Andrew Clennell August 3, 2007 - 5:08PM The Liberal Party's state executive has voted not to endorse the alleged branch stacker Michael Towke for the seat of Cook, after pressure from the Prime Minister John Howard to dump him as a candidate. Out of the 22-member state executive, 11 voted against Mr Towke's endorsement in a faxed ballot, the party's state director Graham Jaeschke has confirmed, in a blow to the party's right wing. There were nine for him and two absentions. The party must now decide how to select a new candidate for Cook, with one possibility being a deal between right and left factions for the state executive to endorse a candidate - likely to be either local businessman Peter Tynan or barrister Mark Speakman.
The hilarious thing about this guy is that apart from branch stacking, lying about his previous Labor afiliation, he was also a ringleader of the Bulldog Army. http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/true-blue-sharks-man-towke-was-a-rabid-dog/2007/07/21/1184560101171.html Despite his claims he was never a member of the Bulldog Army, this is interesting: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2002/08/26/1030053035399.html
