Labrador politician charged with fraud, forgery

The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary has laid three criminal charges against a Labrador politician, as the province's legislative spending scandal twists into the courts.

Liberal Wally Andersen, who announced earlier this month he will not seek re-election in Torngat Mountains district, has been charged with fraud, the RNC said in a statement Monday afternoon.

Police have also charged Andersen, 55, with one count each of uttering a forged document and breach of trust by a public officer.

Contacted by CBC News on Monday, an emotional Andersen declined to comment on the charges. He directed inquiries to his lawyer.

Calls to his lawyer, Bern Coffey, were not immediately returned early Monday evening.

Andersen, first elected in 1996, is one of five politicians from three parties to have been named in reports by Auditor General John Noseworthy, who determined that the politicians together received about $1.6 million more than their constituency allowance entitlements.

The RNC said Andersen was released from custody. He is scheduled to appear in provincial court in St. John's on Sept. 18.

An aide in the premier's office said Danny Williams will not comment on the matter while it is before the courts.

Noseworthyreported last year that Andersen hadreceived $344,465 beyond what he was allowed to claim, between the 1998 and 2006 fiscal years.

Andersen has never commented directly on Noseworthy's findings, nor on a followup report on legislative spending by Derek Green, chief justice of the Newfoundland Supreme Court's trial division.

However, in an interview with CBC News earlier this month, Andersen said the previous year has "been difficult at times."

He nonetheless predicted that he would have been able to win another election, if he had decided otherwise.

"AsI travel my riding and continue to do my work, I can say in all honesty I strongly feel and know that the support would be there for me if I decided to run again."

Fridge magnets, lapel pinson payment list

Noseworthy's reports into spending at the house of assembly rocked political circles through 2006, and cut across party lines.

Apart from identifying excessive payments to politicians, he found numerous breaches of public tendering legislation, with about $2.6 million paid to private companiesfor itemslike fridge magnets and lapel pins.

Other than Andersen, Noseworthy identified four politicians as having received excessive payments from the house: former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Ed Byrne, New Democrat Randy Collins, Liberal caucus member Percy Barrett and former Liberal cabinet minister Jim Walsh.

The Crown has filed a civil suit against Bill Murray, the former director of financial operations at the house of assembly.

A suit filed in June alleges that Murray showed "reckless disregard" for the limits placed on constituency allowances, which members of the house use for paying for offices, supplies and other expenses.

In a statement of defence filed earlier this month, Murray denies all of the claims in the Crown's suit.