Gomery Report Released Today.

Former prime minister Jean Chretien will get hit with a finding of blame (surprise, surprise), but Prime Minister Paul Martin will not. That's the early word on the Gomery Sponsorship scandal report that will be released today.

Among those receiving a negative finding alongside Mr. Chretien will be former bureaucrat Chuck Guite, former minister of public works Alfonso Gagliano, Liberal fundraiser and Chretien supporter Jacques Corriveau, and Mr. Chretien's long-time chief of staff, Jean Pelletier.

The explosive report on the sponsorship scandal from Judge Gomery, which will apportion the responsibility for the misspending of tens of millions of dollars in public funds, started making the rounds in the upper reaches of the Martin government last evening. At the heart of the sponsorship scandal is the allegation that senior Liberal officials created a system by which advertising firms were overpaid for their work, with a portion of the excess cash being funnelled back to the Liberal Party. Judge Gomery had to first decide whether there was indeed a kickback scheme and, if so, who was involved.