MARTIN ORGANIZER DISTANCES FEDERAL LIBERALS FROM B.C. POLICE PROBE

Legislature Raid

OTTAWA - Prime Minister Paul Martin's top organizer in British Columbia
moved yesterday to distance the federal government and the federal Liberal
party from a police investigation that has resulted in search warrants
being executed against individuals closely linked to Mr. Martin's
leadership campaign.

Mark Marissen, who last week was visited at his home office by police and
who voluntarily handed over documents, said he was given no indication by
police that there is a direct political link.

"Based on my discussion with police, and I can only speak for myself ..
there is no organized crime or drug connection to the federal government or
to officials within the party or to the Paul Martin campaign," he said.

Mr. Marissen, whose office was not one of those targeted by a warrant, also
said the federal government's "connection to the case, overall, is
extremely tenuous at best."

He said police showed no interest in the leadership organization's
involvement in raising substantial amounts of money and recruiting
thousands of new party members last year.

"The documents they asked for were not related to the Liberal party's or to
the Paul Martin campaign's organizational or fundraising activities."

The police investigation has been shrouded in mystery because police have
revealed few details to explain why an investigation into the drug trade
and organized crime suddenly has political connections.

Mr. Marissen, who said previously that he was told by police he was the
"innocent recipient" of documents of interest, is the husband of Christy
Clark, British Columbia's deputy premier.

Police executed search warrants at the B.C. legislature offices of Dave
Basi, ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins, and Bob Virk,
ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judith Reid.

Mr. Basi has been a prominent campaign organizer in the Indo-Canadian
community for both the B.C. and federal Liberal parties and helped Mr.
Martin during the 2003 leadership campaign.

Warrants were also executed at the Vancouver offices of lobbyist Erik
Bornman, communications director of the federal party's B.C. wing, and
Bruce Clark, Christy Clark's brother and Mr. Martin's top fundraiser on the
West Coast.