See you later, Helena

I think it's safe to say that we will soon be informed that airport tantrum queen Helena Guergis' stint as minister of state for the status of women has come to a much-anticipated end.

The Toronto Star has published a telling account of the nite her husband, Rahim Jaffer, was arrested for speeding, DUI and cocaine possession (charges he skated on with a slap on the wrist a few months later). It seems Mr Jaffer thinks he has a lot of influence with the tories to secure government grants for people like the rather nefarious character, Nazim Gillani - even though Jaffer is not a registered lobbyist.

Forced to remove the Conservative party logo from his site over these revelations, the PMO has also had to weigh in with a denial - a move that only moves Guergis' ministerial career closer to the abyss.

That denial, as are most things that come from the mouth of Dimitri Soudas, is laughable:

“Any accusation that the PMO has opened doors for Mr. Jaffer or his business associates is false and it is also absurd,” PMO spokesman Dimitri Soudas said in an interview Thursday. “I can tell you that the doors to the Prime Minister’s Office are padlocked to anybody who wishes to peddle influence.”

Adding on to the pile-on, the Ottawa Citizen is raising questions about some of Guergis' election expenses. Add that to previous stories about her staffers sending off supportive letters to various newspapers and reports that virtually no one in the Conservative caucus is willing to defend her anymore and I'd say political death by a thousand newspaper cuts is a fait accompli.

The fat lady has sung, Helena.

Related:

Tory MPs snubbed Rahim Jaffer in row over petty cash, sources say
First a plea bargain, now a tax break for Rahim Jaffer
Liberals want Guergis's mortgage probed
Guergis Attacks Dead Student's Mother

UPDATE:

Guergis resigns, now faces RCMP probe

"Last night my office became aware of serious allegations related to (Guergis)," said Prime Minister Stephen Harper Friday, before adding he has referred the allegations to the RCMP and the federal ethics commissioner.
[...]
“Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner Mary Dawson has confirmed receipt of a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office about the conduct of the former Minister of State for the Status of Women, Helena Guergis,” her spokeswoman Jocelyne Brisebois wrote in an emailed statement Friday. “The Commissioner is currently reviewing the letter.”

She's being replaced by another tory loser - Rona Ambrose