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I have yet to see any suggestion that they are taking direction from any political masters

In a letter earlier this month, Elections Canada senior legal counsel Audrey Nowack also cautioned Kaufman about allowing potential witnesses to speak to the media.

She said it affects witness credibility and “may raise questions concerning their motives for providing information and, consequently, may affect the commissioner’s assessment of and weight given to the information or the offer to provide it.”

The letter also said the commissioner’s office was willing to hear from witnesses about the allegations but could not offer any immunity.

Kaufman said he understands investigators can’t directly offer immunity but sees no reason why they can’t work with federal prosecutors so the witnesses can speak freely.

He spoke to Nowack on the phone on Monday and was surprised by her apparent lack of interest in following up the allegations with him.

“I see no indication they’re going to do anything,” he said. “They’re going to do nothing. No immunity. No bringing in the Crown. No interest in anything I have to say.”

Kaufman said he was expecting some negotiation about arranging the immunity for the donors but Nowack showed little interest in following up in a phone call he described as terse and strange.

“This woman would do nothing for me. She wouldn’t put a toe in the water. She wouldn’t even try to talk to me, to elicit more information. There was no interest.”