In other news...

Buried below the lede in a story buried deep in the lineup, CTV quietly drops two massive bombshells. After noting that the NDP and Bloc leaders had both called for an RCMP investigation into the smoking audio-tape in Question Period, the network shows the Prime Minister offering his standard denial:

Prime Minister Paul Martin denies the Liberals did anything wrong. "No offer was made -- that means no offer was made."

And then, just like that, adds this:

CTV News' Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife reports that the Prime Minister knew of the negotiations. According to Fife, the full four hours of transcripts of Grewal's taped conversations with a top Martin aide and Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh show: * Martin was ready to talk to Grewal about defecting like he did with Belinda Stronach * Grewal was offered a government position two weeks after the vote

In other words, if Fife is right -- presumably he is speaking first-hand, but it could just be his interpretation -- the transcripts flatly contradict everything the Prime Minister and his people have said until now about this affair. One way or the other, we'll know soon enough. Fife reports

the transcripts could be released Tuesday. Conservative House Leader Jay Hill has said the party will be turning the tapes over to the RCMP soon. The federal ethics commissioner Bernard Shapiro is also expected to announce Tuesday whether he will conduct an investigation into the alleged Liberal deal-making.

< Drudge mode > Developing...< /Drudge >