LIBERAL FUNDRAISER'S HOME WAS SEARCHED

Brother of Deputy Premier Christy Clark Active in Federal Party

Police served a search warrant on the Vancouver home office of Bruce Clark,
Deputy Premier Christy Clark's brother and the chief fundraiser for the
B.C. chapter of the federal Liberals, as part of the investigation that led
to raids at the legislature last Sunday, The Vancouver Sun has learned.

Confirmation of the search at Bruce Clark's West End home provides one more
piece of the puzzle about who was targeted Sunday by police who are
conducting a drug and organized crime investigation that has involved
several high-ranking members of the provincial and federal Liberal parties.

However, even as another piece of the puzzle turns up, the full picture of
the investigation -- and how it involves illegal drugs, organized crime,
police corruption and provincial and federal Liberals -- remains unclear.

The RCMP and provincial government refuse to release more information about
the case and the federal Liberals maintain the probe doesn't involve them,
despite several of their key organizers being searched by police.

Bruce Clark said he was not a suspect in the investigation and insisted
police did not tell him what they were looking for or what they took from
his home Sunday.

Clark said he was "absolutely surprised" when police phoned him while he
was on vacation on the East Coast.

"We were away, out of town for Christmas holidays with family, and received
a message from the RCMP. They were interested in seeing if we had any
documents in my home office that might assist them in an investigation,"
Clark said Thursday in his first media interview since the raids.

"I contacted them and made arrangements to give them access to my home
office that day that I was away, and offered to cooperate in any way I could.

"The police were not able to tell me anything about the investigation, but
they did make it absolutely clear that I am not a suspect," he added.

He returned home Thursday, but said he did not know then if police seized
anything from his home.

Clark, who said he made arrangements for someone to grant police access to
his home while he was away, at first told The Sun he didn't ask the RCMP if
they had a search warrant. He phoned back a short time later to clarify
that police did, in fact, have a warrant to search his home office.

Clark's holding company, Vovis Consulting Inc., oversees his investments,
including residential properties he owns in New Westminster. He said his
business was not involved in the

BC Rail privatization deal, which has links to most of the other people or
businesses that were searched by police Sunday.

However, he is connected politically to many of the other search warrant
subjects.

Police seized documents from the Port Moody home office of Clark's
brother-in-law Mark Marissen, who is married to the deputy premier and who
is the prime minister's most powerful non-elected ally in B.C.

Mounties visited the Vancouver home office of Erik Bornman, who sits on the
executive of the B.C. chapter of the federal Liberals with Clark. Bornman
was also the organizational chair for Paul Martin's leadership campaign,
while Clark did the fundraising.

Also searched was the Victoria office of Pilothouse Public Affairs Group,
where Bornman is a director and works as a provincial government lobbyist.

The most high-profile searches were at the legislature offices of Finance
Minister Gary Collins' ministerial assistant David Basi and Transportation
Minister Judith Reid's ministerial assistant Bob Virk. Both are active
members of the federal Liberal party, and Basi in particular was credited
with recruiting thousands of new members during Martin's leadership campaign.

Basi, whose house was also searched, was fired Monday, and Virk was
suspended with pay.

Many of the people targeted by police have long-standing connections to the
provincial and/or federal Liberals, and some have been associated through
various business ventures in B.C.

Clark was president and CEO of Burnaby-based Canada Payphone Corporation
until his resignation in November 2000. Bornman was the company's director
of communications at the time.

RCMP and Victoria police began their investigation 20 months ago,
uncovering links to illegal drugs, organized crime and police corruption.
Evidence uncovered led to a spinoff investigation, which resulted in the
seven search warrants issued Sunday -- including:

? Two at the legislature;

? One each at Pilothouse's offices in Vancouver and Victoria;

? One at Basi's Victoria home;

? The one at Clark's home office.

Because the search warrants are sealed to the public it is unclear where
the seventh was served. Marissen says police did not have a search warrant
when they came to his house.

The main documents that hold clues to the mystery surrounding the
investigation have been sealed by the court. The seven search warrants
contain allegations, but not evidence, which police would have presented to
a judge to get permission to conduct the searches.

The Vancouver Sun and three other media outlets will argue in court today
that the search warrants should be made public.

"It is unbelievable that we could have a raid on the legislature of this
province and no one will tell the public what's going on," said Sun
editor-in-chief Patricia Graham.

"There has seldom been a case with such potentially far-reaching
implications for the administration of justice and the political system,
and the public needs information."

In court to oppose the media's application will be William Berardino, the
special prosecutor on the legislature case, and Robert Prior, the
prosecutor on the drug case. Prior is also the director of federal
prosecutions in B.C.

At least one of the search warrants executed at the legislature is part of
the drug case, but it is still murky how the two investigations weave together.

Nine people in Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria were arrested in
mid-December in connection with the drug case, but were released without
charges. At least one person was arrested Sunday in the legislature case,
Victoria police said, but no charges have been laid.

Victoria police have also said the investigation is linked to the
suspension Dec. 15 of Constable Ravinder Dosanjh, but did not elaborate.

All of the unanswered questions continue to swirl around the legislature at
a time when politicians and staff begin to return from their holidays.
Premier Gordon Campbell is not expected to arrive home from Hawaii until
early next week.

Business will soon begin to increase at the legislature as officials
prepare for the budget and the spring session. It is unclear how the affair
will affect the day-to-day activities of the government.