Under questioning by Deeming’s counsel Sue Chrysanthou SC, Pesutto admitted he made a mistake when he told media Kellie-Jay Keen-Minshull had a “rap sheet of associations”, including to neo-Nazi and former head of the Ku Klux Klan, David Duke.
On three occasions with media prior to a bid to have Deeming ousted from the Liberal Party, Pesutto made the Ku Klux Klan comment.
When asked whether his press was being monitored by a member of his team as it occurred, Pesutto said they “typically do”, but “they didn’t pick up that error … [it] was pointed out to me later that day”.
“Your Honour, I was informed by one of my part-time staff members later in the day … that I had misspoken,” Pesutto told the court.
Chrysanthou said that by making the association and mentioning Keen-Minshull’s alleged “rap sheet”, Pesutto had been suggesting to media and the public that Deeming was aware of this link.
Chrysanthou then put to Pesutto that it was “dishonest” of him to not publicly announce his error and to instead “let it fester”.
Pesutto did not accept this, telling the court it was “pretty obvious once all the material was out there that that was the case” and he insisted he did not repeat the error once it was pointed out to him.
Later in the cross-examination, Chrysanthou put to Pesutto that his office was giving media parts of a draft dossier that he would seek to use in his bid to have Deeming expelled from the party.
Pesutto said his media team was often communicating with journalists as part of its job and accepted that while they were talking to journalists during the day in question, he did not accept the contention it was to leak the dossier.
The hearing continues.
Source: Pesutto admits incorrectly linking controversial rally with Ku Klux Klan – Lawyers Weekly