From this morning's Herald
The Prime Minister gave cautious support to Winston Peters last night as fallout from his about-face on his $100,000 donation continued.
Helen Clark also risked a backlash from the volatile New Zealand First leader and Foreign Minister by publicly saying that the Owen Glenn email the Herald published had been "right" in that Mr Glenn believed he had given money to Mr Peters.
Mr Peters has repeatedly said the paper was wrong and accused it of lying - as recently as yesterday morning - despite his bombshell admission on Friday.
Mr Peters, having repeatedly denied ever receiving a personal or political donation from the Monaco-based expatriate billionaire, said that night that Mr Glenn had paid $100,000 towards the legal bill for his Tauranga electoral challenge in 2005.
Mr Peters said his lawyer, Brian Henry, revealed to him the identity of the donor that evening.
Asked if Mr Peters' story was credible, Helen Clark said yesterday: "I'm in a position that Mr Peters is an honourable member [of Parliament] and I must accept his word unless I have evidence to the contrary."
