THE Holyrood committee set up to investigate the Scottish Government's handling of complaints against Alex Salmond have "destroyed the credibility of their own report" by leaking it to the press, according to Patrick Harvie.
The Scottish Greens co-leader said the group let "party politics over-ride the public interest" as they concluded Nicola Sturgeon gave an “inaccurate” account of meeting with her predecessor during the live investigation.
This would amount to misleading the Scottish Parliament, however it is unclear whether this would be deemed a resignation-worthy offence.
The ministerial code dictates that any minister found to knowingly be in breach should resign. However, Sky News reported that the word "knowingly" was not included in the text agreed by the committee.
Harvie said: "I've never seen a committee process more compromised by leaks, MSPs pre-judging the evidence, and party politics over-riding the public interest.
"What should have been an examination of how women were failed and how we could prevent that from happening again has turned into a complete fame.
"There were serious questions that needed to be answered by this committee, that, why we supported its creation, but it's clear that a number of committee members have absolutely no interest in establishing the facts or seeking to create a supportive environment for women to bring forward complaints. Instead they have bought into Alex Salmond, conspiracy hook, line and sinker in the hope of securing a political scalp."
READ MORE: Salmond inquiry member takes dig at whoever leaked committee report to media
He continued: "It's also clear that a number of members of the committee have breached the MSP code of conduct by leaking information to the media. Perhaps more astonishing is that committee members actually giving TV interviews in the midst of their deliberations."
Harvie went on to blast Conservative MP David Davis who used parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons to read out messages that he suggested showed a “concerted effort by senior members of the SNP to encourage complaints” against Salmond.
According to Davis, the messages disclosed by a whistleblower “demands serious investigation”, with one alleging the investigating officer in the case complained of interference by Sturgeon’s chief of staff.
Harvie added: "This week a complainer felt it necessary to issue a statement via Rape Crisis Scotland after David Davis MP took to his feet in the Commons to use parliamentary privilege to throw around yet more of Alex Sahond's conspiracy theories. It is utterly disgraceful that the women at the heart of this saga have been so let down by the process that they felt the need to do this.
"The Scottish Greens have said throughout that we will examine both the committee report and the Hamilton ministerial code inquiry before drawing any conclusions. Despite the indefensible behaviour of members of the committee, we are still willing to do so, but their actions have clearly destroyed the credibility of their own report before anyone has had the chance to read it."
READ MORE: Salmond inquiry MSP Andy Wightman takes dig at report's leaker on Twitter
The report, which is still being considered by the committee, is due to be published in the coming days.
The National understands that a senior Scottish Tory source has steered away from suggestions that Salmond committee’s verdict on Sturgeon has been finalised over concern that the leak could flip “finely balanced” majority of one.
The Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints was set up after a successful judicial review by Salmond resulted in the Scottish Government’s investigation being ruled unlawful and “tainted by apparent bias”, with a £512,250 payout being awarded to him for legal fees in 2019.
In a further finding this morning a majority of MSPs are understood to have concluded the First Minister misled the Holyrood committee if she did have knowledge of the concerns.
She has said she was informed about a media inquiry relating to the alleged behaviour by the then FM towards female Edinburgh Airport staff in November 2017 and that was the first she had ever heard of his potential inappropriate behaviour.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon's office blasts new inquiry leak as 'baseless assertion and smear'
Sky News also has reported the probe believes Sturgeon should have acted upon any information about her predecessor's conduct.
It also revealed the committee is "concerned" about the meetings Sturgeon had with Salmond after he revealed he was being investigated, and why it took the First Minister more than two months to tell the head of Scotland's civil service what she knew.
According to Sky News reporter James Matthews, the inquiry believes: "She should have made the Permanent Secretary aware as soon as possible after the April 2, 2018 meeting, at which point she should have confirmed she would cease contact with Alex Salmond."
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