ACT Party leader John Banks has confirmed he asked Kim Dotcom's staff for a donation to his party, but says he was turned down.
Mr Banks has been under pressure for several weeks over his links to the internet entrepreneur and whether he knew Mr Dotcom had made donations to his 2010 Auckland mayoralty campaign.
The New Zealand Herald says it has an email from Mr Dotcom's head of security, Wayne Tempero, saying Mr Banks asked for a donation and also said he would be a very good friend once he was back in Parliament.
Responding to that, Mr Banks says he recalls raising the issue of a donation, but he says he was told Mr Dotcom had said get lost because, "Your Government has caused me too much trouble."
Mr Tempero also claims Mr Banks offered to sit down with Mr Dotcom in the new year to talk about how he could be of service to him as an MP.
Mr Banks says Mr Tempero's recollection of events differs from his.
