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Revelation he had crossed in and out of a county under blocking, broken quarantine rules, and even played more golf, gradually dripped down over the course of six disastrous days as he fumbled trying to get away from the political crisis.
Finally, it was clear that his argument that he had not broken Ireland’s coronavirus rules had more holes than a golf course.
So how exactly did Hogan go into retirement in one week of golf? POLITICO looks at how the scandal played out, swing by swing.
⛳ Thursday 20 August: Late in the day, the Irish Examiner newspaper revealed that more than 80 of Ireland’s top politicians, judges and politicians attended a packed dinner on Wednesday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Parliamentary Golf Association – in breach of the rules of the coronavirus of Ireland, which the previous day to limit indoor meetings to only six people. Hogan remains silent – for now.
⛳ Friday, August 21: Other politicians, including some of Hogan’s own Fine Gael party, are being blamed for attending the party, with Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary announcing his resignation early in the morning. In a now deleted tweet, Hogan breaks cover to confirm his presence at the shindig – but he does not apologize. Instead, he says he only went along with receiving assurances that the event would keep him to the rules. In an argument that comes back later to bite him, Hogan categorically states that he “fully complied” with the rules of Ireland, that anyone returning to Ireland from Belgium for 14 days in quarantine.
In Brussels, a European Commission spokesman said the Irishman “attended in good faith” and said that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had been informed. Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin goes on television to demand a “full” apology from Hogan, but admits he is not in Irish jurisdiction. Anger mounts in Ireland over Hogan’s apparent shortage.
⛳ Saturday, August 22: While public outrage over the golf event is still rising, a lack of concrete consequences for Hogan gives the sneaky feeling he may have done enough to quell the storm, when Saturday comes. But that suddenly changed late in the evening when Prime Minister Martin and his deputy Leo Varadkar – leaders of two of the three coalition parties – made a stern statement that Hogan was “considering his position”. She also blamed the 60-year-old for his late apology.
“He still has to give a full account and explanation of his actions,” they say, pressing Hogan with turbo. But the choice of words leaves doubt as to whether the Hogan government really asked for his resignation, or just made a move to show toughness to the angry home crowd in Ireland. Meanwhile, Hogan calmly returns to Brussels by plane.
⛳ Sunday 23 August: “No dismissal,” a Hogan spokesman wrote in a text to POLITICO, as it became clear the commissioner was backing down. Later he returns to his Twitter feed and messages a full apology, saying he is “very sorry” and acknowledging the “stress, risk and crime” that his presence at the golf goal caused.
But he echoed the government’s call to consider his future, saying he respected and had “listened carefully to their views.” Irish Deputy Prime Minister Varadkar takes the floor to say that the apology “absolutely helps” and even seems to slip that the “consider your position” government had simply been an attempt to reflect the public vote. For a second time, it seems that Hogan can survive the scandal, and gets the whole affair as a small embarrassment. The Irishman gives an account of events to his boss, von der Leyen.
⛳ Monday 24 August: Now the focus has shifted to the European Commission in Brussels, where a spokesman revealed von der Leyen has requested additional information from Hogan. “[Von der Leyen] expects commissioners to follow the same rules as citizens do, “adds the commission’s representative – the first hint of potential consequences.
⛳ Tuesday 25 August: “Where’s Hogan?” journalists are starting to ask about the commissioner, who has not been seen in public since the scandal began. A Commission spokesman brushed off all talk of sanctioning Hogan as “absolutely premature.” In the afternoon, the Commission will publish what it says is the dossier of evidence that Hogan submitted to von der Leyen. It is a statement and timeline of 1,400 words of his activities in Ireland since his arrival on 31 July.
But the full disclosure strategy only raises new questions for the commissioner, including the chief why he does not appear to have been quarantined for 14 days on arrival in Ireland, and instead played golf and met Varadkar in Dublin at the time. He also dived in and out of Kildare County, saying he had to pick up documents while the area was under a local closure, and excused himself saying he had a “reasonable excuse”. Hogan appeared on Irish television last night for an interview that was meant to set the record straight – but it falls back spectacularly after he revealed that he thought he no longer needed to isolate himself simply because he tested negative for COVID -19 – that’s not what Irish rules say. The interview elicits a new accusation from the Irish government. The Irish Health Service Executive makes it clear that Hogan was wrong. At this point, it doesn’t look good for Big Phil, but after solidly defending his defense, any possible penalty can now only come from von der Leyen.
⛳ Wednesday, August 26: Pressure is mounting on the Commission, but its spokesperson stops by at an afternoon press conference: The president has not yet decided. It is clear that the now six-day affair is taking a toll and continuing. Meanwhile, Irish Prime Minister Hogan has been accused of undermining public health policies – a major blow to a pandemic. No news until tonight – and then it’s over.
A visibly humiliated Hogan dismissed, and insisted on television that he jumped off von der Leyen without a hitch (although he describes as “reluctant” his conclusion that the problem has become too much of a distraction). Finally to the last, Hogan says, “I did not break any law when I went to Ireland. I did not break any regulations,” adding, however, that “I could have better followed guidelines.” He also publishes his definitive statement, giving a clear religious overtone to his hope that history will judge his record and achievements favorably “when the final judgment is made.”
He is now leaving a gaping hole in the top positions of the Commission during a pandemic, Brexit negotiations and global trade security. “This may be the end of my political chapter,” Hogan admits.
