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James and Lenz, who were suspended with pay on Nov. 20, provided their responses to the legislative assembly management committee, or LAMC, which would not release the documents Friday. However, Postmedia obtained copies of their responses, the latest volley in this high-stakes political story.

James called the Speaker’s criticisms “illogical,” noting Plecas approved some of his expenses as clerk. “He expressed no concerns. How could he approve the claims and ask that they be processed expeditiously if there was anything wrong with them? The concerns that are now raised take me absolutely by surprise,” James writes.

They both defended their record at the legislature — James argued he made many changes that vastly improved oversight and Lenz said he focused on improving security.

Photo by BEN NELMS / THE CANADIAN PRESS

LISTEN: This week on the In The House podcast, Rob Shaw and guest Vaughn Palmer discuss a busy time in B.C. politics, including the final count of the Nanaimo byelection, the auditor general’s look at B.C. Hydro deferral accounts, the legislature being placed under Freedom of Information legislation, and other stories of the week.

James and Lenz admitted to minor transgressions, such as inappropriately claiming magazine subscriptions as expenses and a few mistakes when claiming daily meal allowances.

On the larger, more explosive items contained in Plecas’s 76-page report, James and Lenz offered defences (see below), although they said they had to rely on their memories for explanations because they were denied access to legislative files while suspended.