Andrews to 'cease my attempts' to return to Liberal caucus

MP Scott Andrews waits for the Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics committee to begin in Ottawa on Monday, May 27, 2013. (Adrian Wyld / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Newfoundland MP Scott Andrews says he has done “everything in my power to clear my name” amid allegations of personal misconduct, and will cease efforts to return to the federal Liberal caucus.

Andrews made his first public comments since the allegations surfaced last fall during a press conference Thursday at his constituency office in his riding of Avalon.

Andrews told reporters that he attempted to clear his name through two avenues, including providing investigator Cynthia Petersen with a “frank and honest account” to “ensure a fair and restorative resolution of this matter.”

After receiving and reading a copy of the executive summary of Petersen’s report, Andrews said he is “satisfied with the contents and findings.”

He also said the entire process “has been very frustrating and has been troublesome to me.”

Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau suspended Andrews and Quebec MP Massimo Pacetti from caucus last November and ordered the investigation after two female NDP MPs made allegations against them.

Both men have maintained that they did nothing wrong.

Earlier this week, CTV News reported that the executive summary includes complaints from other women, and that Trudeau will not allow either man to return to caucus.

Andrews said Thursday that he will serve the remainder of his term as an Independent, and will decide whether to run in the upcoming federal election.

Pacetti said Wednesday that he will remain the MP for Saint-Leonard – Saint-Michel, but will not run again.

Andrews would not answer repeated questions about the exact allegations made against him.

In a statement before taking reporter’s questions, Andrews said that he has “learned a lot about myself in the past five months, particularly how my jovial Newfoundland personality can be perceived.”

He added that he is learning about the value of other people’s “personal space.”

Asked later by a reporter whether there is truth to an allegation that he followed an NDP MP home and pressed himself against her, Andrews replied:

“I’ve witnessed the worst side of politics in the last 24 hours and in the last six months, and I have learned that I don’t have it in me to be mean-spirited. So, I’m not going to respond to any of that, because I don’t want to be mean-spirited.”

Asked whether he was suggesting that his jovial nature had been misconstrued, he said no, but he is a “jovial person by nature, and I’ve learned that I have to respect people’s personal space.”

Pressed about why he was not addressing the specific allegations, he said it came down to making “a personal decision putting me and my family first.”

“I just want this to be over,” he said.

Andrews said that, because he did not order the investigation, the executive summary is not his to make public. However, he has no objection to Trudeau releasing it in its entirety.

In a statement, Trudeau said Thursday he has received Petersen’s “complete findings” and accepts the decisions of Pacetti and Andrews to sit as independents and not seek the Liberal nominations in their ridings.

“As such, I consider this matter closed,” he said, adding that his party will implement training procedures and other measures to improve workplace safety and protections against harassment.

Trudeau will not offer further comment on the matter, his statement concluded.

The two NDP MPs who made the accusations against Andrews and Pacetti have chosen to remain unnamed.

One of the women, however, has detailed an alleged incident at a downtown Ottawa hotel room, where she said Pacetti asked her to join him for a drink last March. She said she intended to finish her drink and leave, but wasn’t able to. The woman described what happened as “sex without explicit consent,” but didn’t elaborate on what exactly that allegation meant.

Another NDP MP told Liberal Party whip Judy Foote that Andrews allegedly forced himself on her, then verbally harassed her for a period of time. Sources say she refused to co-operate with the investigation.

Petersen’s report, now in the hands of a small group of Liberals, according to sources, according to SOURCES does not paint a flattering picture of Pacetti and Andrews’ behaviour, both on and off Parliament Hill, CTV’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reported earlier this week.

None of the allegations have been proven in court and no charges have been laid.