He was emotional as he railed against what he called drive-by smears by the Senate leadership, the Prime Minister’s Office and the media.  Embattled senator Patrick Brazeau addressed the upper chamber last night ahead of today’s vote on his future.  He, along with Mike Duffy and Pamela Wallin, are facing suspension over questionable expenses.  Brazeau addressed his final remarks to his children.  “You’re too young to understand what is going on here,” Brazeau explained, “I am much older than you and I barely understand.  It is very important that you understand that I am not guilty of what these people are accusing me of.  It is very important that you know that I am not a thief, a scammer, a drunken indian, a drug addict, a failed experiment or a human tragedy.”  Brazeau also insisted he did not “rip off the taxpayers,” and brands the attempt to suspend him as “a shameless farce.”

Government Senate leader Claude Carignan dismissed objections to the planned suspensions, arguing that the trio’s “reprehensible” misconduct demands swift disciplinary action in order to restore public trust in the Senate.  The suspensions would last the rest of the parliamentary session, which could last until the next federal election in 2015.