Cameron Slater's account of Jami-Lee Ross taken into custody

"What we have witnessed here is a continuation of the nasty way in which National rinses someone that is a risk to the leadership. It goes back years."

--- Cameron Slater, originator of Dirty Politics

Who ever thought I would cite the notorious Cameron Slater of Dirty Politics fame?

It turns out he is at the centre of the affair that saw the National Party have to policce take whistleblower, Jami-Lee Ross into involuntary psychiatric care.

Jami-Lee Ross taken into mental health care

MP Jami-Lee Ross has been taken into mental health care, it is understood.

Stuff has been told by a source close to Ross that the MP was taken to a mental health unit in Auckland late on Saturday evening after police visited him at his Botany electorate office.

It is understood that Ross does not have his phone but Stuff was told he has been in contact with friends to say he was carrying on his fight against the National Party

National’s hit job puts JLR into care

by Cameron Slater

Whaleoil,

22 October, 2018

Yesterday was a rather stressful day for me. I and a good friend have been working constantly over the last few days to help Jami-Lee Ross, who was to us clearly in distress. On Saturday night things took a turn for the worse and we received a text message at 0400 that indicated he was in care and not by choice.

It took until 1 pm on Sunday for us to verify that he was okay and being looked after. NewstalkZB reported soon after: Quote:

Jami-Lee Ross has been taken into mental health care

Newstalk ZB can confirm the rogue National MP was taken in by police.

He was taken to a facility in Auckland.

A spokesperson for the National Party said in a statement: “Over the past several weeks the National Party has taken seriously the mental health concerns raised by Mr Ross and the medical professionals he has been involved with.

“That has included seeking advice from medical professionals and involving Police wherever necessary to ensure support is made available to Mr Ross. It would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Ross took leave from Parliament at the beginning of the month. He told reporters this week that it was because he was “devastated” at being accused of harassment and denied natural justice. End quote.

The National party are a piece of work. That statement is appalling. If they cared so much why was it left to me and my mate to inform JLR’s wife of his whereabouts and condition?

I am also privy to information that indicates that on the day Ross was given leave both Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett were given permission to contact Ross’s medical advisors and were told in no uncertain circumstances where this would likely end up if they continued down this path. Quote:

When he talked to media on Tuesday and Wednesday, he said that his doctor had cleared him and he was feeling healthy. He rejected comments from National deputy leader Paula Bennett that he was suffering from mental health issues, saying that his doctor had called Bennett to tell her that he was healthy. End quote.

I think Ross was trying to find a path forward when he made those statements. Little did he know that Bennett had already lined up the hit job of the anonymous smears against him, working the week before lining it up. Media know who those women are, one is public. They should ask those women when, precisely, Paula Bennett approached them to become complainants. Because the answer will surprise you all, it was well before the story came out and certainly before both Bridges and Bennett admit to knowing about it all. Quote:

Those comments were made before six women spoke publicly about what they called bullying and intimidating behaviour from Ross. Ross disagreed with the way the women portrayed him in media reports, but admitted to extra-marital affairs and said he had apologised to his wife Lucy Schwaner.

A National Party spokesman said: “Over the past several weeks the National Party has taken seriously the mental health concerns raised by Mr Ross and the medical professionals he has been involved with. That has included seeking advice from medical professionals and involving Police wherever necessary to ensure support is made available to Mr Ross. It would not be appropriate to comment further.”

Paula Bennett has repeatedly expressed concern this week for Ross’ health. End quote.

National has zero concerns, they were told what might happen and they went ahead anyway. They had the hit locked and loaded.

The truth will come out. There are too many moving parts for it not to come out and people are going to be appalled. Not all those stories are true, they just used the #MeToo smearbook to get Jami-Lee Ross.

It might surprise readers to know one was in a three-year relationship with Ross and is an MP. That same MP has admitted in a text message to Jami-Lee Ross that Simon Bridges was “handsy” with her. I have a copy of the text message and so do other media. One complainant was a former staffer of Paula Bennett’s office and is a current staffer of Simon Bridges. Another is a current staffer member of Simon Bridges. They sit no less than 15 feet from Bridges’ desk and yet we are supposed to believe that none of them said a word until the story broke on Newsroom, that Simon Bridges and Paula Bennett had never heard of these accusations until they broke. If you believe that then I have a bridge I can sell you.

That doesn’t pass the sniff test. What we have witnessed here is a continuation of the nasty way in which National rinses someone that is a risk to the leadership. It goes back years.

Right now I am more concerned about my friend who is hurting.

Other media are following the trail of destruction that the leadership of the National party has overseen. Let’s hope that sunlight is indeed the best disinfectant. I’m just picking up the information from what they are saying and asking me. It seems they are asking the right questions.

Here is Jami-Lee Ross earlier in the week. It went from revealing corruption to the National Party using the full Kavanagh "Me-too" playbook.

A week is an age in politics. The leaked phone call that has been forgotten.

Bullshit, smoke and mirrors from the NZ media

Important comments on the Jami-Lee Ross affair -On Jamie-Lee Ross’ Present Trajectory