Thread by @meyer_lucas

🧵SO..
1. Clearly more case for a public inquiry
2. If PMO didn't know about this, Dong's got to be out of caucus.
3. If you've screaming about legacy media being in bed with Trudeau, but now knee-jerk yelling TREASON you have no credibility.
4. Logically: So much. #cdnpoli

https://twitter.com/scoopercooper/status/1638651641699131395

Point 1: The implication that the Two Michaels were included in this doesn't just the raise the stakes, it's a brand new game. Two diplomats lives were in the balance. The outcome of the election wasn't affected, but intelligence to suggest that their lives were has to be

investigated at the highest level. The story itself says there’s indication whether or not it got to the PMO.

Which leads to Point 2: There is simply no way Dong can stay in caucus if the PMO just found out about this chat now.

He admits himself he initiated it.

I suppose one could argue that ‘what if he actually did press that the Michaels had to be released as he claimed?’ and ‘what if it was perfectly fine for him to initiate, MPs have these talks all the time?’ But he wasn't a member of cabinet and

and one would think that conversations about the Michaels would have to be so sensitive and serious that it probably wouldn't be appropriate for MPs to initiate these types of talks, but again, maybe it was.

But just the optics: The PMO is ...

Under massive heat and exposure over this and he's only learning about this now? Through the media and not through Dong himself? How is him staying in caucus appropriate? Ke is out of Ford's, but Dong now with two big questions is going to stay?

Point 3: As points here show, there's lots of questions that come up from this reporting, from the credibiity and specificity of the sources, to the lack of docs. We have no reason...

https://twitter.com/StephanieCarvin/status/1638653853037101056

https://twitter.com/onglynette/status/1638657075201941505

https://twitter.com/Akshay_Thinks/status/1638682397486256129

... to think that not just Cooper, but his editors and the highest levels of Global didn't do their appropriate due diligence, knowing that this is a huge story with the natural questions that would pop up. BUT those questions are fine to have.

So bearing all that in mind, why should we entertain those - and the tweets are out there - who have spent years howling about Trudeau and the media, all of a sudden taking this at its word and yelling treason and resign with all of the questions they posit?

Make no mistake, Cooper's laying his entire reputation on the line and Global has carved itself a real stake in the defence/military reporting beat.

Finally on 4: Sorry how would the Conservatives benefit from this? Is the argument, well if they got out early, it would be...

Because of the Cons pressure on the file and they would look good going into the 2021 election? The Libs would just get/claim the win anyway. And the Chinese were also apparently hedging for that anyway as the story suggests. And what about U.S. engagement?

Needless to say, this is a massive story with implications for the credibility of journalists, sources, security agencies, politicians and Trudeau.

I'm sure no one will jump to conclusions or attempt to make political headway out of it for selfish reasons.🧵

Welp nevermind… #cdnpoli

https://twitter.com/a_picazo/status/1638729495308824577