newfoundland and Labrador politician says he feels vindicated by the police investigation into a legislative spending scandal.

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary announced last Friday it had insufficient evidence to charge Percy Barrett, a Liberal who has represented Bellevue district since 1989.

"After nine months and hearing the good news, it was a tremendous relief," Barrett said Tuesday in what he said will be his last scrum with reporters.

"I stood here nine months ago I think it was nine months to the day and said that I had nothing to worry about," he said.

"I was convinced I had done nothing wrong."

Last December, Barrett becamethe fifth and final politician to be named in Auditor General John Noseworthy's investigation into massive overpayments in constituency allowances, as well as $2.6 million in untendered payments to a handful of companies for pins, fridge magnets and other memorabilia.

Noseworthy found that Barrett had received $117,286 more than he was entitled in tax-free constituency allowances between the 1998 and 2004 fiscal years.

However, Barrett earlier this year struck an agreement with the provincial government on repaying the sum. He said about $30,000 of the amount identified in the audit was related to legitimate expenses.

As for the rest, Barrett said Tuesdaythere was likely some overspending on his account. However, he cited sloppy bookkeeping and poor administrative controls, not an attempt to rip off taxpayers.

Barrett, who suffered a heart attack after he was named in one of Noseworthy's reports, said the whole ordeal has come at a personal cost.

"It was nine months of torture for me and my family. There's no doubt about that."

The RNC this summer charged four current and former politicians, as well as a suspended senior civil servant, following an investigation that beganafter Noseworthy released his first report on house of assembly finances in June 2006.

Charged are former Tory cabinet minister Ed Byrne, Liberal Wally Andersen, former New Democratic MHA Randy Collins and former Liberal cabinet minister Jim Walsh.

Police have also charged Bill Murray, who was suspended last year as director of financial operations at the house of assembly.