Journalist told Slipper staffer 'we will get him'

[Matilda]

Lawyers for Peter Slipper have filed court documents alleging a News Limited journalist sent a text message to one of the Speaker's staff, saying: "We will get him!!"

Steve Lewis allegedly sent the message to James Ashby less than a fortnight before Mr Ashby filed a sexual harassment claim against the Speaker.

The allegations were then published in several News Limited newspapers under Lewis's byline.

It is one of a number of text messages that Mr Slipper is relying upon in his defence of the harassment allegations.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-26/journalist-text-to-slipper-staffer/4093570

Will this turn out to be Tony Abbott's Godwin Grech moment? While I'm sure Slipper is not a saint (he is widely disliked by so many who know him), neither does Ashby look to be the blushing violet he claims to be. Far from looking like a nervous man who needs counselling for the shock and trauma to his delicate psyche caused by Slipper, he's never appeared as anything other than confident, not to say brash. And when News is involved, it's hard not to believe that there's not a lot of dirt under the carpet. Nothing would be too grubby for them if they thought it would bring down the Gillard government.

And I have to say, while he may be a bit of a tosser, Slipper is a very good Speaker, and I miss his control of the parliament. Anna Bligh is doing her best, but they're starting to run riot in the House, just as they did with Harry.