Simon Bridges has apologised and come out swinging at Jami-Lee Ross, after the rogue MP released a recording of the pair.
The recording contained Mr Bridges and Mr Ross discussing a $100,000 donation given to the National Party by a Chinese businessman, the race of list MPs and which MPs should be pushed out.
In it, he calls MP Maureen Pugh "f*****g useless". He apologised to her after the recording was released.
Today, Mr Bridges called it a "blunt, private conversation".
He gave his "heartfelt apologies to Maureen Pugh", said he was "mortified" and it was "entirely thoughtless and it’s not how I feel".
Mr Bridges moved on to Jami-Lee Ross saying "he has defamed me and he is a liar".
"Jami-Lee Ross has been secretly taping me consistently for many, many months. It's a monumental breach of trust."
"The lies, the inappropriate conduct, the disloyalty. I won't stand, I didn't stand for what he's done.
"I have done absolutely nothing wrong."
Mr Bridges says the recording released today does not back up Mr Ross' allegations.
He said he did not need to apologise to the Indian and Chinese communities .
When asked if he would apologise to other MPs, he said they "know how I feel".
Mr Bridges said Jami-Lee Ross had "done his worst".
He doubted he would take legal action against Jami-Lee Ross.
"He's defamed me, he has made veracious criminal allegations to the police and he has attempted to blackmail me, criminally. I don't stand for this sort of nonsense."
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