OTTAWA—Conservative Leader Stephen Harper continued to deflect questions about his chief of staff, Ray Novak, and his role in the scandal around Senator Mike Duffy’s expenses Monday morning.

Harper “refused the premise” of questions about Novak’s involvement with Nigel Wright and Duffy, but declined to say what exactly was wrong with the premise of the questions.

Instead, Harper repeated that he believes there are only two people involved in the scandal: Duffy and Wright. This is despite new emails and evidence released during the Duffy trial showing that several senior members of the PMO, Conservative senators, and Harper himself were in the loop at various points in the discussions between Wright and Duffy.

A reporter pointed out the questions were based on emails and facts not in dispute in Duffy’s ongoing criminal trial: that his senior staff was involved in writing “media lines” that misled the public about Duffy’s repayment.

The Conservative leader was asked if he has a responsibility to “clean house” after the revelations.

“I don’t accept that particular rendition of the facts,” Harper responded. “What I know is this: that Mr. Duffy should have repaid his expenses, (and) he did not. He did not because Mr. Wright paid them for him. These are the two individuals responsible. They are being held accountable. And that is what is appropriate.”

Harper was then asked what, exactly, he does not accept about the question. Harper responded that he’s been “very clear” that he believes Duffy and Wright are the ones responsible for the scandal.

The Conservative leader has been dogged with questions about Wright’s $90,000 cheque to cover the sitting senator’s expenses since his former chief of staff took the stand at the Duffy trial last week.

At a campaign stop in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Harper provided a variation of the answer he has given over the past week in response to repeated questions about new details and documents tabled in the Ottawa courtroom.

Novak replaced Wright as Harper’s chief of staff after CTV revealed Wright had covered Duffy’s disputed expenses in May 2013. Novak is a long-time staffer and confidant of Harper, and continues to play a role in the Conservatives’ re-election campaign.

In emails tabled by Duffy’s defence last week, Novak’s name appears a number of times. This includes:

Copied on a Feb. 6, 2013 email chain about a statement drafted by the PMO in which Duffy defends his eligibility to sit and claim expenses as a P.E.I. senator.

Copied on a Feb. 11, 2013 email chain about Conservative senate leader Marjory LeBreton’s plans for manoeuvres in the Senate to address the scandal.

Sent an email complaining about LeBreton’s handling of the media around the Duffy scandal, on Feb. 11, 2013.

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Sent an email on Harper’s opinion concerning Senate residency requirements, on Feb. 19, 2013.

Received an email directly from Duffy in which the senator warns him that he is “cooked” and that someone “misled the p.m.” on Duffy’s time in PEI.

Copied on an email chain on March 22 setting up a conference call with Duffy’s lawyer, Janice Payne, Nigel Wright, counsel Ben Perrin, and himself.

Received an email from Wright on March 23, indicating that he “will send (his) cheque on Monday.”

Novak isn’t the only person attached to the Conservatives’ re-election campaign to appear in the emails. Marjory LeBreton, a former senator who stickhandled the Senate scandal file for PMO, has also been seen at Conservative campaign stops.

At a campaign event on Sunday in Ottawa, LeBreton was whisked away from reporters by Conservative staffers before she could be asked about the revelations at Duffy’s trial.

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