Pubdate: Wed, 03 May 2006
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Canoe Inc
Contact:  http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Irwin Loy, 24 Hours	

SULLIVAN'S ADVERSARIES DISMISS CLAIMS OF SMEAR TACTICS

Mayor Sam Sullivan's political opponents are rejecting claims they 
drummed up a politically embarrassing story to try and win an election.

Sullivan created headlines during last year's municipal election 
campaign when he told a Vancouver media outlet he gave money for 
crack to an addicted friend.

Shortly after Sullivan's victory, the RCMP announced it would 
investigate the story for any legal concerns.

"I think [Sullivan] is trying to deflect what's happening with him 
off onto us," said Coun. Tim Stevenson of the centre-left Vision Vancouver.

"He went and voluntarily talked about this buying of illicit drugs 
and so on ... He in an interview brought the story up himself and 
then he wonders why people are talking about it."

In a statement given to the RCMP yesterday, six months after it was 
first requested, Sullivan blamed Vision Vancouver for last year's 
negative publicity.

"Former Mayor Larry Campbell and his Vision Vancouver party made 
these experiences a focus of their campaign," he wrote in a statement 
released by public relations firm Reputations, not his on-staff press 
secretary. "... Because of the increased public awareness, the police 
chief had no alternative but to request that the RCMP investigate 
these incidents."
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