Karlheinz Schreiber is the German businessman facing extradition to Germany. He is also the central figure in a controversy in which he alleges to have paid Brian Mulroney $300,000 when Brian Mulroney was already a private citizen, but that the arrangement was made while Brian Mulroney was prime minister (actually during his last 48 hours in office).

I've already pointed out that we've seen this sort of thing before. Faced with an impending date with the justice system in one jurisdiction in which he is likely to face severe punishment, the accused fabricates a new set of allegations that forces another jurisdiction to attempt to gain or retain possession of the accused.

John Mark Karr did it brilliantly. Facing serious charges in Thailand, the alleged pedophile "confessed" to participating in some undefined manner in the murder of JonBenet Ramsey in Colorado. The United States quickly arranged for Karr to be deported, and once in the United States, the case against him fell apart and today he is a free man.

I think Karlheinz Schreiber could be playing a similar game. Already in Canada, he wants to avoid deportation to Germany (his deportation is looming close as his final appeals are playing out in court). He fabricates a political firebomb using enough of his real history with Brian Mulroney to establish credibility, then dares the Canadian government to deport him. Of course, since it is the Conservatives being targetted, a deportation would be declared a cover-up in some circles. Immunized against deportation for the forseeable future, the 73-year-old businessman could tell German authorities that he is now likely to die of old age before ever returning to Germany. The Germans are faced with the choice of making a deal with Schreiber that closes the book on the charges without any jail time, or never exacting any measure of justice at all.

I think it all makes sense, and apparently I'm not the only one who thinks so. CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife thinks Karlheinz Schreiber is using Canada's justice system for his own personal benefit:

Schreiber has also alleged the two met to discuss business matters while Mulroney was still prime minister. None of the allegations have been proven in court, and Mulroney has denied the accusations.

However, the claims have sparked a chain of events including plans for a full public inquiry and an RCMP review.

"Mr. Schreiber is saying that he's not trying to use the court system to delay his extradition to Germany," CTV's Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife said Thursday.

"That's just completely unbelievable."

Fife said Schreiber has had opportunities over the last 15 years to come forward with any allegations of wrongdoing.

"If he knew about this meeting with Mr. Mulroney he should have told people a long time ago," said Fife.

"The only reason he's talking about this now is that he's on the doorstep to being extradited to Germany."

Robert Fife is constructing a picture of an extremely manipulative man. I agree with that assessment, but I'll take it one step further. Any association with this manipulator is likely to end in tears.

I warned the Liberals not to follow Schreiber. Mary Lacy, the District Attorney who arranged for John Mark Karr to be brought to the United States, was roundly criticized for being so easily manipulated, and her career is likely never to recover fully from the debacle. Now the Liberals are facing heat of their own in the form of a lawsuit brought against Liberal MP Robert Thibault:

Brian Mulroney is seeking at least $2-million in damages in a defamation lawsuit filed against a Liberal MP who has been an outspoken critic of the former prime minister's alleged links to Karlheinz Schreiber.

The civil action filed in Ontario Superior Court alleges that Robert Thibault made "false" and "malicious" statements in an Oct. 31 interview with Mike Duffy on the CTV News Net cable channel.

Mr. Thibault has been the main spokesman for the federal Liberal party about the ongoing controversy involving the $300,000 allegedly paid by Mr. Schreiber to Mr. Mulroney in 1993 and 1994.

The Nova Scotia MP was asked about the issue in the Oct. 31 interview and made a number of comments, including a call for a public inquiry.

"Mr. Thibault intended by these statements to convey to the public that Mr. Schreiber made payments to Mr. Mulroney while Mr. Mulroney was Prime Minister, that Mr. Mulroney falsely denied knowing Mr. Schreiber and falsely denied any business relationship with Mr. Schreiber," says the statement of claim, filed on Nov. 8.

"He intended to injure Mr. Mulroney's reputation. He did so for political gain. He did so maliciously," alleges the statement of claim.

Despite this and other warning signs, the Liberals seem all too happy to establish a close relationship with Schreiber.

Roibert Thibault has become a sort of proxy for Schreiber. No, that's not the nature of the relationship. Thibault seems to be saying exactly what Schreiber wants him to say:

"It's not my place to defend him or to accuse him of anything," said Liberal MP Robert Thibault, who revealed Tuesday he's been talking to Schreiber since last spring.

"But I don't see how you could possibly have a full inquiry without the full participation of Mr. Schreiber and I don't know of any other way to do that than to have him on Canadian soil."

I guess that makes Thibault Trilby O'Ferrall to Schreiber's Svengali. (OK, if that reference is too obscure, read about it here.)

Trilby dies from a nervous breakdown, by the way.

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