In the best of circumstances, politics is not for the faint of heart. But in New Zealand, where a general election is planned for September 20, an ugly defamation war is taking place that would make Vladimir Putin blush.

Prime Minister John Key and his conservative National Party are gunning for a third consecutive parliamentary majority, apparently by any means necessary – including a smear campaign against my client, Kim Dotcom.

Interestingly, Key has developed a personal relationship with Cameron Slater of “Whale Oil,” a controversial blogger known most recently for insulting a grieving Maori family with a racial slur.

Last month, Key openly acknowledged that he holds regular private conversations with Slater. It was a surprising development. Why would Key associate with such a figure, and what is the nature of their relationship? It is not known what the arrangement may or may not exist between Key and/or National Party and Slater’s website, but there are numerous credible rumors surrounding Whale Oil’s pay-for-play policy, where ad nauseum attacks are available to the highest bidder. Kim Dotcom is hardly the first victim, and John Key appears the most natural one to benefit.