Why Elvin Penner Was Never Charged

Elvin Penner

Elvin Penner’s political career is in tatters after he was booted from Cabinet in September of 2013 over the Won Hong Kim scandal. He narrowly survived a recall drive shortly after, but was de-selected from the U.D.P. slate.  Then he was the subject of hounding on criminal prosecutions by Citizens Organized for Liberty through Action. When he appeared before the Senate inquiry panel in May, he failed to distinguish himself and his testimony took a back seat to attempts to rile up the meeting by opponents of Senator Eamon Courtenay. But it has never been satisfactorily answered why Penner avoided all criminal charges, and ex-boss Godwin Hulse told the inquiry on Wednesday that police had all they needed to pursue charges, but he couldn’t say why they did not.

Mark Lizarraga, Senator, Business Community

“Do you believe that the process in this specific case, the process of Won Hong Kim and Minister Penner – should Minister Penner have been brought to task?”

Godwin Hulse

Godwin Hulse, Minister of Immigration and Nationality

“As far as I was concerned, because I was clear in my mind that whatever action he took or didn’t take was not in accordance with what he should have taken, I recommended forthwith, and I said that in my opening statement, that he no longer be in any department that I am in, and the Prime Minister took the necessary action to remove him from the Cabinet.”

Mark Lizarraga

“Yes, but I am talking about the legal action. This morning – I thought I heard you right that you were saying people should be brought to task; did you mean just being fired, or did you mean legally held to task?”

Godwin Hulse

“I mean, to answer it simply, I mean across the board; investigate it and if there is criminal wrongdoing then let the law take its course. I have no difficulty with that.”

Mark Lizarraga

“In the case of Minister Penner, certainly Minister Penner recommended that he knew – he said I knew this person for a certain period of time; and based on that the recommendation carried some weight as well, he was one of the recommenders. There’s a penalty for making false declarations, Minister Penner was never charged. Do you agree that he should have been charged?”

Godwin Hulse

“I agree that the files should have been processed properly and any charges that would or could have been laid should have been laid.”

Mark Lizarraga

“And where did the system fail us, Minister? Who did not pick up the ball and run with it?”

Godwin Hulse

“I don’t know who didn’t pick up the ball. As far as I know the file was handed to the Police and it’s the Police’s responsibility to investigate these things. And as far as I know the information was given to the Police by the Director and a full report was written on the matter, as far as I know.  I’ll leave it at that.”