Well, I can assure you that the reason for my removal was based on my coming forward. What ex-commissioner Zaccardelli is talking about is his understanding, again, of a conversation on June 17, where there was no discussion, and at no time did I ever say that I knew for any length of time, other than May 28.
In October, when I went back in to see him just before I left, and we sat in there, we actually had a very interesting conversation. I even asked him, why would you think I would lie to you? I've known you for almost 20 years; I've never lied to you before, and I've never lied to you all the way up until then. All I got in response was very similar to, “Well, you'll have a good career”, the push of the garage door opener, and the door opens. And that's when you know it's time to leave. That's as simple as it was. I was removed because I came forward, period.
I went forward to the ethics adviser. The ethics adviser disclosed the stuff I had spoken to him about in the early, early stages to Mrs. George and to Vern White at an SMT meeting, because he...and I think it's maybe time we bring him in, because it's he who can then spell out why he told them what I went to the ethics adviser with, and then the next time, them taking me into the commissioner. It was not Fraser Macaulay going to the commissioner. I'm just getting going on gathering the evidence. That was the conversation I had with the ethics adviser. That is the conversation I had with Barb George, and she said, “No, you're coming in.”
When I first went into the room on June 17, the first question the ex-commissioner asked Barb George was, “Is that other matter taken care of?”, and she said, “It's on hold.” I don't know what that means, but if you put in all the scenarios of where things are at, that's where I linked it back to later finding out that Mr. Lewis had started the investigation.